Despite injuries to many key players, the Milwaukee Brewers are having a solid season. Their offense has improved, they’re pitching well, and are currently in first place in the NL Central. However, the big story to follow with them is what are they going to do with star pitcher Corbin Burnes. Given how badly Milwaukee botched his arbitration and his hiring Scott Boras, Burnes’s days in Milwaukee are numbered. However, with the Brewers in a spot to make the postseason, Burnes shouldn’t be traded until the offseason.
Corbin Burnes’s Tumultuous Arbitration
It was a tumultuous offseason between the Milwaukee Brewers and their ace Corbin Burnes. After failing to compromise over a $740,000 difference in salary demand, the Brewers and Burnes went to arbitration. Milwaukee even went as far as to reportedly blame Corbin Burnes for not making the postseason despite having a porous offense. The Brewers won and Burnes would now be making $10.1 million for this season.
Naturally, the relationship between the Brewers and their ace was hurt. In response, Burnes went out and hired baseball mega agent Scott Boras. Burnes is practically telling the Brewers that his days in Milwaukee are numbered. Burnes currently has one more year of arbitration before he can be a free agent.
The Brewers Really Can’t Trade Him Right Now
Currently, Burnes has a record of 4-4, an ERA of 3.75, 66 strikeouts, and a FIP 4.59. This is a little off from the numbers he’s been putting up the past three seasons. However, there is still lots of time for him to turn his season around. Burnes is known for starting out slowly but really peaking in the second half of the season. With Brandon Woodruff, Wade Miley, Eric Lauer, and Aaron Ashby all on the injured list, the Brewers need Corbin Burnes now more than ever.
Remember The Result Of Trading Josh Hader Midseason
Last season, Milwaukee traded star closer Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres while they were leading the division. The result was disastrous for Milwaukee as the trade ultimately deflated the clubhouse which proved costly. The Brewers would go 29-31 after the trade was made, relinquish first place to the Cardinals, and miss the postseason. The Brewers sit in almost the exact same situation. Milwaukee is in first place in the NL Central and has a superstar player they’ll be losing to free agency soon.
The Unpredictable Postseason
While the Brewers can get a haul of prospects in return for Burnes, they also have a chance to get back to the postseason. The best way to describe the MLB Postseason is like a game of roulette, whoever can get hot at the right time has a chance to hoist the commissioners trophy. Given that Milwaukee has never won the World Series, it’d be worthwhile to try and go for it.
Has Milwaukee Learned From Last Year?
Then GM David Stearns admitted after the season that he regretted making the Josh Hader trade when he did. He wasn’t expecting it to affect the clubhouse as much as it did. If Matt Arnold is smart, then he’ll learn from his predecessor not to make that mistake with Burnes. Trading Burnes at the deadline would destroy whatever chance the Brewers have at having a successful postseason run. With the Brewers currently in first place, various pitcher injuries, the unpredictability of the postseason, and a poor experience of trading a star while contending; Milwaukee ought to wait until after the season to trade Corbin Burnes.
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