The Milwaukee Brewers had no choice but to trade starter Zack Greinke on July 27 as their season was all but over and there was no way the team could financially bring the right-hander back next year. Almost a month later it appears the Brewers got the better end of the deal than the Los Angeles Angels did in the trade.
In five starts with the Angles, Greinke has posted a 1-2 record with a 6.19 earned run average while surrendering five home runs, 13 walks, and averaging 5.6 strikeouts per game. In 21 starts with the Brewers, he went 10-5 with a 3.44 ERA and allowed only seven home runs even though Miller Park is considered to be a place where big sluggers shine. His 5.8 strikeouts are only slightly higher but that is also over a larger span of games.
Meanwhile, Jean Segura has certainly had his fair share of struggles at the plate; however, he has come up big when Milwaukee needed him most. He is currently batting .225 with three runs, four RBI, one walk, and seven strikeouts in 40 plate appearances. Segura is still searching for his first homer of his MLB career but there is no doubt he has the ability to hit it over the fence. Segura has been great in the field playing shortstop, a position many scouts believed he could not play in the big leagues. He only has one error in 44 total chances.
Prospect John Hellweg is pitching well in Class AA Huntsville as he has posted a 2-0 record in four games (two starts) with a 2.57 ERA, 12 strikeouts, and has not given up a home run in 14 innings pitched. Ariel Pena, the other prospect Milwaukee got in the trade, is struggling since arriving in Huntsville but his career minor league numbers suggests he will get it turned around. He is currently 0-2 in four starts with an 8.83 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings.
Even though none of the three players are having over the top numbers right now, the point is all three have shown signs of potential to be great. Also, fans have to remember the Brewers would not have been able to keep Greinke so the fact that Milwaukee got anything for him is good. Another reason why the Brewers came out ahead in the trade with the Angels is that Milwaukee will have their guys for years to come whereas Los Angeles will most likely not be able to keep Greinke at the end of the season.
Not to mention, the Angels acquired Greinke to help them make a push for the playoffs and in five games, he has not exactly done that. There is still plenty of time left for Greinke to get back on track but the Angles have fallen nine games back in the division and 4.5 games back in the wild card race. That means even if Greinke starts pitching as he did in Milwaukee there is no guarantee that it will help the team advance to the postseason.
There is no question right now the Brewers are the winners in the trade and it does not appear that will change six weeks from now when the season is over. For everyone that was skeptical at first for the players Milwaukee acquired it seems to be working out for the best. Of course, there is still a chance all three prospects could turn out to be busts but it is better to take that chance than to get nothing at all.
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This just isn’t true whatsoever.
The package the Brewers got back was incredibly mediocre while losing a cy young caliber arm.
This is nothing but Brewers hope at this point…which is fine…but stating you won the trade because of 4 starts is senseless.
As of right now the numbers show the Brewers got the better end of the deal. Package was incredibly mediocre? The Brewers are lucky to get anything for Greinke considering every team out there knew they couldn’t financially keep him after this season. Is it unfortunate they lost a Cy Young award winner? Of course! Did they have any choice in the matter? No.
A month after the trade (five starts) Greinke has done the complete opposite of what the Angels expected of him. They thought he would give them more than one win and better than a 6.19 ERA (22 earned runs). Not to mention, Los Angeles will probably not be able to hang on to him which means they gave up three of their top 10 prospects to NOT make the postseason and NOT keep Greinke for years to come. How could you possibly consider Los Angeles to be the winners of this trade thus far?