Just to button up the waiver trade deadline, at which the Cubs made another addition (signing Jaime Garcia), but the Cardinals did not ultimately add Josh Donaldson (instead, he went to the Indians).
The Brewers, meanwhile, made a trio of notable additions:
The #Brewers have acquired LHP Gio Gonzalez and international slot money from the Washington Nationals in exchange for infielders KJ Harrison and Gilbert Lara. pic.twitter.com/uM2Gk7fWnJ
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 1, 2018
The #Brewers have acquired outfielder Curtis Granderson from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for outfielder Demi Orimoloye. pic.twitter.com/WFnZhDg5oH
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 1, 2018
LHP Xavier Cedeño has been acquired from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for OF Bryan Connell and RHP Johan Dominguez. Cedeño is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA (25.1ip, 8er) in 33 relief appearances this season. He has held opponents to a .204 batting average. pic.twitter.com/zwYGdZgp4u
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 31, 2018
These aren’t earth-shaking moves by the Brewers, but on paper, they improved the depth in their rotation, their effectiveness in the bullpen, and the strength of their bench and clubhouse.
I still think the Brewers had a really bizarre trade season given where they were in the standings at the time we got into late July, but they have improved. And they remain a very competitive team in both the NL Wild Card race (where they hold the second spot) and the NL Central (where they’re 4.0 games behind the Cubs, and the two teams still have two series remaining in the coming weeks).