Although the Brewers haven’t been attached to the top free agent arms on the market – despite their need, that makes sense for their payroll – they are being attached to the top trade market arms.
First, it was Madison Bumgarner, and now it’s Noah Syndergaard.
The list of teams interested in Noah Syndergaard has grown to three (via @martinonyc) https://t.co/p1nn0dMYtE pic.twitter.com/R7n14FSi9z
— SNY (@SNYtv) November 28, 2018
As Andy Martino reports, the Brewers and Rockies have joined the Padres in expressing interest in trading for the oft-injured, but oft-excellent 26-year-old righty. Given Syndergaard’s three remaining years of control via arbitration, he makes a ton of sense for the Brewers, especially in this window while they’ll have a positional group in place.
The rub for the Brewers would be in putting together a fair package for Syndergaard, given the Mets’ desire to land near-MLB-ready impact players. That’s almost certainly going to mean the first ask will be for impact bat prospect Keston Hiura, and I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t tempt me a little – as a Cubs fan – to see the Brewers part with Hiura++ for a pitcher with an injury history. I think Hiura could be a serious thorn in the Cubs’ sides at the plate for years to come.
Syndgaard is very good and has the potential to be very great, but if the Brewers dip aggressively into their increasingly diminished prospect pool, then their window for contention could close up quickly as the big league core ages and if Syndergaard were to be injured or underperform. Heck, even if he’s good, his arbitration payouts would escalate rapidly, just as so much more of the Brewers’ core gets expensive.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not *rooting* for the Brewers to acquire a guy like Syndergaard. I’m just saying, I’m open to the idea that it could prove an oopsie for them, given their unique situation.
For now, we’ll keep an eye on this. Increasingly, it seems like Syndergaard is going to be dealt (most likely to the Padres, in my opinion, and probably around the Winter Meetings).