I know I’ll come to regret that headline or something, but dang if it’s hard not to take note of the fact that, in their desperation to add a starting pitcher thanks to a myriad of injuries, the Brewers are adding the guy the Cubs have absolutely destroyed not once, but twice this year.
#Brewers acquiring Jordan Lyles from the #Pirates in exchange for Cody Ponce, sources tell The Athletic.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) July 29, 2019
You can be sure the Brewers believe they can either have Lyles miss the Cubs going forward, or know how to fix the rocket shots he was giving up. Although he pitched well against the Cubs back in early April, the Cubs destroyed him twice more recently:
New Milwaukee Brewers SP Jordan Lyles v. The Cubs this season …
4/10: 6.0 IP, 3H, 1BB, 10Ks – 1 HR
7/04: 4.0 IP, 7ER, 1BB, 7Ks – 3 HRs
7/13: 0.2 IP, 7ER, 4BB, 2Ks – 1 HR— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) July 29, 2019
Through mid-May, Lyles was looking like a steal for the Pirates and a sure-fire valuable flip, but then he started getting blown out repeatedly, not only by the Cubs, but also most recently by the Cardinals. (Again, the Brewers were desperate.)
Lyles, still only 28, was actually a mid-season acquisition for the Brewers last year, and pitched quite well out of the bullpen. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Brewers are thinking they can just do that again, after getting some emergency fill-in starts for now.
Ponce, 25, is an actual prospect, but he’s a pure reliever at AA now and is Rule 5 eligible after this season. The Brewers will not miss him terribly.