The Milwaukee Brewers traded longtime ace Yovani Gallardo to the Texas Rangers Monday night for shortstop Luis Sardinas and pitchers Corey Knebel and Marcos Diplan. The Brewers will also pay $4 million of Gallardo’s $13 million contract.
Sardinas, a shortstop and top five prospect within the Rangers organization, seems to be the centerpiece for the Brewers, as he brings a strong defensive presence to the infield. The switch hitter saw some action with the Rangers last year, hitting .261 and driving in eight runs. Sardinas could be a valuable addition to the Brewers bench as a utility infielder.
Knebel, a reliever, had a solid year in the minors. Knebel pitched 45-plus innings, going 5-1 with a 2.18 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. Knebel throws in the mid-90s and has a nice curve and changeup, but his command needs work. Some have him pegged to be a future closer, but the Brewers won’t rush that so soon. The former Tiger and Ranger has the potential to be a quality arm in the Brewers’ depleted bullpen.
Diplan is 18 years old and has spent a year in the Dominican Summer League. He started 13 games and went 7-2 with a 1.54 ERA. The youngster is raw to say the least, but if he pans out in a couple years he could be the highlight of this deal.
I’m not sad to see Gallardo go at all. He was far too inconsistent a starter, and though he was a workhorse who got a solid amount of strikeouts, he was never really an ace. He struggled with command of his curveball the past few years, and in too often of his starts, he’d rack up 100 pitches before even getting through five. He certainly wasn’t worth $13 million for this year after posting an 8-11 record and 3.51 ERA in 2014, and the Brewers shedding the majority of Gallardo’s contract is a good move.
Even though I know Gallardo wouldn’t command a ton in the trade market, I have this weird feeling that the Brewers didn’t get enough for him. Diplan could be a complete flop given that he’s so young. Sardinas may just prove to be another Jean Segura, who’s praised for defense but can’t contribute enough offensively.
As for Knebel, he isn’t a tried and tested bullpen arm. The Brewers need more experienced guys to bulk up their bullpen, and Knebel alone isn’t the answer. Hopefully, now that $9 million has been freed up, the Brewers can go shopping for a quality reliever.
The move also means Jimmy Nelson is in line for a full major league season as the number five starter for the Brewers. The Brewers wouldn’t budge last July in trading him for a reliever because they thought he was special. Now that Gallardo has been shipped off to Texas, I say give Nelson a full shot in the rotation. Let’s see how he handles a full season in the major leagues.
This trade doesn’t hurt the Brewers, but it also doesn’t bulk up their weaknesses in other areas, like the bullpen. These prospects are for the future. The $9 million that the Brewers freed up needs to be used now.
What do you think about the prospects the Brewers got in return for Gallardo? Leave a comment below.
This article Milwaukee Brewers: Did they get a good deal for Yovani Gallardo? appeared first on isportsweb by Ken Kosirowski