The Milwaukee Brewers are leading the Chicago Cubs by 5.5 games and are looking to hold the team off after their blockbuster trade. The Chicago Cubs recently acquired Jose Quintana in a blockbuster trade that featured Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease, and two other prospects. The Cubs were reportedly going after Sonny Gray despite the trade, however, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Brewers are leading the pack in terms of Gray's services.
Gray makes sense for Milwaukee
There are interesting intangibles that help the Brewers cause. The team's pitching coach, Derek Johnson, was Gray's pitching coach at the University of Vanderbilt.
The two are apparently very close which could entice Gray to want to move to Milwaukee. The Brewers also have the Farm System to complete a deal where as the Cubs do not. The Cubs recently let go the No. 5 best prospect in all of the baseball. As of right now, the Cubs do not have a single player in the top 100 prospects list.
The Brewers have five prospects in the top 100 list. The Brewers have outfielder Lewis Brinson (No. 13), outfielder Corey Ray (No. 21), left handed pitcher Josh Hader (No. 31), right handed pitcher Luis Ortiz (No. 51), and second baseman/shortstop Isan Diaz (No. 54). The trade would likely cost the Brewers at least two of their top 50 picks. That means that Hader is a much in the team, and possibly Brinson.
Brinson is hitting .339 in triple-A for the Brewers farm team. He is also rumored to be ready for the big leagues very soon this year, or next season. The team saw what the White Sox got in return for Quintana who is 4-8 with a 4.49 Earned Run Average. Gray has a 3.73 earned run average and has gone at least six innings in his last four starts.
It's going to cost the Brewers if they want him.
Brewers need a starter
The Brewers have the eighth best starting rotation earned run average in all of the majors. The Cubs are right behind the team in tenth place. The league has shown that pitching is what leads a team to success from the starter to the bullpen. However, the Brewers are facing a tight spot in their rotation.
Chase Anderson just went down with an injury. Bruce Suter has only started three games. Zach Davies has an earned run average over five. The team needs a fill in.
That could lead to the Brewers making an accelerated push towards Gray with half of the rotation in a flux. If the Brewers are willing to give up the prospects, then Milwaukee has the best chance.
