As action around the trade deadline heats up, another name is on the move as the Milwaukee Brewers have acquired third baseman Mike Moustakas from the Kansas City Royals. Moustakas is coming off a 2017 season where he hit 38 home runs and was an All-Star. The Royals are definitely in rebuild mode, and holding onto the talented slugger did not make much sense. On the flip side, Moustakas brings depth and a left-handed power bat to the Brewers lineup.
In exchange, the Royals receive minor-league outfielder Brett Phillips and minor-league right-handed pitcher Jorge López.
Mike Moustakas Headed to Milwaukee
Overview
Moustakas brings a veteran presence, postseason experience, and power-hitting to the Brewers. He is a two-time All-Star and was a key cog in Kansas City’s two trips to the World Series in 2014-2015. In the 2015 postseason, he contributed 14 hits, including seven in the World Series, a home run, a double, five runs scored, and eight RBI. It is that kind of experience that made him a desirable commodity for teams looking to make the playoffs.
He has also performed well throughout much of his career. Moustakas has hit 138 home runs in his career and has hit at least 12 home runs in every full season of his career. Though he does not walk a lot to give him a high OBP (he carries a .306 mark for his career), his power threat and experience are nice additions to Milwaukee.
Prospect(s) Received
In return, Kansas City received two prospects. Phillips, 24, is hitting .240/.331/.411 with six home runs and 11 steals in Triple-A this season. He is capable of playing all three outfield spots, normally lining up in center.
Lopez, 25, has been an up-and-down arm with the Brewers since 2015. This season he’s allowed six runs with 15 strikeouts and 13 walks in 19 2/3 big-league innings. In Triple-A he has a 5.65 ERA in 28 2/3 relief innings.
This trade looks to be a win for both teams involved. For the Royals, they give up a player that is not expected to contribute to the team past this season. Kansas City is in rebuild mode. While losing a long-time player and former World Series Champion hurts, the departure makes sense and allows the Royals to improve the farm system.
For the Brewers, they give up a few pieces from a solid farm system to acquire a potential game-changing bat for this season’s stretch run. Moustakas should be a welcome addition to the ball club while also allowing the team to hold onto the majority of their top prospects.
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