Brewers Promote Top Prospects, Lose Young Infield at Trade Deadline

The Milwaukee Brewers have made strategic roster moves both at the minor league level and during the 2025 MLB trade deadline, aiming to strengthen their lineup for a postseason push. They promoted top prospects Jesus Made and Luis Peña to the High-A Wisconsin Rattlers, signaling continued investment in their young talent, while also acquiring catcher Danny Jansen and pitcher Shelby Miller to bolster their major league roster. The Brewers traded Nestor Cortes to the San Diego Padres in a deal that included giving up promising infield prospect Jorge Quintana, a move that sparked some criticism given Quintana's potential. Despite these additions, the Brewers received a C+ grade for their deadline efforts, with critiques focused on the lack of offensive upgrades on the left side of the infield. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays earned a B- grade for a balanced approach that involved retaining key veterans like Brandon Lowe and Yandy Díaz while upgrading their catching and pitching depth through trades. The Washington Nationals, undergoing a front-office overhaul, made several trades to offload veterans with expiring contracts in exchange for prospects but received an average grade of C, reflecting a necessary but unspectacular deadline performance.