The Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers have the two best records in baseball this year, separated by just one game.
The Dodgers are going for a three-peat, while the Brewers look to win their first World Series ever. Last year, the Brewers had the most wins in baseball but were swept by the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. This year's Brewers team is even better, and they could be set on beating the Dodgers at any cost, even if it means going against their norms.
"Everything I have heard backs up the idea of the Brewers being aggressive, and frankly, they should be," wrote MLB insider Mark Feinsand on Tuesday. "Milwaukee has been a marvel for a number of years, repeatedly reaching the postseason despite a payroll that doesn't compare to the NL's big spenders. But the Brewers still haven't been able to get over that hump to get to the World Series, so an aggressive Deadline could put them in position to finally topple the Dodgers or whoever else gets in their way. President of baseball operations Matt Arnold has been working the phones and has checked in on the likes of Tarik Skubal and Mason Miller, but players like that need to be made available for him to act."
The Brewers usually work the margins at the trade deadline, going after controllable players or cheap rentals. However, they must sense a chance to beat the Dodgers by adding a star or two, and Arnold seems to be looking to make that happen.
The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are usually aggressive as well, and while they have good rosters, it's clear that the team that poses the biggest threat to a Dodgers three-peat is the Brewers. They already have a rotation led by Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison, and a bullpen anchored by Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill. If they added Miller or Skubal, they could be a nightmare to face.
Offensively, they have no real holes since calling up shortstop Cooper Pratt. Joey Ortiz has been hitting well at third base, and they have more than capable players up and down the lineup.