Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock (14564300l) Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Aaron Civale (34) pitches to Washington Nationals second baseman Luis García Jr. (2) during the fourth inning at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on Saturday, June 29, 2024. Florida News, St. Petersburg, USA - 29 Jun 2024
The Milwaukee Brewers have added a reliable and, most importantly, healthy arm to their injury-ravaged rotation this week. The NL Central leaders announced they acquired right-hander Aaron Civale in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
In exchange for Civale, the Brewers sent pitching prospect Gregory Barrios, rated No. 21 in the team’s farm system, to Tampa.
Aaron Civale spent his early career in the majors with the Cleveland Guardians, developing a reputation of a reliable starter with a wide arsenal of pitches. During his five and a half seasons with Guardians, Civale had 29-23 record with 3.77 ERA and 370 strikeouts in 76 starts.
However, Civale struggled after being traded to the Rays ahead of the trade deadline last season. He made 17 starts in 2024 and currently owns a 2-6 record with a 5.07 ERA and 84 strikeouts.
This doesn’t seem to concern the Brewers, who believe that Civale can rediscover his form in Milwaukee.
“This guy has a reputation of being a guy that will take the ball every time and compete,” Bewers’ manager Pat Murphy told reporters. “I think he fits in. I really do. My two cents of input on the Trade Deadline is like, don’t get them unless they’re the right people. Don’t get them unless it fits what’s going on in this place.”
The Brewers were in need of pitching help as they previously lost ace Brandon Woodruff to shoulder injury and lefties Wade Miley and Robert Gasser to Tommy John surgery.
