Left-Handed Pitcher Dallas Keuchel Joins Brewers from Mariners
In a significant move, the Milwaukee Brewers have acquired veteran left-hander Dallas Keuchel from the Seattle Mariners. The trade, which took place on Tuesday, saw the Brewers exchange cash considerations for Keuchel.
Keuchel’s Journey
Keuchel, 36, is a former AL Cy Young winner. He had signed a minor league deal with the Mariners and had made 13 Triple-A starts this year. Despite pitching in the hitter-friendly environs of the Pacific Coast League, Keuchel managed to maintain an earned run average (ERA) of 3.93. His strikeout rate of 15.6% may be considered subpar, but Keuchel has always been known for his ability to limit walks and keep the ball on the ground. This year, he maintained a walk rate of 7.6% and a ground ball rate of 59.5%.
Keuchel’s career has seen him throw 1625 2/3 innings with a 4.02 ERA, 18.1% strikeout rate, 7.4% walk rate, and 57.7% ground ball rate. He won the 2015 American League Cy Young by posting a 2.48 ERA with the Astros. However, his performance has tailed off since then, with a 6.29 ERA since the start of 2021.
Brewers’ Motivation
Injuries have decimated the Brewers’ rotation depth at a time when they decided to acquire Keuchel. Brandon Woodruff, Wade Miley, and Robert Gasser are all out for the year due to injuries, leaving the Brewers with a patchwork rotation behind Freddy Peralta.
