Over time, the Milwaukee Brewers have gained a reputation as a team that trades away its star players before free agency. While Prince Fielder, Willy Adames, and possibly Freddy Peralta and Brandon Woodruff are the biggest exceptions, what gets lost in the shuffle is that MLB-ready players tend to come back in the deals that are executed.
For example, the 2022 Josh Hader trade brought back Esteury Ruiz and Robert Gasser. Ruiz’s time in Milwaukee was short-lived, but Gasser has contributed at the major-league level when healthy and is expected to be an important piece of the 2026 pitching staff.