Last week, former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher CC Sabathia was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot. During his short stint with the Brewers in 2008, Sabathia was a game-changer, going 11-2 with a remarkable 1.65 ERA over 17 starts. He also threw seven complete games, including three shutouts, and was a key contributor to the Brewers’ playoff run, their first in 26 years.
However, not every trade the Brewers have made has had such a lasting impact. In fact, some have been considered major missteps in the franchise’s history.
One of the more questionable moves took place in December 2022 when the Brewers traded second baseman Kolten Wong to the Seattle Mariners. The trade was made to clear the way for Brice Turang to take over at second base, a decision that ultimately paid off for the team. Unfortunately, the Brewers’ return for Wong didn’t pan out as hoped. The Brewers acquired outfielder Jesse Winker to fill the designated hitter role, but Winker struggled badly, posting a .199/.320/.247 line with just one home run and 23 RBIs in 61 games. To make matters worse, Winker had a strong postseason showing against the Brewers while playing for the New York Mets.
In addition to Winker, the Brewers also received infielder Abraham Toro in the trade. Toro, who had a tough season with Seattle, hitting just .189/.239/.324 in 109 games, showed flashes of potential with Milwaukee. In nine games with the Brewers, he posted an impressive .444/.524/.778 line with two home runs and nine RBIs. He also performed well in Triple-A Nashville, slashing .291/.374/.471 with eight home runs and 58 RBIs in 96 games. However, Toro didn’t fit into the Brewers’ plans and was eventually traded to the Oakland A’s for pitcher Chad Patrick. With Oakland, Toro continued to struggle, finishing the season with a .240/.293/.350 line, six home runs, and 26 RBIs in 94 games.
Now, Toro is headed to the American League East, having signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox, with an invitation to Major League Spring Training. Over his career, Toro has a .220/.285/.353 slash line.
