The Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals completed a notable offseason trade that addresses needs on both sides, with Milwaukee sending outfielder Isaac Collins and right-handed reliever Nick Mears to Kansas City in exchange for left-handed pitcher Ángel Zerpa.

For the Royals, the move continues a clear offseason focus on improving their outfield depth and overall lineup versatility. Kansas City entered the winter looking to add offensive pieces capable of contributing immediately, and that effort has accelerated in recent days. After agreeing to terms with outfielder Lane Thomas earlier in the week, the Royals now bring in Collins, a switch-hitter who adds another option to a developing outfield mix. While Collins does not arrive with extensive major league experience, his ability to bat from both sides and cover multiple outfield spots gives Kansas City additional flexibility as it shapes its roster for 2026.

Kansas City does part with Zerpa, a controllable left-handed reliever who has been a steady presence in the bullpen, but the club receives pitching depth in return by acquiring Mears. The Royals’ front office appears comfortable moving Zerpa given the bullpen options already in place and the immediate need to supplement the offense.

From Milwaukee’s perspective, the trade addresses a different set of priorities. The Brewers have dealt with an increasingly crowded outfield picture, and moving Collins helps alleviate that logjam while allowing the organization to reallocate resources toward pitching. Zerpa fits that goal, arriving as a hard-throwing left-hander who is entering his arbitration years and could play a meaningful role in the Brewers’ bullpen moving forward.

While Zerpa’s career ERA sits just under 4.00, a deeper look at his performance suggests more upside than the surface numbers might indicate. In 2025, he posted some of the strongest underlying metrics of his career, which point to effective run prevention despite some unfavorable batted-ball luck. Zerpa has allowed a relatively high batting average on balls in play in consecutive seasons, a figure that could normalize over time, particularly given his ground-ball tendencies. Milwaukee may be betting that improved defense or simple regression works in his favor.

Mears’ departure comes after a mixed tenure with the Brewers. Acquired from the Rockies during the 2024 season, the right-hander struggled initially but settled into a more reliable middle-relief role in 2025. His season was not without setbacks, as he endured a rough stretch late in the year and dealt with back tightness in September. Still, he managed to contribute in the postseason, logging a scoreless appearance in the NLDS, though he did not carry over to the NLCS roster.

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