The Milwaukee Brewers acquisition of Bo Naylor could leave either Jefferson Quero or Gary Sanchez on the chopping block.
In an interesting move to kick off trade deadline festivities, the Milwaukee Brewers made a deal with the Cleveland Guardians.
It was originally reported that it was a one-for-one swap with catcher Bo Naylor coming to the Brewers for reliever Craig Yoho, but the New York Post's Jon Heyman later added that the Brewers would also be adding reliever Codi Heuer for outfielder Blake Perkins.
This isn't a trade that sets the world on fire, far from it, but it opens the door for two other moves to be made.
Milwaukee tends not to make one big splash, but instead conducts a few minor trades that all add up over time. This could absolutely lead to prospect Jefferson Quero being included in a blockbuster, or it'll pave the way for current backup catcher Gary Sanchez to be traded.
Is Naylor replacing Quero?
By this point, it's been discussed ad nauseum that the Brewers have the top farm system in all of baseball. Many believe they'll use that to their advantage to pull off a trade for the likes of Tarik Skubal or Mason Miller. Only time will tell, but their No. 12 prospect could now officially be on the market.
Quero is listed as a catcher, but he is also the primary designated hitter for the Nashville Sounds. He's a bit banged up, and while he spent some time with the Brewers this season, it's not like he lit the world on fire the same way Cooper Pratt or Luis Lara has done.
With Naylor reporting to Triple-A Nashville, that doesn't leave a ton of room for both of them. Obviously, Milwaukee acquired Naylor for a reason. His big league numbers haven't been great this season, but this move could also pave the way for Quero to be promoted, and then see the Brewers move on from Sanchez.
Writing could be on the wall for Sanchez
Manager Pat Murphy loves to shake his head when Sanchez loses his challenges, and that's happened a time or two this year. He's a fine defensive catcher, but offensively, his not-so-consistent power surges aren't enough for when he's needed in the lineup.
William Contreras can only play so much, and Sanchez doesn't seem to be the answer. Milwaukee has a few ways they can move now that they brought in Naylor; it's just a question of whether they'll get more value out of Quero or Sanchez, but the consensus would point toward the former.
