Brewers acquire Dallas Keuchel in surprise trade with Mariners

Dallas Keuchel has a new home. 

The 12-year MLB veteran was dealt from the Mariners to the Brewers in exchange for cash considerations on Tuesday as the southpaw aims to make his return to the big leagues, Milwaukee confirmed Tuesday.

Keuchel hasn’t pitched in the majors this season after signing a minor league deal with Seattle in April. 

The 36-year-old left-hander posted a 3.93 ERA in 13 starts at the Triple-A level, and has been even better of late with a 1.61 ERA in his last five outings, which might have prompted the pitching-hungry Brewers to bring him in.

Over the past two months, Milwaukee lost starters Wade Miley and Robert Gasser for the year to Tommy John surgery.

Back-of-the-rotation arms Joe Ross (lower back) and DL Hall (left knee) are also sitting on the Brewers’ injured list. 

Those injuries left a massive hole in a starting staff that was already without two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff, who is out for 2024 after undergoing shoulder surgery. 

Despite the injuries, the Brewers are sitting at 46-33 heading into Tuesday’s play, five games up on the Cardinals in the National League Central.

Keuchel will look to get back to the pitcher he was a half-decade ago after struggling to keep his big league career alive in recent seasons. 

From 2014-20, Keuchel was one of the best starters in baseball, going 81-55 with a 3.25 ERA, which was 11th-best among pitchers who tossed at least 1,000 innings over that period. 

Keuchel peaked in 2015 when he won the American League Cy Young award, winning 20 games with a 2.48 ERA over 232 innings. 

But his career has taken a turn since the 2021 season. 

In stints with the White Sox, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Twins since then, Keuchel’s 6.29 ERA is easily the highest among those who have tossed at least 250 innings.