Brewers Acquire Aaron Civale From Rays In Exchange For Infield Prospect

Image credit: (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

The Rays and Brewers struck the first significant deal of the summer on July 3, when Milwaukee acquired righthander Aaron Civale from Tampa Bay for High-A shortstop Gregory Barrios. Civale, who was acquired from Cleveland last summer in exchange for first baseman Kyle Manzardo, will help salve a Brewers pitching staff that has been wracked by injuries all year long. Still, the Brewers have found a way to stay afloat and entered play on the day of the deal with a six-game lead in the NL Central.

BREWERS RECEIVE

Aaron Civale, RHP
Age: 29

Civale, who was originally drafted by Cleveland in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Northeastern, has been nothing this season if not durable, a quality Milwaukee desperately seeks in its rotation. He works with a kitchen sink repertoire that includes a variety of fastballs—sinker, cutter, four-seamer—as well as a splitter, sweeper and a curveball. He finished the Tampa Bay portion of his 2024 season with 84 strikeouts in 87 innings. Civale isn’t the sexiest addition, but he’s a reliable veteran who will take the ball every five days and perhaps keep the team from having to reach into its farm system any further this year. 

RAYS RECEIVE

Gregory Barrios, SS
Age: 20

Barrios signed with Milwaukee in 2021 on the strength of a reputation as a strong defender at shortstop. He has kept that quality throughout his minor league career and projects as a true plus gloveman at the position. His speed and throwing arm each project as above-average tools. Offensively, there’s more of a question. The switch-hitting Barrios will make plenty of contact, but he’s an aggressive hitter who also doesn’t walk much or hit the ball particularly hard. He has found success in 2024 at High-A Wisconsin, where at the time of the trade he was hitting .324/.367/.429 with a home run and 34 RBIs as well as 18 steals in 24 chances. Barrios projects as a light-hitting shortstop who provides plenty of value with his glove and hits toward the bottom of a lineup. If he can get stronger, he’ll raise his offensive profile a tick.