Milwaukee Brewers Choose Experience Over Upside By Trading Ji-Man Choi For Tampa Bay Rays INF Brad Miller

The Milwaukee Brewers’ trade for Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brad Miller is a gutsy move. It is a trade which could pay huge dividends in the Brewers’ pursuit of an MLB playoff berth. However, acquiring Brad Miller from the Rays came at a significant cost for the Brewers.

Ji-Man Choi is going to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Brad Miller, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. On Saturday, it was Ji-Man Choi’s grand slam which gave the Milwaukee Brewers a 6-3 lead over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Brewers never looked back after Choi’s grand slam put them ahead.

Despite his efforts, Ji-Man Choi was optioned back to the minor leagues in favor of Brandon Woodruff. Choi’s demotion did not last long as word about the Brewers sending him to the Rays came Sunday afternoon.

Ji-Man Choi’s heroics will not be forgotten any time soon by Brewers’ fans, however, the player he was traded for has a proven resume.

Brad Miller joins the Milwaukee Brewers just days after the Tampa Bay Rays designated him for assignment. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Rays opted to designate Brad Miller for assignment in order to make room for highly touted prospect Jake Bauers.

The #Brewers have acquired INF Brad Miller and cash from Tampa Bay in exchange for 1B/OF Ji-Man Choi. Miller has been optioned to Triple-A @skysox. pic.twitter.com/GN01K8p1LS

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) June 10, 2018

Interestingly enough, Brad Miller was having a decent season. Miller had five home runs while batting .256 for the Tampa Bay Rays. It was the Rays’ decision to think about the future and go with Jake Bauers, who is 22-years-old.

Rays’ general manager Erik Neander was complimentary the day that the Rays designated Brad Miller for assignment.

“At this point in the season what (Miller) has done offensively has been okay. He feels he can do better, and we believe he can do better. But at the end of the day it came to a point where we wanted to prioritize Jake and give him an opportunity. That’s what drove this decision.”

Brad Miller’s next opportunity will come from the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Brewers are currently the leaders in the National League Central, however, they are only ahead of the Chicago Cubs by a mere half-game. An important three-game series with the Cubs begins tomorrow. The Brewers have to click on all cylinders in order to hold off a hot Cubs’ team that has won 11 of their last 15 games.

#Rays find a trade for Brad Miller, send him and cash to #Brewers for 1B Ji-man Choi, who goes to Durham

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 10, 2018

Chances are that the Milwaukee Brewers will not have Brad Miller available for their series versus the Cubs. Beyond that is anyone’s guess. The Brewers immediately optioned Miller to their minor league affiliate in Colorado Springs.

The Milwaukee Brewers are hoping that they can get Brad Miller up to speed soon. He is a power hitter, who hit 30 homers in 2016. That type of power will help the Brewers as they try to hold off the Chicago Cubs and the rest of the NL Central.

As for Milwaukee’s hero from Saturday, Ji-Man Choi will likely get a chance to play every day for the Tampa Bay Rays at some point. It is an opportunity that he was not afforded with the Milwaukee Brewers. It may be proven later on down the line that the Brewers will miss Choi. They decided to go with experience over upside in a heated divisional race.