Milwaukee Brewers Must Consider Trading Aaron Hill In 2016

By Nick Vorholt

This shouldn’t be any surprise. When everyone is talking about the Milwaukee Brewers trading All-Star catcher Jonathan LuCroy, someone needs to say these words aloud. The Brewers should consider trading Aaron Hill.

The deal to get Hill was in the Brewers’ advantage. They traded underperforming shortstop Jean Segura to the Arizona Diamondbacks with a minor leaguer for Hill, starting pitcher Chase Anderson, Isan Diaz and $6.5 million. With Diaz expected to switch to second base, it is only a matter of time before Orlando Arcia makes his MLB debut. There’s just one problem. Jonathan Villar is playing short.

Villar was penciled into third base early in the offseason after being traded from the Houston Astros to the Brewers. He needs somewhere to play before Arcia can come up and take over at short. Trading Hill makes perfect sense.

Hill has played in over 100 games every year beginning 2005, except for 2008 and 2013. During that time he has switched among second, third and short with the bulk of his playing time at second base. He also has a career OPS of .743 despite a disappointing OBP last year of .295. At 34 years of age, he may be slowing down.

That’s what makes him perfect as a backup at second and third who can cover short in a pinch. The Brewers are demonstrating now that he can handle third on an everyday basis. He has been doing the same at second for the better part of a decade. Not only do the Brewers need more young talent, but they can also send some of the $6.5 million from the Diamondbacks along with Hill.

The Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Toronto Blue Jays, where Hill’s career began, all need help at the keystone position. All three expect to be in the playoff hunt this summer. It’s only a matter of time before one of them asks about Hill, and the Brewers’ answer should be yes, that he is available.

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