The Brewers and Pirates have swung an inter-division trade, with utilityman Kevin Kramer going to Milwaukee. In return, Pittsburgh will receive left-hander Nathan Kirby.
Though it’s usually rare for division rivals to combine on trades, the Pirates and Brewers have been relatively frequent trade partners in recent years, and in fact just completed another deal of minor leaguers just a little over a week ago. Today’s trade sees the two clubs swap a pair of fairly high picks from the 2015 amateur draft.
Kramer has 43 games’ worth of big league experience, all coming with the Pirates during the 2018-19 seasons, and he produced only a .387 OPS over 90 career plate appearances. A second-round pick for the Bucs in the 2015 draft, Kramer posted considerably better numbers during his minor league career, though he also struggled at Triple-A Indianapolis this season, hitting .196/.318/.296 over 214 PA. The 2020 season was a complete wash for Kramer due to hip surgery in May 2020.
The 27-year-old Kramer will provide the Brew Crew with some farm system depth, and he also fits Milwaukee’s preferred model of a multi-positional player. Most of Kramer’s pro career has been spent as a second baseman, but he has also seen quite a bit of time at shortstop, third base, and both corner outfield slots.
While Kramer was chosen 62nd overall in 2015, Kirby went even higher, taken 40th overall as the Brewers’ pick in Competitive Balance Round A. Since being drafted, however, Kirby’s pro career has still almost barely begun, with just 102 1/3 total innings pitched (71 coming in the 2018 season). The southpaw has been ravaged by injuries, including both a Tommy John surgery and a thoracic outlet syndrome procedure.
Kirby finally got back on the mound this season for the first time since 2018, and he has a 1.93 ERA, 23.17% strikeout rate, and a troublingly high 15.85% walk rate in 18 2/3 bullpen innings for Double-A Biloxi. Kirby is still only 27 years old, so the Pirates are taking a flier to see if Kirby has a second act to his career, and if he can perhaps eventually reach the majors as a reliever.
My dreams of a Kramer/Newman double play combo is ruined.
And both were named Kevin, the name of Bizarro Jerry, so it was even cooler.
They only played together in a couple of games.
I went to a game in 2018 I think just because they were both in the lineup. Kramer played third though so they weren’t the double play combo.
Maybe another trade will be coming with Newman joining Kramer with the Brewers ? LOL
Ok, so do these two teams trade AAA depth every week now?
Ahh the other trade was like trading in 2 DVDS for a mega millions ticket. This is like both teams swapping each other’s trash
You guys are getting an extremely talented lefty who missed about 3 years with injuries after being a projected top 10 pick. Not sure why we made this move with all the IF depth we have…but hard not to trust Stearns.
Hope Kirby stays healthy and works his way up.
I agree with you. Kirby has been one guy who could possibly break through to help the Brewers in the bullpen this year. Now this guy seems like his ceiling is Nate Orf if he is lucky.
Very nice trade
Pirates were probably going to release Kramer anyway to make room in the organization for draft picks and promotions to Triple-A. Getting anything out of him is a plus.
Lolmetz isn’t a fan
Sup mlb
It is an jntra-division trade not an inter-division trade
I don’t know what a jntra division is but it sounds cool
The J is silent
Poor Kirby cant stay healthy and now he’s a Pirate
Nothing wrong with being a pirate fan! Brewers aren’t going anywhere either. Keep dreaming.
nothing wrong with the fans, but the team just ain’t that good
You’re only saying that because the Brewers are on pace for their best season in history and have the best overall pitching in baseball.
LOL…alright. 3 aces in our rotation, 4 starters have been hurt most of the year and we’ve got one of the best records in Baseball.
Yeah,can’t tell the teams apart!!!
Kirby has a weird career stat line. 12 bad innings at low A in 2015. Out for 2016 and 2017. 71 mediocre innings at high A in 2018. Out for 2019-2020. 18 good innings at AA this year.
I assume he has been injury plagued, but even so still weird.
Eh, they really haven’t been 18 good innings. More like 18 ‘good’ innings. He hasn’t allowed many runs, but he’s walked nearly as many batters as he’s struckout.
That was a pretty good deal for the Pirates considering the “end was near” for Kevin.
Just because the pirates got something doesn’t mean they aren’t getting a player that wasn’t near the end with the brewers. It’s like swapping your garbage for your neighbors garbage
More like swapping wives.
Watch Kirby will get to the majors this year and be very successful
Nah, he wasn’t traded/picked up by the Dodgers.
Hopefully Ben is warming up with these minor trades getting ready to trade Frazier and Rich Rodriguez.the BUCS need more prospect depth and those 2 should provide that.
Either Frazier or RichRod the Brewers batter be prepared to give up Marino Feliciano for either one. Probably Feliciano and one of those 18-20 year old International signees.
Thank goodness for trade rumors. Neither Pittsburgh newspaper has the trade on its website. Guess the best writers wanted to make a quick exit for the holiday. The trade was posted here at 5:15 pm. Guess the best guys had clocked out. Nice job.
The lack of an article is more am indictment of the importance of the trade than quality of the workers.
That should be beat writers not best writers. Spell check got me. You should not confuse beat writers with best writers.
Don’t know why my first comment didn’t post. I had written thank goodness for this site as neither Pittsburgh newspaper has this trade on its website. I guess the beat writers clocked out for the holiday.
What are the Pirates asking for:
SEINFELD
&
COSTANZA ??
It’s actually an “intra-division” trade.
When do the fireworks start?
The fireworks start when you trolls get a life
Love this trade for Pittsburgh. A pitcher who is solid besides control and lefty? Yes please. Hope Kramer works out for Milwaukee. Guy hit every level until mlb, now can’t hit at AAA. Maybe they can make him a useful utility man. I like Pirates chances of fixing a pitcher. Hitters they haven’t had rhe same success.
Whoa buddy. Calm down.
Thought I was calm. These small trades don’t get any respect. Kramer wasn’t going to be on the 40 man and after the draft and trade deadline there wasn’t going to be a spot for him in the minors. There is a spot for Kirby though and won’t be surprised at all to see him in mlb and soon. A possible lefty reliever for a guy they were going to kick to the curb. A+ perfect 10 trade.
At least they’re doing something, adding additional possibilities for review. Doing something rather than nothing like some GMs…..
Brewers have garbage on the corners but keep collecting middle Infielders
Urias has appeared to have turned a corner since being moved off of SS and hit .284/.365/.510 in June so I think they’ll stand pat at 3B (or probably pick up another utility guy to split time), but I’d definitely expect them to make a run at a 1B, most likely CJ Cron. But this trade has zero bearing on trading for a corner guy. Both these guys are going to be sent to AAA and both had fallen out of favor with their respective clubs. Kirby’s numbers look pretty decent this season, but his control has been bad and they’ve had issues trying to get him to tweak his mechanics. Maybe Pit will have better luck since their system has been better at turning pitchers around.
Yea garbage on the corners but one of the best records. This is what i mean about uninformed idiotic posts
The Brewers are winning on the strength of their pitching staff. Three starters with ERA’s under 3 in this day and age is very good and Hader has been virtually unhittable for most of the season. None of that has anything to do with the fact that Brewer First Baseman are hitting a combined .207
A new chance for two guys who at one time looked like they could of been useful players. Hopefully they can rebound but it appears injuries may have derailed both.
Slinger gonna sling
I can’t say he didn’t have an opportunity. It’s seems like he didn’t get a fair shake. Especially getting MLB ABs. But if he stood out and impressed coaching enough. He just at to beat out players like Erik Gonzalez, W,Dilfo, even Newman. P.Reyes impressed enough to get MLB ABs. Maybe with the Brewers he can impress someone enough to get some MLB AB.