Brewers open to moving major league pieces after slow start

At 5-18, the Brewers may be ready to sell. The club is off to a slow start, and according to ESPN's Buster Olney, Milwaukee has told other teams if they are interested in trading for a player on the Brewers' major league roster, the organization will listen.

If Milwaukee continues to struggle, trading major league pieces is likely a realistic possibility. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman noted the Brewers could sell several experienced starters if things do not turn around quickly, however no deal involving a player on the Milwaukee 25-man roster is imminent.

The Brewers have several attractive pieces that can be dealt to teams who are confident in their ability to potentially make the playoffs, and USA Today's Bob Nightengale believes Kyle Lohse, Matt Garza, and Aramis Ramirez could be among the first Brewers traded. Lohse has struggled in 29.2 innings to open the season, but posted a 3.54 ERA and 3.95 FIP in 198.1 innings with Milwaukee last season. Ramirez has been plagued by a hamstring injury but posted 15 home runs and 66 RBIs in 133 games last season, and Garza posted a 3.64 ERA in 163.1 innings pitched in 2014.

Carlos Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy could be off limits since the team sees both as members of its core moving forward, and The New York Post's Joel Sherman believes Jimmy Nelson may be "untouchable" as well.

Khris Davis, Gerardo Parra, and Francisco Rodriguez are also veteran options for contending teams, however Ryan Braun may be too overpriced for certain clubs to be interested.

Milwaukee's slow start could partially be attributed to a lack of productivity on the parts of Garza, Lohse, and Ramirez, and selling low may prove to be more valuable than not selling at all. Ultimately, the Brewers need to determine how far into the rebuilding process they want to go. Trading a few veteran pieces is a possibility, but trading a handful of major league pieces for younger prospects could prove to be more beneficial moving forward.