Rangers trade Jeremy Jeffress to Brewers

The Brewers have acquired right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress from the Rangers for Double-A reliever Tayler Scott, according to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick and Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Jeffress, 29, was previously with Milwaukee from 2014-16 but was part of a multi-player deal that sent him and Jonathan Lucroy to the Rangers at the deadline last year. He’s struggled this season with the Rangers, posting a 5.31 ERA and 1.67 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and 19 walks in 40.2 innings.

If he can get back to the form that he displayed in Milwaukee, though, he’ll be a strong addition to the Brewers’ relief corps. In 158 appearances with Milwaukee over parts of four seasons, he had a 2.38 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. He was especially effective in his 47 games with the Brewers last season, posting a 2.22 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 27 saves in 28 opportunities.

Jeffress is under club control through 2019, so he could provide a long-term boost to Milwaukee’s bullpen if he’s able to work out his issues.

Scott is a 25-year-old right-hander who was signed by the Brewers last July after being released out of the Cubs organization. He owns a 2.34 ERA and and 9.2 K/9 in 61.2 innings at Double-A Biloxi this season but was not ranked in MLB Pipeline’s recent rankings of the Brewers’ top 30 prospects.