Report: Brewers could trade Grandal or Moustakas to boost rotation

The Milwaukee Brewers have considered dangling one of their pending free-agent hitters - catcher Yasmani Grandal or infielder Mike Moustakas - in a trade to help improve the team's injured and struggling rotation, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Entering Sunday, the Brewers sit one game back of the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals with a 56-50 record. Their offense ranks eighth in the majors with a .779 OPS, but Milwaukee's starters have compiled a 4.77 ERA over 528 2/3 innings (ninth fewest).

The rotation was the club's biggest question mark to start the season, and injuries to Gio Gonzalez, Jimmy Nelson, and breakout hurler Brandon Woodruff have only compounded the issue.

Grandal and Moustakas each signed one-year contracts with mutual options for 2020 with Milwaukee during the offseason. Grandal is batting .258/.376/.500 with 19 home runs in 98 games while playing elite defense.

Meanwhile, Moustakas has been versatile while splitting time between third base (his natural position) and second base. He's batting .261/.333/.532 with 26 homers in 98 games.

Both players were named to the NL All-Star roster in July, which could boost their values on the trade market.

If Moustakas is traded, Keston Hiura would continue serving as the team's second baseman, with Travis Shaw slotting in at third. Replacing Grandal may be trickier, though Manny Pina is currently serving as his backup, and catching prospect Jacob Nottingham has already been given a taste of the majors.