The Milwaukee Brewers have made a few moves this offseason that have left fans scratching their heads.
The Freddy Peralta trade didn’t come as a surprise, as rumors stirred for weeks before the Brewers sent him to the New York Mets for a pair of highly touted prospects. This deal makes sense in hindsight, as Peralta was likely going to leave Milwaukee at the end of the season in free agency.
But the Brewers opted to trade star third baseman Caleb Durbin, as well as their No. 2 and No. 3 third basemen, to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a haul centered around pitcher Kyle Harrison.
Durbin still had team control left on his contract. He fit the Brewers roster very well. The deal didn’t make much sense, plus it opened a hole at the hot corner in Milwaukee.
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MLB.com recently put together roster, lineup, and rotation predictions for each team in baseball. Following the Durbin trade, MLB.com projected David Hamilton, one of the players coming to Milwaukee in the deal, would fill Durbin’s role at the hot corner. They projected Hamilton would hit ninth, one spot behind shortstop Joey Ortiz.
David Hamilton is the simplest short-term replacement at third base
Sep 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman David Hamilton against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
“Manager Pat Murphy toyed with the idea of batting Yelich leadoff late last season, and Chourio, Turang and Frelick also made many starts in the top spot,” the site’s uncredited author wrote. “However the hitters are ordered, this is mostly the same group that ranked second in the Majors last season in on-base percentage and third in runs scored.”
Hamilton is the easy solution at third base. He was part of the return for Durbin, but he’s not quite the same level of player.
Still, Hamilton plays the game the way the Brewers like it played. He’s a solid defender, thought he’s not anything special. But he’s quick and aggressive. The Brewers will need to get the most out of his bat if they’re going to play him every day.
Milwaukee will likely use Hamilton as a short-term solution until Jett Williams is ready for the big leagues. Williams was acquired in the aforementioned Peralta deal, and he’s seen as one of the most intriguing infield prospects in the game.
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