Remember July 2024, when an $8 million star was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Milwaukee Brewers? That’s how the journey started, with the star going 6-3 in his 14 appearances as a starter, boasting a 3.53 ERA in the remainder of the season. But what was supposed to be solid pitching, the next season turned into another debacle. Now, with the Brewers shifting him to the bullpen, he has requested a trade.

Of course, we’re talking about Aaron Civale. With a 1-2 record, 4.91 ERA, 22.0 IP, 19 strikeouts, and 1.36 WHIP, it seemed that Civale was going nowhere. He returned to the rotation at the start of the year, but his stint was cut short by a left hamstring injury. He remained sidelined for a month and a half before posting a 3.32 ERA in the four starts he made upon his return. With so many young starter options available in Triple-A, this move was hardly a surprise, right?

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold described the situation as “exploring options” for the betterment of the team, according to Civale’s agent, Jack Toffey. “He’s done nothing wrong here, certainly, and I think that he’ll continue to get chances,” Arnold said, remaining optimistic about Civale returning to the rotation. But guess what? Whether it was disappointment or embarrassment, following his demotion, Civale requested a trade. Weighing in on the trade request, Civale’s teammate, Sal Frelick, said on Foul Territory, “We love Civale. He’s one of us. And I think it’s coming from a place of competition.”

Frelick, who recently returned from a left knee injury, believes Civale’s decision reflects his passion for the game. “I want the ball; I wanna be out there and give our team the best chance to win,” Frelick added. For him, there’s nothing unusual about the request. It’s just the sign of a good starter, always ready to compete, hit the strike zone, and get batters out.

And Frelick probably has a point. Milwaukee wished Civale a happy 30th birthday on social media on Thursday. But just hours after the birthday message, news broke that Civale had requested a trade. Civale never felt his spot was unsafe and was hopeful to start on Saturday, as he spent a significant amount of time simulating the pitches as a reliever. “I’ve worked hard to get to this position,“ Civale said, awaiting the final call. Unfortunately, the shift to the bullpen came as a shock, shattering his hopes. Civale was certainly not ready for this, was he?

However, it cannot be denied that his 19 appearances played a crucial role in his demotion. His lack of bullpen experience, compounded by injuries and limited time with the team, further added to his struggles, ultimately leading to his removal from the lineup. In a candid interview, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said, “He’s got a right to feel how he wants to feel, but now it’s time for him to go behave. He’s got to go pitch for us if we ask him to pitch for us, and I think he will. He’s that type of guy, and I respect him a great deal.”

Although there’s no word yet on whether the Brewers will grant the trade request, a young prospect has stepped in to replace Civale in the lineup.

Aaron Civale’s replacement made a splash 

The Brewers are currently in second place in the NL Central. It’s fair enough to say that they are very much in the playoff contention. So, amid the demotion of the right-handed pitcher Aaron Civale, the Brewers have turned to their top prospect, Jacob Misiorowski.

It wasn’t like they didn’t have options, but the 23-year-old right-hander made a mark among Jose Quintana, Quinn Priester, Chad Patrick, and Freddy Peralta. He finally made his debut in the major league against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. His minor league record says a lot about his performance. He went 4-2 with a 2.13 ERA and had 80 strikeouts under his belt with a 1.09 WHIP, even reaching fastball velocities of 103 mph. Quite impressive as a starter, isn’t it?

Well, the Brewers indeed made the right decision with him. In his debut, Misiorowski pitched five innings without allowing any hits, dazzling the radar gun with pitches up to 102.2 mph and striking out seven batters. As expected, the Brewers won the series opener 6-0 against the Cardinals. But then, a big blow! 

Misiorowski, while fielding in the sixth inning, landed on his feet in an awkward position. What followed was him going down in pain on the ground. Such an end to the outing was not expected by anyone. However, the Brewers made an official announcement about the pitcher leaving the field with pain in his quad and right calf.

Now the question is whether the young prospect will be ready for the next game. And if he is, can he replicate the magic he showed in his debut?