The Brewers could be moving closer to acquiring a reliever.
Milwaukee is engaged in discussions with the Giants about a potential deal for Will Smith, according to a report from The Athletic, which cites unidentified league sources. The teams are scouting each other, but no trade is imminent as of Monday, the report says.
The 30-year-old left-hander was named to his first All-Star team earlier this month. He holds a 2.17 ERA and has recorded 23 saves for the Giants so far this season.
Smith missed all of 2017 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
“To have this kind of success, I don't know if I ever really thought it'd be this good,” Smith said in late June, via MLB.com. “But it feels good that your hard work pays off."
Smith previously pitched with the Brewers from 2014-16 before the team traded him to San Francisco.
“I enjoyed my time (in Milwaukee),” Smith said. “The city is awesome. It’s just big enough; it’s not this crazy huge city. You walk around town and people won’t bug you, they’ll just say hi. It’s really nice. But if that happens, it happens.”
The Brewers enter play Monday with a 48-46 record. They’re 1/2 game behind the Phillies for the second wild-card spot and trail the Cubs by 2 1/2 games in the National League Central.
The Giants, meanwhile, are 43-49 and are expected to explore moving starter Madison Bumgarner, as well.