MLB rumors: Giants, Brewers ‘engaged' in Will Smith trade before deadline

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Nearly three years ago, the Giants acquired reliever Will Smith from the Brewers for prospects Phil Bickford and Andrew Susac. Fast forward to the present, and these two teams reportedly could make a trade centered around Smith yet again.

The Giants and Brewers are "engaged" in trade talks regarding Smith, The Athletic's Robert Murray reported Monday morning. Sources told Murray that both teams are scouting each other, with a Giants representative in Cincinnati for the Brewers’ most recent road trip.

Milwaukee had one of the best bullpens in baseball last season, carrying the Brewers all the way to the NLCS. That hasn't been the case this year, though.

The Brewers' bullpen currently has a 4.61 ERA, which is 18th in the majors. Last year, they ended the regular season with the fifth-best bullpen ERA at 3.47. 

Smith has been one of the best relievers in the game in 2019, with a 2.17 ERA and 23 saves to his name. He could be exactly what the Brewers need as they sit 2.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. 

Sources told Murray that the Giants have "identified" prospect Mauricio Dubon as a player of interest. Dubon, 24, was born in Honduras but went to high school in Sacramento at Capital Christian High School. He's ranked as the Brewers' No. 5 prospect and has hit .305 with 14 home runs in Triple-A this season. 

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Dubon is a shortstop who has also played plenty of second base in the minors. He made his big league debut this season and could be able to the Giants contribute right away. 

The July 31 trade deadline is slightly over two weeks away, and Smith is sure to garner plenty of interest from a variety of teams. 

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