Aaron Civale’s trade request triggers sharp response from Brewers manager after bullpen role decision

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Aaron Civale may have already reached the end of the road with the team just a year after his arrival. Frustrated by a recent demotion to the bullpen, the 30-year-old pitcher has officially requested a trade, per MLB insider Ken Rosenthal.

Brewers pitcher Aaron Civale demands trade after bullpen demotion sparks major tension with management

Aaron Civale’s second season in Milwaukee has been marked by injury setbacks and shifting roles. After missing nearly two months with a hamstring strain, he returned in late May and made five starts, posting a 4.91 ERA over 22 innings. However, his spot in the rotation was handed over to rising prospect Jacob Misiorowski, prompting the Brewers to move Civale to a relief role—something he has never done in the regular season over his seven-year MLB career.According to Rosenthal, Milwaukee is “exploring its options” with Civale, though no immediate trade appears on the horizon. Since joining the Brewers at last season’s trade deadline in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, Civale has appeared in just 19 games. His limited time with the team and lack of bullpen experience only add complexity to the situation.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy addressed the situation candidly when asked about the veteran’s trade request.

"I mean, we deal with players being unhappy all the time," Murphy said on Thursday evening. "That's their right to do and Aaron's got a great history. He's performed well for this organization. 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. I think he'll go pitch for us.

It doesn't matter whether he likes the decision or not...we can't be concerned with that. It's his behavior that we've gotta be concerned with and I'm confident he'll behave well."Murphy stressed that while Civale may not agree with the decision, professionalism matters most. “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,” Murphy added. “It doesn't matter whether he likes the decision or not...

we can't be concerned with that. It's his behavior that we've gotta be concerned with and I'm confident he'll behave well.

”Despite the trade request, Murphy painted Civale as a “first-class guy” and does not expect locker room drama. With the Brewers sitting at 36–33 and third in the NL Central, the team is still very much in the playoff race. Whether Civale remains part of that push—or finds himself in a new clubhouse soon—remains to be seen.Also Read: Kodai Senga exits early with hamstring strain, Mets manager says Pete Alonso not responsible