Ryan Braun could be trade deadline option

Ryan Braun is 32 with a history of back and neck injuries, not to mention the dark shadow of being one of the most prominent players in any sport directly linked to performance-enhancing drugs.

But the outfielder also had a .348 batting average, .420 on-base percentage, and 18 extra-base hits in the first 42 games he played in 2016 (entering Wednesday).

With seven 25-homer seasons under his belt, Braun makes for an attractive option at the trade deadline for contenders who might be seeking a big enough bat to beef up the middle of their batting order. His recent injury history, including eight games missed this season, is not to be overlooked. And recent performance might be viewed as a red flag. Braun hit 41 home runs in 2012 but in the three seasons after hit just 53 total.

While his performance in April and May appears a harbinger of a rebound seasons, health worries and the remaining value of his contract might combine to bring concern to general managers shopping the trade market. The Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers are all reportedly in the market for offense with two months to play before the trade deadline hits.

Teams kicking the tires on Braun are all likely to measure his PED suspension in 2013 differently.

Braun is making $15 million this season on a contract that runs through 2020 with a mutual option for 2021. The value of the next four seasons is $90 million, which represents the biggest reason the Brewers would be interested in listening to offers. In 2017 and 2018 his salary is $20 million; $19 million in 2019 and $17 million in 2020. The option in 2021 is worth $15 million.

The Brewers have actively unloaded payroll and are viewed as a team in rebuilding mode. The injuries that have kept Braun out of the lineup - three straight games before he returned to the lineup Tuesday against St. Louis - allowed manager Craig Counsell and the rest of the organization to imagine life without him.

"You look back on these games (and) say, 'What if,' that doesn't help us. But I think anytime you can put one of the better hitters in the league back in your lineup, you're happy about that, for sure," Counsell said.

Other managers would view the addition likewise - a jolt in the middle of the order.

In the American League, Braun could slide into the designated hitter role and perhaps save some of the physical strain on his neck and back. He also missed time with a sore wrist this season.

The market could include other big bats, all without the PED stigma and most of them younger than Braun. Cincinnati Reds slugger Jay Bruce, Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez - who has his own durability concerns - and Braun's teammate, catcher Jonathan Lucroy, could be available before July.