GM Meetings: "Brewers Open to Trades"

[Brock Beauchamp]

What does it mean?!?!?

The pragmatic among us realizes that the Brewers and their progressive front office are open to trades every offseason. Last winter, newly in-charge General Manager Matt Arnold pulled off the steal of the offseason in acquiring William Contreras by inserting himself between a trade that was already likely to happen between the Braves and Athletics.

The cynical among us read this as an organizational adjustment and I'm not sure they're wrong in this case. With Brandon Woodruff basically out for the entire 2024 season, perpetually-salty Corbin Burnes eyeing free agency in 12 months, and Willy Adames faltering last season as he approaches the same free agency class as Burnes, it's hard to predict how the Milwaukee Brewers view themselves this offseason. The following offseason, it's likely the Brewers also wave goodbye to Devin Williams and his Airbender.

Either way, this looks to be an incredibly engaging winter for Brewers fans.

 

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[Brock Beauchamp]

Not to pat myself on the back but that image of Arnold is pure gold.

[jonescm128]

I think losing Woody had a pretty big impact on this. If he is available you are probably more likely to make a run given you would have Burnes, Woody, and Peralta anchoring your rotation. 

I believe Arnold also mentioned something about taking a fresh look at how they do things so maybe they go away from the “bites of the apple” strategy  

The sobering reality of the MLB landscape is the Brewers cannot really afford to let Burnes go with just a compensatory draft pick. You have an extremely young offensive core and you are probably looking at a competing window starting in 2025 when Burnes and Woody would be gone. I think you need to reload with young talent at this point. 

[brewmann04]

if they get a nice package i open to anything

[DR28]

According to Rosenthal, everyone on our roster is available........

Why are we blowing this up?? We still have a damn good team, just need more consistent offense.

[MVP2110]

 

[MVP2110]

I think the Brewers strategy as a whole is to take the most "bites at the apple" as possible, but that doesn't mean every year has to be a bite at that apple. They bit the last one down to the core and this season(and maybe 2025) is a walk back to the kitchen to get another apple.  

If they sell off right they could set themselves up for a very long sustained competitive window while only taking a 1 or 2 year stepback

[Brian]

Maybe the Brewer are now going to following the AZ Diamondback's philosophy of a younger, faster. 

Rosenthal: What I’m hearing in MLB free agency about Brewers trades, Bobby Witt Jr. and more.

[SeaBass]

33 minutes ago, DR28 said:

According to Rosenthal, everyone on our roster is available........

Why are we blowing this up?? We still have a damn good team, just need more consistent offense.

The obvious answer is you very likely get more value in return for the guys you trade right now as opposed to waiting and burning what little remains of their team control.

The next wave of young guys rising from the minors is where the next window opens and while it's not far off it's also not quite in time to supplement the guys that are already here. Not effectively at least. Selling the vets now makes sense especially since none of them appear to be guys they'll be able to resign once they hit unrestricted free agency.

It's pretty much been the template they've followed each time a contention window was closing in the past. We've had two (three even?) cracks at it with the guys we have, both have failed. Listening to the evidence seems like the best way to move forward.

[jay87shot]

31 minutes ago, DR28 said:

According to Rosenthal, everyone on our roster is available........

Why are we blowing this up?? We still have a damn good team, just need more consistent offense.

I doubt they are blowing it up. To me it is a easy way to say Burnes, Yeli, Adames, Houser, Rowdy, reliever, etc. are available without having to answer a specific "we want to trade Yeli" statemnet.

[jonescm128]

35 minutes ago, DR28 said:

According to Rosenthal, everyone on our roster is available........

Why are we blowing this up?? We still have a damn good team, just need more consistent offense.

I think its a couple different factors. Not having Woody all of next year is a big blow. Also, because you have such a young offensive core, you have a much longer runway to compete but whenever that window is Burnes and Adames won't be a part of it. A small market team like the Brewers cannot afford to just let those guys go for a compensatory pick. All about maximizing value for your assets.

[wildcat2237]

21 minutes ago, MVP2110 said:

 

This is the first time I have seen Freddy Peralta's name specifically mentioned. I guess if the right deal comes along....

[Brian]

5 minutes ago, SeaBass said:

The obvious answer is you very likely get more value in return for the guys you trade right now as opposed to waiting and burning what little remains of their team control.

The next wave of young guys rising from the minors is where the next window opens and while it's not far off it's also not quite in time to supplement the guys that are already here. Not effectively at least. Selling the vets now makes sense especially since none of them appear to be guys they'll be able to resign once they hit unrestricted free agency.

It's pretty much been the template they've followed each time a contention window was closing in the past. We've had two (three even?) cracks at it with the guys we have, both have failed. Listening to the evidence seems like the best way to move forward.

I agree 100% look at the Mets buying all those high paid old timers. How'd that go? 

[Brian]

Also, come to think of it the Padres did the same thing as the Mets. 

[nate82]

Trading Peralta makes a lot of sense if you are going to do a full rebuild.  Teams like the Rays and Orioles would have more interest in Peralta than in Burnes because of the years of control and relatively cheap contract.  The return for Peralta should be better than Burnes.

[Brewcrew82]

2 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Trading Peralta makes a lot of sense if you are going to do a full rebuild.  Teams like the Rays and Orioles would have more interest in Peralta than in Burnes because of the years of control and relatively cheap contract.  The return for Peralta should be better than Burnes.

I'd still be shocked if they traded Peralta. 

[wallus]

19 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Trading Peralta makes a lot of sense if you are going to do a full rebuild.  Teams like the Rays and Orioles would have more interest in Peralta than in Burnes because of the years of control and relatively cheap contract.  The return for Peralta should be better than Burnes.

Yep! Plus with his small stature, I think he will be injury prone moving forward. He has a very high effort delivery. Burnes, Adames, Williams and Peralta should give us the best farm in baseball quite easily.

[nate82]

Peralta is the Brewers best trade piece other than Contreras on the MLB roster.  I don't think either get traded and it would have to be a blow the Brewers away type of trade.

 

Rays trade 1:

Rays get: Peralta

Brewers get: C. Williams (SS), M. Montgomery (SP) and B. Taylor (3B)

Rays trade 2:

Rays get: Peralta

Brewers get: J. Caminero (3B) and M. Johnson (SP)

 

Orioles trade:

Orioles get: Peralta

Brewers get: C. Mayo (1B), C. Povich (SP), C. McDermott (SP) and J. Ortiz (SS)

 

Twins trade:

Twins get: Peralta

Brewers get: B. Lee (SS), D. Festa (SP) and C. Soto (SP)

 

Mets trade:

Mets get: Peralta

Brewers get: L. Acuna (SS), R. Mauricio (SS/2B), R. Clifford (OF) and C. Scott (SP). 

 

There are not that many teams that could pull off a Peralta trade these were just a few that I could find.  I don't think any of these trades are realistic.  It will take a lot for Peralta to be traded and that list of teams that could afford or even have the prospect surplus value to trade for Peralta is really small. 

[markedman5]

If they are going into a rebuild trading Peralta makes sense…….his value will never be higher and by the time we are ready to compete again he will be in tbe last year of his contract. At the earliest.

its been a long time since we went through a multi year period of losing…….im not looking forward to losing but I am excited about seeing the kids play.

it just sucks that the Bucks and Packers can keep their own players but the messed up MLB structure makes it impossible for small market teams to do it outside of rare situations.

[Brewcrew82]

5 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Peralta is the Brewers best trade piece other than Contreras on the MLB roster.  I don't think either get traded and it would have to be a blow the Brewers away type of trade.

 

Rays trade 1:

Rays get: Peralta

Brewers get: C. Williams (SS), M. Montgomery (SP) and B. Taylor (3B)

Rays trade 2:

Rays get: Peralta

Brewers get: J. Caminero (3B) and M. Johnson (SP)

 

Orioles trade:

Orioles get: Peralta

Brewers get: C. Mayo (1B), C. Povich (SP), C. McDermott (SP) and J. Ortiz (SS)

 

Twins trade:

Twins get: Peralta

Brewers get: B. Lee (SS), D. Festa (SP) and C. Soto (SP)

 

Mets trade:

Mets get: Peralta

Brewers get: L. Acuna (SS), R. Mauricio (SS/2B), R. Clifford (OF) and C. Scott (SP). 

 

There are not that many teams that could pull off a Peralta trade these were just a few that I could find.  I don't think any of these trades are realistic.  It will take a lot for Peralta to be traded and that list of teams that could afford or even have the prospect surplus value to trade for Peralta is really small. 

I'd easily do the Twins trade and Rays trade # 2. Orioles would probably come down to how much you believe in Mayo. I would take Mayo and Basallo or Kjerstad for Peralta for sure. 

[Brewcrew82]

Just now, markedman5 said:

If they are going into a rebuild trading Peralta makes sense…….his value will never be higher and by the time we are ready to compete again he will be in tbe last year of his contract.

its been a long time since we went through a multi year period of losing…….im not looking forward to losing but I am excited about seeing the kids play.

it just sucks that the Bucks and Packers can keep their own players but the messed up MLB structure makes it impossible for small market teams to do it outside of rare situations.

Why you have to offer Chourio a deal very soon. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

5 hours ago, nate82 said:

Twins trade:

Twins get: Peralta

Brewers get: B. Lee (SS), D. Festa (SP) and C. Soto (SP)

The value here is good and reasonable but Lee is not a MLB shortstop. He's likely an acceptable, maybe pretty good MLB third baseman but I'd put his chances at sticking at short under 10%.

But the Brewers also need a third baseman so there you go.

[Brewcrew82]

7 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

The value here is good and reasonable but Lee is not a MLB shortstop. He's likely an acceptable, maybe pretty good MLB third baseman but I'd put his chances at sticking at short under 10%.

But the Brewers also need a third baseman so there you go.

So, Twins would be more willing to deal him then, too, with Lewis cemented there. Good deal all around. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

5 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

So, Twins would be more willing to deal him then, too, with Lewis cemented there. Good deal all around. 

Yeah, I don't think they'll be overly precious with Lee. They also have Jose Miranda and need to do something with him.

[nate82]

19 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

The value here is good and reasonable but Lee is not a MLB shortstop. He's likely an acceptable, maybe pretty good MLB third baseman but I'd put his chances at sticking at short under 10%.

But the Brewers also need a third baseman so there you go.

I am more interested in Lee’s bat.  If he can stick at SS great otherwise I think his bat plays wherever you put him.  Defensively you could just stick it out with Turang and just have Turang bat 9th.