Soler

[Fear The Chorizo]

After a very solid offensive season, Jorge Soler opted out of his contract and became a free agent.  After a few injury-plagued years, Soler managed to stay pretty healthy and returned to producing plenty of pop - what was surprising was the K rate reduction.

Soler profiles as the type of bat that I think the Brewers should covet in their lineup this offseason as their DH, who can occasionally play a corner OF spot if Yelich or Frelick need a day off against  LHP - RH power bat with solid OBP who's still young enough to make a 3-5 year FA contract offer worth it.  

He passed up making about $12 next season when opting out - If he'd be open to inking a 2-3 year deal worth around $36-54M, or a 4-5 year deal worth around $60-75M, I'd hope it's the Brewers signing.  I feel like DH has been such a black hole on this roster that the Brewers need to be aggressive and pay for a middle of the order power bat who isn't a scrap heap veteran or a guy coming off a neck surgery they hope can regain being a replacement-level hitter.  IMO, Soler is the guy that checks the most boxes for what the Brewers need more of offensively and who they could have a realistic chance of signing.

[Devinep]

I agree they really need hitting. But they don’t need a DH/OF since that’s already crowded and Churio is coming soon. The infield makes more sense, even at 2B (Turing at utility or learning how to hit for awhile in AAA is fine with me) That’s why I want them to sign Hoskins for 1B as well as trade for Brandon Lowe or Eduardo Escobar to play 2B

[Fear The Chorizo]

53 minutes ago, Devinep said:

I agree they really need hitting. But they don’t need a DH/OF since that’s already crowded and Churio is coming soon. The infield makes more sense, even at 2B (Turing at utility or learning how to hit for awhile in AAA is fine with me) That’s why I want them to sign Hoskins for 1B as well as trade for Brandon Lowe or Eduardo Escobar to play 2B

They desperately need a DH, and Soler is the best FA DH option besides Ohtani.  yes, he can still play a couple dozen games in the OF if you need him to, but that shouldn't be plan A for Soler (for the Brewers or any other team he'd sign with).

And I'd also add that pretty much anyone in the "crowded" Brewers OF can make room for Chourio when he shows up...he's one that simply isn't blockable.  If Wiemer isn't traded this offseason, my money is on him opening in AAA this year, and that doesn't mean either Mitchell or Frelick aren't tradeable assets once Chourio is deemed ready for the Show.

 

[Scooterfletcher]

Yes, Soler makes a lot of sense regardless if we deal 1,2,3 or 4 of Burnes Peralta Adames Williams.   Our team will still be good enough to compete for a playoff spot even if we deal all four and Solar fills at DH nicely.  Good call and one I’ve felt already too

[jay87shot]

Not a big fan of Soler, if we are going to spend money I would much rather go after Rhys Hoskins or Jeimer Candelario or a starter like Giolito. Bauer, or Severino. Those guys have been more consistent than Soler and can help us in the field. I feel like Soler is likely to end up being like Willy Adames the past 2 years without the fielding. I will pass on that as our big ticket spending goal.

[Fear The Chorizo]

2 hours ago, jay87shot said:

Not a big fan of Soler, if we are going to spend money I would much rather go after Rhys Hoskins or Jeimer Candelario or a starter like Giolito. Bauer, or Severino. Those guys have been more consistent than Soler and can help us in the field. I feel like Soler is likely to end up being like Willy Adames the past 2 years without the fielding. I will pass on that as our big ticket spending goal.

There isn't much about Soler's offensive profile that should bring Adames to mind as a comparable player offensively.  I'd be open to Candelario as well, but I think he's in for a bigger payday than Soler given the fact he can still play adequate defense in the IF.

The Brewers' roster already has plenty of players that offer defensive versatility over power and OBP - I consistently fail to understand why a 26-man roster can't have what amounts to a full-time DH capable of hitting 40HR in the season on it just because he'd be a below average defender at the corner OF position.  Having a roster full of players with defensive versatility limits how good your DH is during most of the games when Contreras is catching and Yelich is playing LF - the Brewers for years have had problems scoring runs, so improving the lineup should be paramount.  The easiest way for the Brewers to do that is to throw $$$ at a full time DH.

And I will add that I'd also love to sign Bauer this offseason for the rotation - I think there is going to be some payroll available for the Brewers to play in free agency this offseason, particularly if they don't tender Woodruff if they can't ink him to a short term contract that pays him a much lower amount in 2024 than what they would have budgeted to pay him in arbitration had he ended the season healthy.

[Devinep]

On 11/16/2023 at 11:41 PM, Fear The Chorizo said:

They desperately need a DH, and Soler is the best FA DH option besides Ohtani.  yes, he can still play a couple dozen games in the OF if you need him to, but that shouldn't be plan A for Soler (for the Brewers or any other team he'd sign with).

And I'd also add that pretty much anyone in the "crowded" Brewers OF can make room for Chourio when he shows up...he's one that simply isn't blockable.  If Wiemer isn't traded this offseason, my money is on him opening in AAA this year, and that doesn't mean either Mitchell or Frelick aren't tradeable assets once Chourio is deemed ready for the Show.

 

They desperately need hitting, not necessarily a DH. Soler would plug the DH spit, Leaving Yelich as a full time LF. That leaves 2 positions for Frelick, Mitchell, Taylor, Weimer, and Churio, who should be mostly, if not completely, playing almost every day by mid-2024.

instead of spending limited resources (they’re not going on a FA spending spree I’m safely assuming) on a position of surplus, why not just get a Soler-quality hitter at a position of need on the infield? Sign Hoskins, Candelario, or Belt. And/or trade for Brandon Lowe or Jorge polanco. 

[Fear The Chorizo]

8 minutes ago, Devinep said:

They desperately need hitting, not necessarily a DH. Soler would plug the DH spit, Leaving Yelich as a full time LF. That leaves 2 positions for Frelick, Mitchell, Taylor, Weimer, and Churio, who should be mostly, if not completely, playing almost every day by mid-2024.

instead of spending limited resources (they’re not going on a FA spending spree I’m safely assuming) on a position of surplus, why not just get a Soler-quality hitter at a position of need on the infield? Sign Hoskins, Candelario, or Belt. And/or trade for Brandon Lowe or Jorge polanco. 

I sort of disagree - they desperately need a fulltime DH that can act as another lineup anchor with Yelich and Contreras, and I don't consider OF to be a position of surplus because I'm assuming Wiemer opens next season in AAA (he didn't get optioned at all last season, so burning his 1st option for 2024 makes a ton of sense given his struggles offensively most of last year).  Taylor is a reserve OF, so that leaves Yelich as the primary LF, Mitchell and Frelick in center and right, and when Chourio is called up I think one of those other younger OFs is trade bait.  

Soler, to me, will cost less than Candelario in terms of free agent contract value, and Hoskins missed all of last season recovering from an ACL.  Belt is going to be 36 next year.  I do like the idea of trying to acquire Polanco, but I think that should be in addition to adding a fulltime DH. 

 

[Devinep]

1 hour ago, Fear The Chorizo said:

I sort of disagree - they desperately need a fulltime DH that can act as another lineup anchor with Yelich and Contreras, and I don't consider OF to be a position of surplus because I'm assuming Wiemer opens next season in AAA (he didn't get optioned at all last season, so burning his 1st option for 2024 makes a ton of sense given his struggles offensively most of last year).  Taylor is a reserve OF, so that leaves Yelich as the primary LF, Mitchell and Frelick in center and right, and when Chourio is called up I think one of those other younger OFs is trade bait.  

Soler, to me, will cost less than Candelario in terms of free agent contract value, and Hoskins missed all of last season recovering from an ACL.  Belt is going to be 36 next year.  I do like the idea of trying to acquire Polanco, but I think that should be in addition to adding a fulltime DH. 

 

Disagree on the OF non/surplus even with a trade because younger guys need playing time, Weimer opening the year in AAA doesn’t mean he won’t be on the big league team, and Taylor May be a reserve but hit well last year and deserves playing time. Even with a trade, Churionwull create a (good) problem of too many OF. Plus, DH will help rest guys and keep Yeli a bit healthier possibly. 
 

You found one thing about each guy I recommended as a negative as somehow proof they shouldn’t be signed, as if you can’t sign a guy for 1 year if he’s 36 or tore an ACL early last year.  Yet you didn’t mention that signing Soler is buying high and, unlike Soler, Belt and Hoskins are consistently good (in addition to playing a position the Brewers need to fill). 2023 was the first time in awhile Soler has been even good enough of a hitter to be worthy of taking up the DH spot. 
 

JD Martinez, on the other hand, would be an intriguing DH only bat to me though