How Much Can Brewers Still Spend This Winter, After Devin Williams Trade?

[Matthew Trueblood]

Though the Brewers took back a player with the same projected salary as Devin Williams in their first big move of the winter, they did get some cash (and thus, some new flexibility) in the deal. Where does it leave their payroll?

Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

According to MLB Trade Rumors, Nestor Cortes and Devin Williams project for exactly the same salary in their final respective seasons of arbitration eligibility: $7.7 million. In practice, there's a fair chance that Williams will make a bit more than that, and that Cortes will make a bit less, but the difference would be negligible. The Brewers were willing to lose most of the financial benefit of trading Williams in exchange for filling one of the key areas of need toward which they would have reallocated those resources—a starting pitcher.

The Yankees did send them $2 million in the trade, though, ensuring that the Crew will have at least a little bit more to spend in the wake of the trade. They also partially filled their other big need in the deal, by acquiring Caleb Durbin. He's a bit more likely to end up a platoon partner for Brice Turang and rotating fill-in guy than a full-time third baseman, but he reduces the team's need on the infield by about half.

After the transaction, the Brewers have (depending on how you prefer to count things, and on how their few open arbitration cases go) about $104 million on their books for 2025. They've made no public pronouncements about their spending plans, but sources tell Brewer Fanatic that it's very unlikely the team will spend more than about $120 million. They could easily stop even lower than that, so no big additions of salary are forthcoming for the balance of this offseason. That said, they do have some capacity. A further signing or trade to bolster the rotation still isn't out of the question, but at this stage, it feels like the best bet is that the team will hunt for a cost-efficient way to add a key bat somewhere.

That could take the shape of waiting out free agency, by which process the team got Gary Sánchez on a team-friendly one-year, $7-million deal last February. To sign (for instance) Josh Bell or J.D. Martinez today would probably cost more than the Brewers care to pay, but a month from now, that could change. Being persistently opportunistic is the name of the game for small-market teams, and the Brewers are good at that game.

Alternatively, though, they could try to position themselves for a trade that absorbs money another team doesn't want to spend, on a talented hitter. We've already discussed the possibility of Milwaukee targeting Nathaniel Lowe at length this winter, but don't forget about the possible availability of Brandon Lowe, of the Rays. Those two are both left-handed bats, which makes them especially appealing, because they could generally platoon with Rhys Hoskins and find ways into the lineup via the DH spot or (in Brandon Lowe's case) second base. Josh Naylor of the Guardians is another name in the same vein, but the fact that he would come with just one year of team control makes him a very unlikely target for Matt Arnold. Taylor Ward, although a right-handed bat and mostly an outfielder, is one more name on which to keep an eye. He still has two years of team control and he can really hit.

One way or another, there's probably just one noteworthy addition left in this offseason for the Brewers. That's fine. They're two-time defending NL Central champions, after all, and the Williams trade helped them round things out. They were a very young team in 2023 and 2024, and they can easily remain so in 2025. They'll backfill Williams's place from within, rather than spending any significant resources on relief help, with the likes of Craig Yoho and (perhaps) Jacob Misiorowski. They have enough of a surplus in other places (Tyler Black, most clearly) to make a trade that realigns their talent if that chance presents itself, but otherwise, they'll try to spend another $8-10 million, keep some powder dry, and trust their winning formula to keep doing its thing.

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[SF70]

My guess is they save $8M by trading Civale, which would give them $16-18M to spend.

Then possibly a Hoskins trade with a Goldschmidt signing could save $3M this year and the $4M next year, although that would mean some serious prospect-capital having to go with Hoskins. I think it’s more likely money would have to go with him with less prospect-capital.

A Moncada signing should be affordable if the team doesn’t want to trade for the Lowe’s. 

Looking forward to seeing how Arnold & co finish off the team before OD.

[Matthew Trueblood]

1 hour ago, SF70 said:

My guess is they save $8M by trading Civale, which would give them $16-18M to spend.

Then possibly a Hoskins trade with a Goldschmidt signing could save $3M this year and the $4M next year, although that would mean some serious prospect-capital having to go with Hoskins. I think it’s more likely money would have to go with him with less prospect-capital.

A Moncada signing should be affordable if the team doesn’t want to trade for the Lowe’s. 

Looking forward to seeing how Arnold & co finish off the team before OD.

I know it's been a miniature beat for @Tim Muma this winter and that Ken Rosenthal wrote a note about it, and I did muse about the A's... but I don't think the Brewers actually have (or should have, really!) much interest in trading Hoskins. If it turns out he has some positive trade value, to Sacramento for instance, that might be a different story, but I don't think he's going anywhere, and I think that's probably fine. He wasn't as bad as some believed last year and I think he'll be better in '25.

[Ro Mueller]

I think it’s difficult to read what’s available on the market at the moment: 

 

[Underachiever]

I have real respect for the person filming that. Were they skating backward the whole time? And framing it perfectly. Well done!

[Rick Daltons Flamethrower]

"To sign (for instance) Josh Bell or J.D. Martinez today would probably cost more than the Brewers care to pay, but a month from now, that could change. Being persistently opportunistic is the name of the game for small-market teams, and the Brewers are good at that game."

I appreciate this kind of forward thinking. It is a classic small market Brewer move which is very wise  and often fruitful.

 

 

[wallus]

The Brewers have LOTS of trade candidates that have value so I plan on them making a trade for a starter or a starting position player this off season. Players like Frelick and Black are decent players but would fit better on another team. Those are the guys to look to move.

If the top top is 120 million, that is very workable. The team could and should move Payamps and save another 4 million as well. 

My list of what the team needs in priority order:

1. First Base

2. Third Base

3. Controllable Starting Pitcher

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Zero.  I think they are at their budget now.  They could make some trades to free up cash but I just dont think anyone on the market is a better option than what we have (at the same salary), plus we would be signing them for more years.  I think the Brewers stand pat.  Maybe they go bargain hunting in February for some depth, but that would be it.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Brewers have never used up their entire budget this early.  Maybe all they can do is "bargain hunt" but last year they found some significant bargains.  For instance, I'd be totally on board if they picked up a guy like Donovan Solano who's price will be more based on his advanced age than his production.  That guy has shown no sign of dropping off as a hitter and he can play some 3B, 1B, and DH.