Devinep’s 2025 Payroll Blueprint: Yummy apple bites

[Devinep]

I think this team is affordable, would compete in ‘25, and complete for years to follow.

I traded Frelick for Brandon Lowe to deal from a surplus (defensively talented OF) while getting one more IF who can hit. and Lowe can split 2B with Durbin and also play a bunch of 1B with Hoskins at DH and Yeli in LF. That open time in 2B/LF gives Durbin and Black MLB playing time (and fewer ABs for Monastario which is a good thing). 

 

• C: William Contreras ($7.60M)
• 1B: Rhys Hoskins ($18.00M)
• 2B: Brandon Lowe ($10.5M)
• 3B: Joey Ortiz ($0.8M)
• SS: Brice Turang ($0.80M)
• LF: Tyler Black ($.8M)
• CF: Garrett Mitchell ($0.80M)
• RF: Jackson Chourio ($4.25M)
• DH: Christian Yelich ($24.25M)
• 4th OF: Blake Perkins ($0.80M)
• Utility: Andrew Monasterio ($0.80M)
• Utility: Caleb Durbin ($0.8M)
• Backup C: Eric Haase ($1.80M)
• NA: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M)
• SP1: Freddy Peralta ($8.25M)
• SP2: Aaron Civale ($8.00M)
• SP3: Tobias Myers ($0.80M)
• SP4: Brandon Woodruff ($5.00M)
• SP5: Nestor Cortes ($7.70M)
• RP: DL Hall ($0.8M)
• RP: Trevor Megill ($2.00M)
• RP: Nick Mears ($0.90M)
• RP: Jared Koenig ($0.80M)
• RP: Bryan Hudson ($.8M)
• RP: Joel Payamps ($2.80M)
• RP: J.B. Bukauskas ($0.80M)
• RP: Aaron Ashby ($3.45M)
• NA: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M)

Payroll is 12.23% under budget

[Devinep]

One addition I forgot: A MILB for Miley

[wntrtxn21]

 I like the team and if the Brewers could pull off the swindle to get Lowe for Frelick, all Brewer nation would be very happy. However, I can't see the Rays trading Lowe who is their best infielder by far. Frelick helps their OF, but he has no power and weakens infield and the offense.  Lowe's replacements would be Mead, who has been a flop so far. They are looking at him for 3B. Their #1 prospect Williams, is a SS but he struck out over 300 times in the last two years in the low minors. He isn't ready for the show. I guess if the Rays were totally tanking and just clearing salary they might give it some thought. 

[Devinep]

18 hours ago, wntrtxn21 said:

 I like the team and if the Brewers could pull off the swindle to get Lowe for Frelick, all Brewer nation would be very happy. However, I can't see the Rays trading Lowe who is their best infielder by far. Frelick helps their OF, but he has no power and weakens infield and the offense.  Lowe's replacements would be Mead, who has been a flop so far. They are looking at him for 3B. Their #1 prospect Williams, is a SS but he struck out over 300 times in the last two years in the low minors. He isn't ready for the show. I guess if the Rays were totally tanking and just clearing salary they might give it some thought. 

Maybe something small would be added, but I do think it’s a close trade already for the following reasons:

-Lowe is owed over $10 million the next 2 years each and keeping him would be the exception for TB. Frelick is cheaper and controlled for longer.

-TB should give Mead a full time chance. And even if he fails, they have Caballero, Palacios, Basabe, Aranda, and Morel. And Carson Williams is going to make the MLB this year

-TB doesn’t have nearly that much depth in the OF and Frelick can split/platoon CF with Deluca

-Lowe is injury prone

-for what it’s worth, baseballtradevalues thinks Frelick value is 22.2 and Brandon Lowe is 13.7

 

[Mr Southpaw]

Both options were from the team side.  $500000 to get out of the contract in 26.

[jay87shot]

I would love to get Lowe but Frelick is to much to give up maybe add in Pete Fairbanks and we can send a lesser reliever their way. 

[Devinep]

I thought of another version of a trade with the Rays and MIL’s surplus do defensive OF. I swear I don’t hate Frelick but I see him as more valuable to another team in CF rather than a powerless corner OF in MIL. 
 

Brewers get: Curtis Mead and Richie palacios

Rays get: Sal Frelick

Mead, Durbin, and Palacios share 3B while being the utility guys and Mead backs up 1B. personally, I would love to see the $ saved by getting 2 pre-arb guys used to get Profar to play DH/1B/LF with Goskins and Yeli cycling through DH. Plus, there would be a bench guy to replace at least one of profit/Hoskins with a pinch runner/defensive sub

[wntrtxn21]

2 hours ago, Devinep said:

I thought of another version of a trade with the Rays and MIL’s surplus do defensive OF. I swear I don’t hate Frelick but I see him as more valuable to another team in CF rather than a powerless corner OF in MIL. 
 

Brewers get: Curtis Mead and Richie palacios

Rays get: Sal Frelick

Mead, Durbin, and Palacios share 3B while being the utility guys and Mead backs up 1B. personally, I would love to see the $ saved by getting 2 pre-arb guys used to get Profar to play DH/1B/LF with Goskins and Yeli cycling through DH. Plus, there would be a bench guy to replace at least one of profit/Hoskins with a pinch runner/defensive sub

What do either of those guys give the Brewers that Frelick doesn't offensively? Two utility guys who offer nothing more than what the Brewers already have. They would be replacing two pre-arby guys (Frelick and Monasterio) so there wouldn't be any savings.  If they trade Frelick, I'd rather see them trade him for offensive help. 

[Devinep]

On 1/15/2025 at 9:08 PM, wntrtxn21 said:

What do either of those guys give the Brewers that Frelick doesn't offensively? Two utility guys who offer nothing more than what the Brewers already have. They would be replacing two pre-arby guys (Frelick and Monasterio) so there wouldn't be any savings.  If they trade Frelick, I'd rather see them trade him for offensive help. 

Curtis Mead just turned 24 and has hit well enough to be a top 100 prospect so it’s not sure that he’ll be just a utility guy and deserves a chance to play. Now Palacuos would be a utility guy, but a much better one than Monastario. And one thing they both have that Frelick doesn’t is the ability to play infield. 
 

The $ saved I was referring to was if they didn’t do the Lowe trade I proposed (and still prefer). Using some $ for Profar, who doesn’t seem to have a big market, would be that one more good bat that I think the team needs. Getting Mead/Palacios/Durbin to share 3B would mean that isn’t the spot for a bat so that leaves the 1B/DH/LF (with Frelick gone) spot as the spot to add a hitter