Off Season Ideas

[wntrtxn21]

6 hours ago, jay87shot said:

Saving money ideas obviously not all at once but individual ideas that aren't Freddy based.

1) Megill to NYM for Ronny Mauricio, Dylan Ross, Edwin Lantigua

Mauricio helps the IF mix and Ross is a big arm that could replace Megill. It would save 4ish million and Uribe and others would keep the pen stable.

2) Ashby to San Fran for Carson Wisenhunt and Keynar Martinez.

Ashby's trade value is tough to determine, Wisenhunt would offer some similar upside with risk and Martinez is a young projectable arm. The Giants could be a team that would be on the lookout for a guy like Ashby who could be an upside starter or solid multi inning arm. 

3) Vaughn to SDP for Kash Mayfield/Boston Bateman (2nd smaller piece) and sign/trade for cheap right 1B option.

Would would make a great return on Vaughn. This really only works if you believe in Bauers or think there is a cheapish young 1B option to buy low on out there.

I'm pretty sure Milwaukee would jump at #1, especially with Ross in the deal. He needs to find some control, but could be a real steal. He could help right away with some fine tuning.  Mauricio would be a good multi-position option.  I wouldn't do the Ashby trade because Wisenhunt isn't nearly the prospect he once was and the risk is too great. Martinez is too far away. Ashby is too valuable to lose for such an insufficient return. No chance I'd do the Vaughn thing. Milwaukee loses a bat the desperately need and Mayfield is only in A and also too far away. 

[BrewerFan]

On 11/20/2025 at 10:17 AM, nate82 said:

This probably has a zero percent chance of happening but……

Yelich and prospects to the Angels

Trout and Perkins to the Phillies

Castellanos and prospects to the Brewers

Brewers retain Yelich’s deferred payments in this scenario.

Why this makes sense for the Brewers?  The Brewers get out of the Yelich contract and replace it with Castellanos for one more season and get low level prospects.  This also allows for the Brewers to sign some of their younger players to long term deals with the majority of the Yelich contract off the books.  

Why this makes sense for the Angels?  The Angels are able to get out of the Trout contract but still get a veteran back for the next few years.  They also clear some payroll so they can possibly add another veteran in FA.

Why this makes sense for the Phillies?  The Phillies get a replacement for Schwarber.  In this trade scenario Schwarber signs elsewhere and Trout replaces him as the main DH.  The Phillies also get a good defensive CF in Perkins which they are lacking.

The trade is unlikely to happen as both Trout and Yelich would have to agree to the trade.  I think Trout would be fine with this but I don’t think Yelich would be.  Again this probably has a zero percent chance of happening, I am just bored and was thinking of something crazy.

This is like one of those "7 ridiculous trades that we'd like to see," that... makes some sense for each side but won't happen.

I think Trout waives that NTC in a heartbeat. I think the Phillies jump on the chance to bring the local kid Home.

I don't see why the Angels do it. At the very least they have a HOFer who is a draw... on the rare occasions he's healthy. He could be healthier in Philly as a DH.

I still feel like there's a late career run where he'll be productive for a few years. I just can't believe he'll keep being this unlucky. 

I like the trade...

 

On 11/21/2025 at 9:05 AM, KCBrewerfan34 said:

At some point his performance on the field needs to start mattering. Not giving up a solid rotation arm for a maybe. No thank you 

Well... the kid is 22/23 years old... and I think you're rolling the dice more on Henderson being more valuable than Lawler. 

I don't think you have to worry about that trade because I don't think there's any shot that the D-backs make it. They've been waiting to find a spot for him and he's been one of the best prospects for the last several years. 

[Jopal78]

25 minutes ago, BrewerFan said:

This is like one of those "7 ridiculous trades that we'd like to see," that... makes some sense for each side but won't happen.

I think Trout waives that NTC in a heartbeat. I think the Phillies jump on the chance to bring the local kid Home.

I don't see why the Angels do it. At the very least they have a HOFer who is a draw... on the rare occasions he's healthy. He could be healthier in Philly as a DH.

I still feel like there's a late career run where he'll be productive for a few years. I just can't believe he'll keep being this unlucky. 

I like the trade...

 

Well... the kid is 22/23 years old... and I think you're rolling the dice more on Henderson being more valuable than Lawler. 

I don't think you have to worry about that trade because I don't think there's any shot that the D-backs make it. They've been waiting to find a spot for him and he's been one of the best prospects for the last several years. 

Why would any of those teams do that trade? It doesn’t make any of them better in the short run or long run.

i suppose the real unsaid premise is moving Yelich’s contract would allow the Brewers to reallocate the salary commitment into different or better players. 
 

The Brewers won the NL Central in ‘25 with one of the youngest rosters, and under this proposal they’re to give up “prospects” and Yelich to get Castellanos and “low level prospects”? It doesn’t improve the major league roster, or the future, and Castellanos is essentially deadweight.

Trout has a 5 yr/185 million dollar guarantee remaining. Nobody is taking that on when he hasn’t played a full season of games in nearly a decade. 
 

Yelich forced his way out of Miami because he thought they weren’t trying to win after dealing Stanton away. Given those facts it seems very unlikely Yelich would consent to go to the Angels perhaps baseball’s most dysfunctional team, that hasn’t been competitive in over a decade and is on their 7th manager in 12 seasons. 

[BrewerFan]

1 hour ago, Jopal78 said:

Why would any of those teams do that trade? It doesn’t make any of them better in the short run or long run.

i suppose the real unsaid premise is moving Yelich’s contract would allow the Brewers to reallocate the salary commitment into different or better players. 
 

The Brewers won the NL Central in ‘25 with one of the youngest rosters, and under this proposal they’re to give up “prospects” and Yelich to get Castellanos and “low level prospects”? It doesn’t improve the major league roster, or the future, and Castellanos is essentially deadweight.

Trout has a 5 yr/185 million dollar guarantee remaining. Nobody is taking that on when he hasn’t played a full season of games in nearly a decade. 
 

Yelich forced his way out of Miami because he thought they weren’t trying to win after dealing Stanton away. Given those facts it seems very unlikely Yelich would consent to go to the Angels perhaps baseball’s most dysfunctional team, that hasn’t been competitive in over a decade and is on their 7th manager in 12 seasons. 

Go to the original post so you don't need to ask me.

Quote

 

Why this makes sense for the Brewers?  The Brewers get out of the Yelich contract and replace it with Castellanos for one more season and get low level prospects.  This also allows for the Brewers to sign some of their younger players to long term deals with the majority of the Yelich contract off the books.  

Why this makes sense for the Angels?  The Angels are able to get out of the Trout contract but still get a veteran back for the next few years.  They also clear some payroll so they can possibly add another veteran in FA.

Why this makes sense for the Phillies?  The Phillies get a replacement for Schwarber.  In this trade scenario Schwarber signs elsewhere and Trout replaces him as the main DH.  The Phillies also get a good defensive CF in Perkins which they are lacking.

 

 

[BrewerFan]

On 11/20/2025 at 7:18 PM, nate82 said:

No I did say towards the bottom that Yelich wouldn’t approve.

Yeah... I caught that. Trout almost certainly would.

We're not making the decisions here, this is just a place to BS about general ideas, right? I think the general idea there is good. It's not completely fleshed out. I'm sure the Angels would take on some money, I think the Phillies would be willing to pay more for Trout than some may expect.

 

We're talking about trading for Jackson Merrill. I think your admittedly unlikely trade is... more feasible than that. Ask what would it take to get Jackson Chourio from the Brewers? If we're not giving up close to that for starters... it ain't happening. He may end up being a better hitter than Chourio, but you could play him at 3rd, SS, 2B...pretty much anywhere on the field but 

If we're seriously talking about him, I'd give up probably any two prospects, Henderson and Wilken for him. 

[Lloyd330]

Trade Pena/Henderson/Quero for Buxton/Ryan

Sign Bichette - 6/140

 

Buxton

Chourio

Bichette

Contreras 

Yelich

Vaughn

Turang

Frelick

Durbon

 

Peralta/Woodruff/Ryan/Miz/Priester

 

[KCBrewerfan34]

Great idea but there’s zero chance that’s there’s $20+some million available on a long term commitment to bring in a big FA

[jay87shot]

3 hours ago, Lloyd330 said:

Trade Pena/Henderson/Quero for Buxton/Ryan

Sign Bichette - 6/140

 

Buxton

Chourio

Bichette

Contreras 

Yelich

Vaughn

Turang

Frelick

Durbon

 

Peralta/Woodruff/Ryan/Miz/Priester

 

I would be surprised if Bichette doesn't get 8/200 mininmum. I also don't like that Bichette is already a poor fielder at 27 last year, he needs to move to 2B now and maybe off of that in a few year after that. If we spend money I would rather go big for Schwarber and put Yeli back in left. I don't really like that move either but for me it would help the offense more. 

Buxton, Ryan, and Bichette also put us near $200 million in payroll, I think most of us are hoping we can stay around $135 and not drop a bunch this offseason.

[wntrtxn21]

2 hours ago, jay87shot said:

I would be surprised if Bichette doesn't get 8/200 mininmum. I also don't like that Bichette is already a poor fielder at 27 last year, he needs to move to 2B now and maybe off of that in a few year after that. If we spend money I would rather go big for Schwarber and put Yeli back in left. I don't really like that move either but for me it would help the offense more. 

Buxton, Ryan, and Bichette also put us near $200 million in payroll, I think most of us are hoping we can stay around $135 and not drop a bunch this offseason.

I would like to get Bichette, but I too think he'll get closer to $200M next year and price the Brewers out of the picture. I don't believe Milwaukee will have any interest in Schwarber. Yelich played only 19 games in LF last year because of his back. He pretty much has to be the DH again next year. The big bat they really need will have to come in a trade. 

[Dave_Not_Here]

One name that seems like a potential Mikwaukee target to me that could be interesting is former Tigers reliever Jason Foley.

I know he had surgery on his shoulder, and is still recovering from it, but he was decent before the injury. 

He is also a ground ball pitcher (or at least was before the injury).  With the Brewers defense behind him, that could possibly work.

Maybe he could be signed on a minor league deal, with an invite to Spring Training? 

[Scooterfletcher]

3 hours ago, Dave_Not_Here said:

One name that seems like a potential Mikwaukee target to me that could be interesting is former Tigers reliever Jason Foley.

I know he had surgery on his shoulder, and is still recovering from it, but he was decent before the injury. 

He is also a ground ball pitcher (or at least was before the injury).  With the Brewers defense behind him, that could possibly work.

Maybe he could be signed on a minor league deal, with an invite to Spring Training? 

Are you a relative?

[Dave_Not_Here]

11 hours ago, Scooterfletcher said:

Are you a relative?

Relative to who?

[BrewerFan]

19 hours ago, Dave_Not_Here said:

One name that seems like a potential Mikwaukee target to me that could be interesting is former Tigers reliever Jason Foley.

I know he had surgery on his shoulder, and is still recovering from it, but he was decent before the injury. 

He is also a ground ball pitcher (or at least was before the injury).  With the Brewers defense behind him, that could possibly work.

Maybe he could be signed on a minor league deal, with an invite to Spring Training? 

Yeah, that's... exactly the type of player I'd LOVE to see the Brewers add. Then you could move on from Mears(if you really wanted to). 

He's the type of guy who at best would have an opt out if signed to an MiLB deal. But FB in the upper 90s and a GB pitcher?

Not a closer, but a good BP arm, especially if he was signed for cheap. 

[BrewLongma34]

Mears was clutch for us all year.   I hope we have him again in ‘26.  

[Roderick]

On 11/20/2025 at 2:09 PM, wiguy94 said:

.... Christian Yelich. ...... Why would he want to go to the Angels?

He grew up and lives in Calif in the offseason.  Not saying I agree with the trade, or that he would drop the no-trade.  But I can see the Angels as a team he would drop the NTC for.

[Lloyd330]

At the point where if you can trade Yelich, you do. 

Then offer Bichette the similar deal 7/180 - Make it front loaded 35/30/25/25/25/20/20

 

[wallus]

Bichette isn't the kind of guy you back up the truck for

[nate82]

3 hours ago, wallus said:

Bichette isn't the kind of guy you back up the truck for

Bichette should get something similar to what Adames and Swanson got but I don’t want the Brewers to get anywhere close to that.  

[KCBrewerfan34]

4 hours ago, Lloyd330 said:

At the point where if you can trade Yelich, you do. 

Then offer Bichette the similar deal 7/180 - Make it front loaded 35/30/25/25/25/20/20

 

Absolutely NO way do you do this. Our best prospects are infielders and they will be cheap. If anything you approach Turang about a multi year. 

[Scooterfletcher]

2 hours ago, KCBrewerfan34 said:

Absolutely NO way do you do this. Our best prospects are infielders and they will be cheap. If anything you approach Turang about a multi year. 

You guys are on to something.  Hard as it might be to hear, the best way about it is return Ortiz to SS and watch the bat improve, hope Mitchell can play most of the season, and return the pitching staff while retaining the top 30 prospects.  

[brewmann04]

Not adding any big time FA

[Lloyd330]

Banking on prospects/young guys is the reason we barely beat the Cubs and got smoke by the Dodgers. 

[yoshii8]

7 hours ago, Lloyd330 said:

Banking on prospects/young guys is the reason we barely beat the Cubs and got smoke by the Dodgers. 

And had the best record in the league. 

[jay87shot]

Mlbtraderumors.com had a report about there being interest in Mears around the league. I wouldnt be against moving him if we could get a nice package. He is cheap and was solid all year however I think last year is about as good as it gets and he is out of options. If we could get a decent young AAA reliever with some upside/full options and a mid level prospect I could be convinced we could trade him, especially if the offers for Megill aren't great.

[Lloyd330]

15 hours ago, yoshii8 said:

And had the best record in the league. 

Could care less about the regualr season - Lets put up a banner that says " most wins in regular season"