Brandon Woodruff - Heyman: Woody accepts qualifying offer 1 yr/ $22million

[StearnsFTW]

1 hour ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

That's as much their fault as his if it happens again. They need to look around the league and do what's necessary to have him available for the playoffs. Your seeding just doesn't matter and we are inching closer to NBA territory with every expansion. He should disappear out of the rotation sporadically throughout the season with mysterious injuries. The 83-79 Reds made the playoffs. 

Agreed all around.

[Bulldogboy]

What's the chance of Jordan Montgomery taking a prove it deal to pitch this season? I would love to see what Brewers could do with him. 

[CheezWizHed]

12 hours ago, Klantz27 said:

 

😂😂 I didnt say sign naylor I mentioned what he just signed for suggesting the type of player you can get for 18.5 mil lolllll nice try

This happens every year.... We assume just because one player signed for $X million that there are plenty of other players just like him waiting to sign in FA.

I made a post a while back grouping players in position of need (e.g. 3B/SS/2B - to replace Ortiz).  It came down to about 6 players that would realistically provide more value than Ortiz and about 4 of them would be out of our price range (Bichette, Bergman, etc..).  So there ended up being only a couple realistic options in FA. Now you have to convince that player to play for Milwaukee over other teams that also want his services. 

So which specific player do you have in mind that would sign for $22M (I'll even give you up to 3 years at that price - far more than our exposed risk with Woody) that would be more of an improvement to our team than Woody? 

[patrickgpe]

I think people are forgetting he got the 10MM buyout too, so the brewers are committing 30.05 million to woody.

[patrickgpe]

35 minutes ago, Bulldogboy said:

What's the chance of Jordan Montgomery taking a prove it deal to pitch this season? I would love to see what Brewers could do with him. 

players like him will want to maximize 2026 earnings with likely no 2027 season+, so doubtful unless that's the best he can get. 

[Sixtolezcano]

20 hours ago, bensheeps said:

As a huge Woodruff fan, this is great news!

Hoping they explore a longer deal that works for both team and player and Woody becomes a "life-long" Brewer.

Maybe wait on a longer term deal to see if can remain healthy for a complete season for the first time in numerous seasons.

[homer]

6 minutes ago, Sixtolezcano said:

Maybe wait on a longer term deal to see if can remain healthy for a complete season for the first time in numerous seasons.

if that happens he will be too expensive to sign

[OldSchoolSnapper]

29 minutes ago, homer said:

if that happens he will be too expensive to sign

They probably already have the deal in hand that they are willing to offer him. No clue what that is, my guess is something that takes him through around age 35, with the years outside of this one at $15mm AAV. Something like 3/$50m. They can keep having that conversation now without losing him.

[homer]

25 minutes ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

They probably already have the deal in hand that they are willing to offer him. No clue what that is, my guess is something that takes him through around age 35, with the years outside of this one at $15mm AAV. Something like 3/$50m. They can keep having that conversation now without losing him.

Yeah I think Curt Hogg alluded to that recently. 

[LouisEly]

28 minutes ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

They probably already have the deal in hand that they are willing to offer him. No clue what that is, my guess is something that takes him through around age 35, with the years outside of this one at $15mm AAV. Something like 3/$50m. They can keep having that conversation now without losing him.

I don't know if he would want a deal that reduces his 2026 salary/shifts some of his 2026 salary to 2027 because of the threat of a lockout.  If there is a lockout, the Brewers wouldn't have to pay for any games missed.

That may have been a factor in accepting the QO, knowing that a multi-year deal may actually reduce the total salary he would get over the next two seasons.

[Jopal78]

4 hours ago, patrickgpe said:

I think people are forgetting he got the 10MM buyout too, so the brewers are committing 30.05 million to woody.

I don’t think anyone is forgetting it.  I can’t believe it’s this hard for folks to understand. 

In February of 2024 Woodruff signed a 2 year contract guaranteeing him 17.5 million dollars.
The breakdown was 2.5 million in ‘24, 5 million in ‘25 and a 10 million dollar buy out on a mutual option for ‘26.

Thats 17.5 million guaranteed between 24-25. There was no way for the Brewers to pay him a penny less than that for 24-25 and the money was as good as spent when the ink went down on the contract in February of 2024.

However the actual payments might be structured is immaterial and really nothing more than speculation. 

 

 

 

 

[Turning2]

On 11/18/2025 at 12:42 PM, RobertCrawley said:

I hope to see some competition at shortstop in one form or another. We can’t live with a black hole at 9, can we?

They can't live with an offensive black hole at both SS and CF. And they can't count on Mitchell. Either Ortiz or Perk have to be upgraded stellar defense be damned. I think they can win with either of those as an everyday player, but not both. If I had to do either or, I'd keep Ortiz at SS and pursue an OF with more to bring to the plate. But I'm an old SS, so perhaps I'm biased in valuing excellent defense at the position. 

[RobertCrawley]

22 hours ago, patrickgpe said:

I think people are forgetting he got the 10MM buyout too, so the brewers are committing 30.05 million to woody.

No one's forgetting. The Brewers said it was already factored in to the previous year's budget, so they didn't really consider it as part of the current deal with Woodruff.

[Turning2]

On 11/18/2025 at 8:07 PM, markedman5 said:

damn hitting has been the weakness for years 

3rd in all of baseball in runs scored last season.

So, there is room for improvement. LOL. Third most feels a bit deceptive. That lineup never scared anyone except during a couple of hot streaks. It limped along at the end when it mattered the most. Regardless, they scored what they scored. I was entertained. But they still need another solid bat to go along with young guys continuing to improve. 

[Roderick]

2 hours ago, Turning2 said:

So, there is room for improvement. LOL. Third most feels a bit deceptive. That lineup never scared anyone except during a couple of hot streaks. It limped along at the end when it mattered the most. Regardless, they scored what they scored. I was entertained. But they still need another solid bat to go along with young guys continuing to improve. 

Hitting:

I figure that the only player that will probably decline is Yelich.  Everyone else/position will should produce at least similar to last year over the season, with good chances of improvement from Chourio, Contreras and SS/Ortiz.  But trading for a cost-controlled bat wouldn't hurt.

[Jim French Stepstool]

On 11/18/2025 at 2:46 PM, wiguy94 said:

I think you needed just a couple more laughing face emojis to really get your point across

And maybe a period here or there. That would be refreshing.

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 hour ago, Roderick said:

Hitting:

I figure that the only player that will probably decline is Yelich.  Everyone else/position will should produce at least similar to last year over the season, with good chances of improvement from Chourio, Contreras and SS/Ortiz.  But trading for a cost-controlled bat wouldn't hurt.

Given his glove, I think a season like Ortiz had w/the bat in 2024 is pretty damned acceptable. I'm not ready to accept a poor offensive season at age 26 as the norm quite yet. 

There's a lot to be said for rolling with him again next year while Pratt & Made add seasoning.

[sveumrules]

41 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Given his glove, I think a season like Ortiz had w/the bat in 2024 is pretty damned acceptable. I'm not ready to accept a poor offensive season at age 26 as the norm quite yet. 

There's a lot to be said for rolling with him again next year while Pratt & Made add seasoning.

For whatever it is or isn't worth, after a 105 wRC+ in 2024 then a 67 wRC+ last year, Steamer projects Ortiz to rebound for a 95 wRC+ in 2026.

A 95 wRC+ with his defense and base running from last year would be something like a three win shortstop.

[Turning2]

5 hours ago, Roderick said:

Hitting:

I figure that the only player that will probably decline is Yelich.  Everyone else/position will should produce at least similar to last year over the season, with good chances of improvement from Chourio, Contreras and SS/Ortiz.  But trading for a cost-controlled bat wouldn't hurt.

What would you consider a "cost-controlled bat" specific player by name wise? I think a guy like Harrison Bader would be an improvement over Perkins but he's not a stand alone, put the team on his back, difference maker either. 

[sveumrules]

59 minutes ago, Turning2 said:

What would you consider a "cost-controlled bat" specific player by name wise? I think a guy like Harrison Bader would be an improvement over Perkins but he's not a stand alone, put the team on his back, difference maker either. 

If you get the Bader from last year that put up a 122 wRC+ over 501 PA it would be an improvement on Perkins for sure.

But if you get the Bader from 2022-24 that put up an 80 wRC+ over 1,094 PA you just dished out a multi year, eight figure contract for a redundancy.

Cost controlled bats theoretically on the market could be guys like Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu with the Red Sox outfield surplus, CJ Abrams (not sure he’s up to the Brewers defensive standards though), Zach Neto (doubt LAA has any real interest in dealing him no matter how much Brewers fans try to wish it into existence on the internet), or maybe Brendan Donovan (imagine STL would prefer to send him outta the NLC).

[MrTPlush]

Brewers fans: Mark Attanasio is so cheap and never spends money. #Selltheteam

*spends money on fan favorite player*

Brewers fans: WHAT AN OVERPAY! INJURED! WASTE OF MONEY!

[Turning2]

15 hours ago, sveumrules said:

If you get the Bader from last year that put up a 122 wRC+ over 501 PA it would be an improvement on Perkins for sure.

But if you get the Bader from 2022-24 that put up an 80 wRC+ over 1,094 PA you just dished out a multi year, eight figure contract for a redundancy.

Cost controlled bats theoretically on the market could be guys like Jarren Duran or Wilyer Abreu with the Red Sox outfield surplus, CJ Abrams (not sure he’s up to the Brewers defensive standards though), Zach Neto (doubt LAA has any real interest in dealing him no matter how much Brewers fans try to wish it into existence on the internet), or maybe Brendan Donovan (imagine STL would prefer to send him outta the NLC).

Yes, Bader isn't necessarily the guy, just tossing out an example. I heard The Red Sox guys discussed on a Locked On Brewers crossover episode with the Boston host last week. One of them, can't remember which, sounded just like what the Brewers don't need more of - speed, defense, meh offense. 

[sveumrules]

9 minutes ago, Turning2 said:

Yes, Bader isn't necessarily the guy, just tossing out an example. I heard The Red Sox guys discussed on a Locked On Brewers crossover episode with the Boston host last week. One of them, can't remember which, sounded just like what the Brewers don't need more of - speed, defense, meh offense. 

Over the last three years there are 103 players with at least 1,500 PA. Jarren Duran's 121 wRC+ ranks 36th on that list in the same neighborhood as guys like Josh Naylor (124 wRC+), Julio Rodriguez (124 wRC+), William Contreras (124 wRC+), Cody Bellinger (123 wRC+), Alex Bregman (122 wRC+), George Springer (120 wRC+), and Randy Arozarena (120 wRC+).

That might qualify as meh offense for some, but looking through the thirty some guys who have hit better over the last three years and I don't think any of them will be available. Duran might end up being the best bat on the trade market. 

Jarren's +22.7 BsR is 3rd on that same leaderboard between EDLC (+23.5) and Trea Turner (+20.0) so it is elite speed. Looking at 103 outfielders with at least 1,500 innings over the last three years Duran comes in at +27 DRS (10th) and +11 FRV (27th), most of that is in LF (1,933 innings of +17 DRS | +2 FRV), but he has also graded out well in his CF time (1,561 innings of +10 DRS | +8 FRV). He's essentially something like what a healthy Mitchell would look like...

Mitchell (443 career PA / 968 innings)
114 wRC+ | +4.8 BsR | +10 DRS | +8 FRV | 3.3 WAR

23-25 Duran (per 443 PA / 968 innings)
121 wRC+ | +5.6 BsR | +7.5 DRS | +3 FRV | 3.3 WAR

[TURBO]

9 hours ago, MrTPlush said:

Brewers fans: Mark Attanasio is so cheap and never spends money. #Selltheteam

*spends money on fan favorite player*

Brewers fans: WHAT AN OVERPAY! INJURED! WASTE OF MONEY!

 

[Frisbee Slider]

Woodruff is the best starting pitcher in Brewers history at keeping runners off the bases (according to career WHIP with Milwaukee). Only Sabathia’s half season in 2008 was a touch better.

If you can retain CC Sabathia levels of performance on a one year deal, that seems like a win to me.