wallus’s 2026 Payroll Blueprint: (Part 2)

[wallus]

Trade: 

Brewers: Abreu (BTV: 26.2)

Red Sox: Peralta (BTV: 26.6)

The team gains a nice outfielder with team control.

Trade: 

Brewers: Lugo (BTV: 7.2)

Angels: Megill (BTV: 9.6)

The time is now to move on from Trevor. Lugo is a nice prospect that we can afford to wait on.

Free agent signing:

Ha-Seong Kim: 2 years, 30 million.

While most of us would be happy to improve on shortstop production, there is still a question at 3rd base. Having a veteran that could play either position would be worth dipping into the free agent pool.

Free agent signing:

Jordan Montgomery: 1 year, 5 million. 

I honestly have no idea how much money he would command. I am just guessing but I think it would be good to have that veteran left handed starter to replace Quintana.

Overall: We gain more team control while improving depth in areas we need depth. Starting pitching may need to be addressed but I like our young starters.

• C: William Contreras ($11.10M)
• 1B: Andrew Vaughn ($7.80M)
• 2B: Brice Turang ($4.40M)
• 3B: Caleb Durbin ($0.80M)
• SS: Ha-Seong Kim ($15.0M)
• LF: Sal Frelick ($0.80M)
• CF: Jackson Chourio ($7.25M)
• RF: Wilyer Abreu ($0.80M)
• DH: Christian Yelich ($26.00M)
• OF: Blake Perkins ($0.80M)
• Utility: Joey Ortiz ($0.80M)
• 1B/OF: Jake Bauers ($2.00M)
• Backup C: J. Quero ($0.80M)
• SP1: Jordan Montgomery ($5.00M)
• SP2: Brandon Woodruff ($22.00M)
• SP3: Jacob Misiorowski ($0.80M)
• SP4: Logan Henderson ($0.80M)
• SP5: Quinn Priester ($0.80M)
• RP: DL Hall ($0.80M)
• RP: Abner Uribe ($0.80M)
• RP: Grant Anderson ($0.80M)
• RP: Jared Koenig ($0.80M)
• RP: Nick Mears ($1.60M)
• RP: Aaron Ashby ($5.70M)
• RP: Rob Zastryzny ($0.80M)
• RP: Tobias Myers ($0.80M)

Payroll is 8.13% under budget

[KCBrewerfan34]

Thanks for putting this together. 

[Scooterfletcher]

I like your plan a lot.  A controllable Frelick or better outfielder and Kim are precisely all our team needs and you are right that we can trade MLB talent for the right prospect too.

[wallus]

15 minutes ago, KCBrewerfan34 said:

Your contract is off on Kim :) 

It sure is.... oops

[KCBrewerfan34]

Half of our roster is making league minimum. Geez 

[KCBrewerfan34]

Is the buyout money for Hoskins, Woody and a few others considered 2025 or 2026 payroll? 

[sveumrules]

1 hour ago, KCBrewerfan34 said:

Is the buyout money for Hoskins, Woody and a few others considered 2025 or 2026 payroll? 

Not sure how much certainty we really have about how exactly Brewers Accounting goes toward allocating those buyout numbers.

Like the Hoskins $4M buyout is set to be paid on 2/1/26. I'd think that counts toward the 2025 payroll since it precedes the start of the 2026 season.

Woody's $10M buyout is paid in two $5M installments on 1/15/26 and 7/15/26. To me that reads as splitting it up into $5M each on the 2025 (first payment before season) and 2026 (second payment during season) payrolls.