Free Agent Starting Pitchers

[brewcrewdue80]

I think ST will decide if the team needs to add a SP.  Between Woodruff, Priester, Misiorowski,  and Sproat you have 4 SPs that can pitch 150+ innings. I'd have to check the schedule, but typically a 5th SP isn't needed until like 3rd time through 5 days rest so that'd  be like game 13-14.  Let's have a run with all these guys getting a chance first. Save the money for use at trade deadline.  Sproat-is he still on Rookie status? This would make him RoY plus bonus eligible being top 100 ranked. Patrick threw 161IP last season so there's another 150+ SP

Henderson/Hall are around 120+

Peak Ashby should also handle 120+.

 

I completely forgot about Gasser. Another 100+

 

[tmwiese55]

My guess is they're in very close contact with Quintana for this role.  He seemed to click well with the team and bought into what they're trying to do, good mentor for the young guys.  I'd just give him his 4-5 mill and be done with it. 

[SF70]

30 minutes ago, tmwiese55 said:

My guess is they're in very close contact with Quintana for this role.  He seemed to click well with the team and bought into what they're trying to do, good mentor for the young guys.  I'd just give him his 4-5 mill and be done with it. 

I hope not.

He seemed washed to me, especially late in the season, besides I don’t think the team needs to sign a FA starter on the downside of his career. We go more than 10 deep in starters with BL experience if we stretch-out Hall & Ashby, plus we have a deep group of starter arm prospects in the upper-minors.

[tmwiese55]

Thats fine, yea I'd say I'm fine if they don't sign one at all.  But I think they will due to what other said of so few innings eater guys and so many on limits. So I think they will, and he seems to fit the bill well enough and has the relationship.   If I remember correctly his peripherals and him looking like 'washed' so to speak has looked that way for years, But he keeps getting adequate results.   Also that's why he's so cheap, people have been thinking he's done for years. And nbd if he does get beat up and you let him go since he's so cheap.    Also, IMO I think the time we'd need a guy like him is early in the year rather than late. So I'd rather have him ready right away than waiting and seeing while paying more money on a montgomery type.  Let the young guys ease into the year and be fresher for late in the year/playoffs

But yea, I'm fine without and if need arises later you grab the equivalent of a Civale type midseason 

[brewerfan82]

First, I just wanted to link to the FanGraphs Free Agent Tracker as a point of reference: https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/free-agent-tracker?pos=sp&sign=unsigned

Next, I took that list and weeded out players by a number of factors: <0.5 proj. 2026 WAR, <200 IP past 3 years, <100 IP past 2 years, >5 xFIP past 3 years, $18M+ crowd source proj. AAV

That leaves the following 15 free agent pitchers still available (2023-25 stats):

I think it all comes down to price and there's a good chance at this point in the offseason they can snag someone at a discount they like. Even if it's just to have as competition/insurance going into Spring Training.

[Jopal78]

15 hours ago, brewerfan82 said:

First, I just wanted to link to the FanGraphs Free Agent Tracker as a point of reference: https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/free-agent-tracker?pos=sp&sign=unsigned

Next, I took that list and weeded out players by a number of factors: <0.5 proj. 2026 WAR, <200 IP past 3 years, <100 IP past 2 years, >5 xFIP past 3 years, $18M+ crowd source proj. AAV

That leaves the following 15 free agent pitchers still available (2023-25 stats):

I think it all comes down to price and there's a good chance at this point in the offseason they can snag someone at a discount they like. Even if it's just to have as competition/insurance going into Spring Training.

Bassitt is still available, right? He’ll be 37 shortly, but was much better than Quintana last year. He probably has his choice of one year deals, and is holding out for a multi-year offer but would be the best fit for Milwaukee. 

The rest of that list is pretty picked over and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of those pitchers retied. I don’t see anyone giving a guarantee to Mikolas, Buehler, Stroman, Morton, Gray (out for season), Corbin. Paddack is a tweener, stats say NRI but he’s still 29 so maybe a one year guarantee. 

If Verlander and Scherzer play in ‘26 they likely have destinations where they’d be willing to pitch and will wait until one of them comes calling. 

[brewerfan82]

1 hour ago, Jopal78 said:

Bassitt is still available, right? He’ll be 37 shortly, but was much better than Quintana last year. He probably has his choice of one year deals, and is holding out for a multi-year offer but would be the best fit for Milwaukee.

He is and I'd love to have him, however, I don't envision the Brewers going over $10M on anyone. So I removed him ($18M crowd source proj. AAV), Valdez ($28M), Gallen ($22M), and Giolito ($18M) from my list of guys that might drop into our discount bin.

[jay87shot]

23 hours ago, Mr Southpaw said:

Montgomery please!!  3 years $30 million. wait, wait...

 

2026 $5 million with playoff and World Series incentive

2027 $10 million club option with innings pitched options

2028 $15 million club option with innings pitched options

 

The dude is 33 so we have to cover the investment.   

I am pretty sure Montgomery is going to be like a 1 year 2-3 million dollar minor league deal, maybe there is a team option for like 6-10 million with a small buyout for 2027. I would guess he will cost less than what we gave Q last year.

I do like Monty as a depth signing alot.

[Jopal78]

The Brewers do have recent history of signing a washed up starting pitcher to a guarantee for that person be the long man out of the pen/spot starter.  (Jordan Zimmerman, Jose Urena, Tyler Alexander etc.) so I wouldn’t be surprised if they wind up with someone like Patrick Corbin.