2026 Offseason and Beyond Trade/Free Agent Ideas

[SF70]

3 hours ago, TURBO said:

We'd have Chourio, Mitchell, Frelick and Lara if we keep both Frelick and Mitchell, so keeping Lockridge on the roster as a 5th OFer seems unnecessary to me.  Plus, I think he sucks in general, we can do better.

I'd like to trade one of Mitchell or Frelick, my preference would be Mitchell since he might have more value, but I'd only want to trade one of them if we got something in return that helps the current roster.  Otherwise, I agree, hang on to both of them, knowing that we have some great young outfielders climbing the ranks right now...  2028 rolls around, you revisit moving one of them, hoping and praying Mitchell has another healthy season.  With that being said, maybe it IS the time to trade him since he finally had that healthy season we've been waiting for...

Not trading Mitchell.

Not when he could very well have another gear we’ve yet to see.

A slight tweak to his LA and this guy hits 20+ HR’s, maybe more. We control him for 2 more years, both prime-age.

The Brewers don’t need to trade-off BL positional talent for prospect talent., unless one of their impact prospect talents are banging the door down, we are in a position system-wise to focus on the big-club.

[MNBrew]

7 hours ago, TURBO said:

We'd have Chourio, Mitchell, Frelick and Lara if we keep both Frelick and Mitchell, so keeping Lockridge on the roster as a 5th OFer seems unnecessary to me.  Plus, I think he sucks in general, we can do better.

We're one injury away from needing Lockridge as a 4th OF instead of a 5th OF.  He was hitting well until he got injured.  He's fast & plays excellent defense.  And Murphy loves the guy.  I keep him.

Mixing in other thoughts, I'd try to keep Woodruff on a lower-base, incentive-heavy one-year deal.  If he wants to stay, that plan keeps cost low if he gets injured and rewards him more the more he pitches.

Eventually Hamilton or Ortiz gets squeezed out between Made & Peña arriving.  Huge credit to Ortiz for his 2nd half, although all his good juju disappeared in a heartbeat in the playoffs.  His defense blows Hamilton's away.  Neither Ortiz nor Hamilton is without substantial holes in their overall game.  But they're decent-enough placeholders until the next IF stud prospects arrive.

Bauers . . . the dude brings a lot.  His high pitch count, his plate approach, his power, his experience, his decent 1B glove, his speed on the basepaths, and his ability to play corner OF.  Long ABs or not, his hitting fell off a cliff in the WS and he became a big rally-killer.  For me, that's enough of a reminder that the QO price is WAY too high for the Brewers to consider offering for him.

[Mr Southpaw]

On 10/29/2026 at 2:47 PM, TURBO said:

No thanks, time to turn that page...  I'd do a one year deal for 4 million max, but no multiple year deals.

Thanks for your time Woody!

That is what a team option does.

[Mr Southpaw]

We cannot lose with offering the QO to Bauer.

If he accepts the $23 we trade Vaughn and his $9.2.  So we get Bauer for about $14 for one year and some prospect or two for six plus years.  I will take that.

If he does not accept, we get a very high draft choice.  I will take that also.

[Mr Southpaw]

On 10/30/2026 at 6:55 PM, SF70 said:

Not trading Mitchell.

Not when he could very well have another gear we’ve yet to see.

A slight tweak to his LA and this guy hits 20+ HR’s, maybe more. We control him for 2 more years, both prime-age.

The Brewers don’t need to trade-off BL positional talent for prospect talent., unless one of their impact prospect talents are banging the door down, we are in a position system-wise to focus on the big-club.

If they don't trade one of Mitch or Sal, why not trade Lara?  He has tons of value and we have Payne (who could be better than all of them) and Adamczewski  very close.

[cragi]

12 minutes ago, Mr Southpaw said:

If they don't trade one of Mitch or Sal, why not trade Lara?  He has tons of value and we have Payne (who could be better than all of them) and Adamczewski  very close.

The Brewers have Lara locked up for a very long time, unlike the rest of these guys. They put a high value on defense, speed and contact, which fit Lara well. We dont know how CBA and league adjustment will impact the Brewers to keep finding these guys and locking them up. Adamczewski has a nice bat, but not sure how his speed and defense compare.  

[Mr Southpaw]

1 minute ago, cragi said:

The Brewers have Lara locked up for a very long time, unlike the rest of these guys. They put a high value on defense, speed and contact, which fit Lara well. We dont know how CBA and league adjustment will impact the Brewers to keep finding these guys and locking them up. Adamczewski has a nice bat, but not sure how his speed and defense compare.  

I personally would trade Mitchell on a high.  His injury history scares me.  But Lara would bring a huge haul.

[cragi]

I would prefer we keep Mitchell's power over Sal, but not sure Sal's value with his injuries this past year hurting his production. But Sal also has an extra year of contract. Then you've also got Payne by 2028. I could also see them dealing Adamczeswki for younger prospects or catcher.

[SF70]

43 minutes ago, cragi said:

I would prefer we keep Mitchell's power over Sal, but not sure Sal's value with his injuries this past year hurting his production. But Sal also has an extra year of contract. Then you've also got Payne by 2028. I could also see them dealing Adamczeswki for younger prospects or catcher.

No good reason I can think of to trade either of Mitchell-Frelick. Actually any of our BL positionals for that matter, outside of Vaughn, if the team can somehow retain Bauers.

The team has slowly and meticulously built their infrastructure into the best in baseball and one that has given them a steady stream of prospect-talent that has lead to an unbelievably deep farm system. 

They don’t need to trade-off players to feed the system, instead they can focus on the now, their BL roster, in an attempt to win another title next season.

Hold the roster. If they can extend Made, then trade one of Ortiz-Hamilton, if not bring em all back and go with a veteran, prime-aged, experienced and battle-tested roster that should dominate the NL.

[cragi]

1 hour ago, SF70 said:

No good reason I can think of to trade either of Mitchell-Frelick. Actually any of our BL positionals for that matter, outside of Vaughn, if the team can somehow retain Bauers.

The good reason I see is about extending the window. If Lara and Payne make Mitchell and Frelick somewhat redundant, then you can add more window by finding young stars and pitching at the A level.

[SF70]

3 hours ago, cragi said:

The good reason I see is about extending the window. If Lara and Payne make Mitchell and Frelick somewhat redundant, then you can add more window by finding young stars and pitching at the A level.

The window is already wide-open for the next 5-10 years without trading-off any of their talent. 

[KCBrewerfan34]

I would approach Mitchell about an extension, his ceiling is VERY high, with health. 

[nate82]

Not that I would trade Contreras but there is a rumor the Yankees have already reached out to the Brewers on the availability of Contreras.  

I don't see the Yankees as a good fit for the Brewers.  Maybe if the Brewers see Lagrange as someone they can fix and be more consistent you start there but after that I am not sure there is anyone I like in the Yankees org.  

Maybe something like Lagrange (RHP), Dietz (LHP), De Pena (OF), Lai (RHP) and Matic (3B/1B).  Not the greatest return but the best that I could find on the Yankees prospect list.  Lagrange and Dietz could be mid to top of the rotation starters.  De Pena looks to be someone the Brewers would target for all of the skills he has.  The problem is that the Brewers are already stacked in the OF in the minors.  Matic is another player that fits the Brewers profile.  Lai is another Brewers profile target but probably has the lowest ceiling of all the players traded for though I think he could be a solid back end starter.  All in all the Yankees system just doesn't have the pieces to trade for Contreras IMHO.

[wallus]

No reason to trade any of the outfielders unless someone really overpays. The healthiest out of our top 5 was Mitchell. All 5 (Chourio, Mitchell, Frelick, Lara and Lockridge) will be needed next season.

[PBTank]

2 hours ago, wallus said:

No reason to trade any of the outfielders unless someone really overpays. The healthiest out of our top 5 was Mitchell. All 5 (Chourio, Mitchell, Frelick, Lara and Lockridge) will be needed next season.

I agree.  The only way they trade any of their players is if they get an offer they can’t refuse.  My only exceptions would be Vaughn if they end up retaining Bauers and Ortiz. The team trading for Ortiz would have to believe he’s a MLB starting SS.  

[ImissDougMelvin]

Mark my words, NOT extending Contreras and Turang will be the worst decisions they could possibly make. You can't NOT extend Contreras, after him being WS MVP, and him literally being the "bulldog" and Murph once called him the heart of the team. You just can't get rid of a guy like that. Turangs value speaks for itself.

Most of you aren't considering that A. They are bringing in a SH*T ton of extra $$ this year from just winning the world series, and that doesn't even include merchandise sales, season tickets probably close to doubling this next year etc. B. and likely most importantly, many of you aren't taking into consideration that the new collective bargaining agreement(whenever that is) in my opinion(and i think it's pretty well shared universally), that even if their isn't a salary cap there in all likelihood WILL be a minimum spend. MLB initially proposed $175 million. Let's assume that's what it ends up being, that means the Brewers would HAVE to spend another $30 million+. I mean what are you going to do with that if you don't extend William and Turang?? You also free up $22 million from Woody this year as well. There should be NO excuses to not sign Turang/William to extensions. 

[BallFour]

In free agency I would like the Brewers to consider 33 year old RH Reliever Andres Machado who pitched for team Venezuela at the WBC. He has pitched the last 3 seasons with the Orix Buffaloes.

In the NPB over the last 3 seasons his stats were ERA 1.84 K/9 9.7 BB/9 2.3 

He features a sinker that averages around 97-98 MPH and at the WBC had IVB of 18.6 and he featured a power changeup at 92 MPH.

With us putting an emphasis on bullpen velocity, our ties to team Venezuela and hopefully a free agency price that isn't too steep I think Machado would fit right into our pen.

 

 

[cragi]

1 hour ago, ImissDougMelvin said:

I mean what are you going to do with that if you don't extend William and Turang?? You also free up $22 million from Woody this year as well. 

continue to bet big on the prospects rather than the ones that have priced themselves out of milwaukee already?

[KCBrewerfan34]

Remember, it takes 2 sides for an extension to get done. 

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

5 hours ago, KCBrewerfan34 said:

Remember, it takes 2 sides for an extension to get done. 

I think 6/150 gets it done (5/135 extension on current $14.5 option), maybe with some deferrals.

he passes Posey, Smith, and Mauer in AAV.  Doesn’t get the same years, but those players had MVP level offensive numbers…

I think (hope) WC loves it here, so I think if we are fair with him he’ll stay.  5/75 won’t get it done

[KCBrewerfan34]

We’re not paying Bill $25 mill per boys. 

[MrTPlush]

Trying to sell-high on Mitchell because you are worried about his injury history isn’t selling high. You are selling scared.

[Mr Southpaw]

15 minutes ago, MrTPlush said:

Trying to sell-high on Mitchell because you are worried about his injury history isn’t selling high. You are selling scared.

High and Scared!

[Brewcrew82]

13 hours ago, ImissDougMelvin said:

Mark my words, NOT extending Contreras and Turang will be the worst decisions they could possibly make. You can't NOT extend Contreras, after him being WS MVP, and him literally being the "bulldog" and Murph once called him the heart of the team. You just can't get rid of a guy like that. Turangs value speaks for itself.

Most of you aren't considering that A. They are bringing in a SH*T ton of extra $$ this year from just winning the world series, and that doesn't even include merchandise sales, season tickets probably close to doubling this next year etc. B. and likely most importantly, many of you aren't taking into consideration that the new collective bargaining agreement(whenever that is) in my opinion(and i think it's pretty well shared universally), that even if their isn't a salary cap there in all likelihood WILL be a minimum spend. MLB initially proposed $175 million. Let's assume that's what it ends up being, that means the Brewers would HAVE to spend another $30 million+. I mean what are you going to do with that if you don't extend William and Turang?? You also free up $22 million from Woody this year as well. There should be NO excuses to not sign Turang/William to extensions. 

There will not be a minimum spend without a salary cap. That I can assure you. Owners will never give one without getting the other in return.