Should the Brewers sign a starter?

[Trail]

I've been reading some places about the Brewers' strong starting pitching depth.  Beg to differ.  I see three reliable starters and a whole lot of question marks.  Harrison, Priester, Drohan, Crow, Spoat are...in my opinion...all questionable for various reasons.  I'd love to see Hall back in the mix given his evolution this year.  An injury to any of the big three leaves this rotation pretty shaky, I think.  Should they be looking for a solid number 4?  

[jay87shot]

I don't think it would be out of the question, I do think the guys who would be in the 1-3 years 15-20 aav range would be who we would be interested in and no one there really blows me away. I think the guy I like best that fits would be Nick Pivetta and his injuries make me leary. Clay Holmes is another arm I would look into, however I think he gets good money and kind of prices himself out of being an option. I do like a couple of the foreign pitchers that are posted but we really haven't been players for higher end Asian arms. Maybe Dustin May's market doesn't develop and we could get him back but I doubt we are in on the top 5-8 starters on the market. 

I agree with you we have 3 reliable starters with good depth but no sure things, clearly the organization values pitching depth. I do expect we add someone but my guess is that it is someone young and controlable in the mold of Harrison and Sproat from last year.

I would be fine if we signed a quality starter, I just think it is more likely we trade for a younger, cheaper guy.

[gregmag]

No. The idea that anyone they could likely go out and sign is any less a “question mark” than the guys they already have is just shiny object syndrome. 

[wallus]

Yes, a top level veteran starter should be the team's number one priority for sure.

[Frisbee Slider]

11 minutes ago, wallus said:

Yes, a top level veteran starter should be the team's number one priority for sure.

In seriousness, Dustin May is probably the best we could do. Would you take Dustin May back? I genuinely would for short-term deal.

[wallus]

2 minutes ago, Frisbee Slider said:

In seriousness, Dustin May is probably the best we could do. Would you take Dustin May back? I genuinely would for short-term deal.

Why is he the best we can do?

[Frisbee Slider]

4 minutes ago, wallus said:

Why is he the best we can do?

Money and a wise aversion to long-term commitments in free agency.

[titanrick]

Doesn't all this depend on the CBA negotiations?  If we suddenly need to spend money like a drunken sailor to get up to the salary floor, we likely operate slightly differently than we have in the past.  Although hopefully that spending spree would be on long-term extensions for Contreras and Turang.

[tmwiese55]

I'd guess the role talked about here is going to go to Woodruff.  Of course I get the point being someone more reliable than him.   But chances are he's not getting more than a cheap one year deal, even if he does only make it 80-100 innings before his shoulder goes again it will still have accomplished the needed goal of eating those innings to keep the toll down on the younger guys listed.  Maybe even could be strategic about DL stints with him to hopefully avoid issue.  Like say he makes his first 8-10 starts and is ok, give him 3-4 weeks off and then try to finish the year.    If he doesn't come back, then yea I could see someone in the likes of Quintana from 4 years ago on a 1/10ish deal.   I'd take May for that all day, but I bet he gets more years and money than we'd want

[mudbutt]

I'd give the questionable guys a shot first and then we can always trade for a vet before the trade deadline.

[Brewcrew82]

A trade feels more likely than a FA signing. Brewers just don’t pay for free agent starting pitchers. 

[long ball]

25 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

A trade feels more likely than a FA signing. Brewers just don’t pay for free agent starting pitchers. 

I agree. I think the more valid question is “should the brewers acquire a SP” and to that question I think the answer is yes. 
 

They’re not going to all of a sudden go pay market rate for a free agent SP. we haven’t done that since Melvin was GM. 
 

if they sign a FA SP it’s going to be someone looking for a job at the end of the off season who will sign for less because they’re desperate. Likely, they’ll look to build SP depth much like they did last year, through trade. 
 

one caveat being Woodruff. If he wants to pitch, the brewers probably bring him back (at a significantly reduced salary). 

[RobertR]

I think the Brewers will sign someone who's a value at a position of need. Don't overthink it.

Someone that can play 1B if Bauers leaves, backup catcher, relief pitching, and starting pitching are all possibilities. Maybe the possibility of winning a ring will be a value boost.

[ctmyers]

No, they should be looking to acquire pitching in the low minors via trade or catching depth in the upper minors.  If dollars are available, they need to be going to Contreras.

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

2 hours ago, Frisbee Slider said:

In seriousness, Dustin May is probably the best we could do. Would you take Dustin May back? I genuinely would for short-term deal.

Hells no.  I mean, I’d take him back for a 1/$3M prove it deal, but about that, no thanks.

i feel like we have 8-10 internal guys who are better and have proven more in the past 2-3 years.

[jay87shot]

If we do what we have we will maybe wait until spring training and sign someone to an undermarket deal. There is a robust 2nd/3rd tier market depending on who you would identy as the top group. I could see any of Nick Pivetta, Casey Mize, David Peterson, Matt Boyd, Kris Bubic, Michael Soroka, Robbie Ray, Dustin May, Walker Buehler, Zac Gallon Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber, Chris Bassitt, Foster Griffin, Clay Holmes, Kevin Gausman, Tyler Mahle, and maybe a few other we could possibly be interested in at 1/2 years (maybe a few 3) at 20 or under a year. In that group I would expect 1 or 2 to fall through the cracks and maybe be available for 1/5-8 come spring training. There are only a couple in that group that I would be really excited with but a bunch that could make sense at the right price.

[MrTPlush]

4 hours ago, Trail said:

I've been reading some places about the Brewers' strong starting pitching depth.  Beg to differ.  I see three reliable starters and a whole lot of question marks.  Harrison, Priester, Drohan, Crow, Spoat are...in my opinion...all questionable for various reasons.  I'd love to see Hall back in the mix given his evolution this year.  An injury to any of the big three leaves this rotation pretty shaky, I think.  Should they be looking for a solid number 4?  

You can never have enough pitching, but how many teams have 5 guys with no question marks? 3 reliable starters you can be confident in is pretty dang good. Most teams in baseball wish that had that.

Im not sure there are many teams that wouldn’t jump for joy if they went into 2027 with our rotation situation.

[Trail]

3 hours ago, Frisbee Slider said:

In seriousness, Dustin May is probably the best we could do. Would you take Dustin May back? I genuinely would for short-term deal.

I wouldn't mind that.  They know what they're getting and have a head start on working with him.  Money would have to be right.  

[Jim French Stepstool]

41 minutes ago, MrTPlush said:

You can never have enough pitching, but how many teams have 5 guys with no question marks? 3 reliable starters you can be confident in is pretty dang good. Most teams in baseball wish that had that.

Im not sure there are many teams that wouldn’t jump for joy if they went into 2027 with our rotation situation.

I agree with this. Another way of viewing it is: After Misiorowski, Henderson & Gasser you have 6-7 other possibilities. What are the chances that NONE of them are viable? There certainly are many teams that would trade their SP situation for ours. And to create depth or overcome a health issue, it's not out of the question that sometime in March they look for an undermarket guy floating around, as @jay87shotmentioned.

I'm definitely NOT on board with re-visiting Hall as a starter. He was a difference-maker out of the BP.

[TURBO]

11 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I'm definitely NOT on board with re-visiting Hall as a starter. He was a difference-maker out of the BP.

THIS!

To be honest, Hall and Ashby should stay put. 

No need to mess with that bull pen magic. 

I'm hoping we get Romero back.

[owbc]

I would. I think we need another arm. My focus is entirely on load management -- how do we secure another top-2 seed in the NL while still having our arms in good shape for the '27 postseason? We do that by running a 6-man rotation for a decent chunk of the season, which means finding another SP that can eat innings. 

Even with our extra WS cash I think this is going to be a bargain hunting project. Even May seems like he might be too pricey for what we need. 

 

[SF70]

Miz-Henderson-Gasser-Harrison is as good of a 4-some as it gets, outside of possibly the NYY or LAD.

Then from among Priester-Drohan-Crow & Sproat they have 4 more starters with big-league experience. 

Then in the upper-minors we Kuehner-Hardin-Letson-Knoth-Thompson, a nice 5-some of prospect starters that all have an opportunity to pitch for MKE at some point in 2027.

That’s 13 organizational starters not including Ashby, who I hope stays in the pen, but who said he wants to start again.

My guess is that’s not enough starter depth for a team that will use their pitching power in an attempt to go back to back.

Adding more pitching depth thru trade or FA is very likely.

[Trail]

53 minutes ago, SF70 said:

Miz-Henderson-Gasser-Harrison is as good of a 4-some as it gets, outside of possibly the NYY or LAD.

Then from among Priester-Drohan-Crow & Sproat they have 4 more starters with big-league experience. 

Then in the upper-minors we Kuehner-Hardin-Letson-Knoth-Thompson, a nice 5-some of prospect starters that all have an opportunity to pitch for MKE at some point in 2027.

That’s 13 organizational starters not including Ashby, who I hope stays in the pen, but who said he wants to start again.

My guess is that’s not enough starter depth for a team that will use their pitching power in an attempt to go back to back.

Adding more pitching depth thru trade or FA is very likely.

You're assuming that Harrison is Harrison again.  Damn, I sure hope so...it would be fantastic.  However, we don't really know.  Priester, too.  What kind of pitcher will he be?  Same guy?  Probably not, but here's hoping.  I guess that's why I'd like to see one solid, experienced arm added.  Not an ace, but a mid-tier pitcher.  

[SF70]

24 minutes ago, Trail said:

You're assuming that Harrison is Harrison again.  Damn, I sure hope so...it would be fantastic.  However, we don't really know.  Priester, too.  What kind of pitcher will he be?  Same guy?  Probably not, but here's hoping.  I guess that's why I'd like to see one solid, experienced arm added.  Not an ace, but a mid-tier pitcher.  

I am assuming Harrison is closer to the first half star than the post-injury mess of a pitcher.

I’m encouraged he got his velo back and pitch shape before the postseason started and after an offseason of work I think we are going to like the ‘27 version of Harrison.

More starter depth added from outside of the organization works for me.

[Jopal78]

7 hours ago, titanrick said:

Doesn't all this depend on the CBA negotiations?  If we suddenly need to spend money like a drunken sailor to get up to the salary floor, we likely operate slightly differently than we have in the past.  Although hopefully that spending spree would be on long-term extensions for Contreras and Turang.

Salary floor wouldn’t kick in until 2028.

Don’t get too hyped about big ticket free agents. A salary floor will operate to inflate salaries (suddenly more teams vying for players to meet their floor).