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  • Milwaukee Brewers Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Milwaukee Brewers free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Matthew Trueblood
    We're all still grieving the loss of Bob Uecker last week, and on Thursday night, Avalon Atmospheric Theater in Milwaukee will give fans a chance to concelebrate him one more time in a fun way. They're holding a special screening of Major League at 7 PM. 
    Never was Ueck's wit and comedic brilliance more boldly displayed than in the movie, in which he got to play some version of himself—with everything shaded just a hair more wry, cynical, and silly. His manipulation of a radio audience blind to the real action ("Juust a bit outside," in the most indelible case) was hilarious on multiple levels, not the least of which was that it reflected a real habit of many play-by-play announcers in a time when fewer games were available on TV. Meanwhile, the hard-bitten and occasionally cruel character he shaped for himself was a key part of the movie's acerbity and a vaccine against the tendency of almost all sports movies to be a bit too saccharine.
    Yet, Uecker also narrated key sequences of game action, and the way he settled into a very authentic facsimile of his own work calling real games heightened the film's veracity and sharpened all of its best features in the process. The baseball comedy would have been diminished both in its baseball value and its comedic value if anyone else were to take Uecker's place in the role of Harry Doyle.
    Tickets to the show at the Avalon can be purchased here.
    Matthew Trueblood
    In a follow-up to Tuesday's release of their top 101 prospects list for 2025, the folks at Baseball Prospectus published a list Thursday of 10 prospects who weren't especially close to making that list, but whom they believe could land there at this time next year. Notable among the group was Brewers outfielder Yophery Rodriguez.
    A lefty hitter and thrower, Rodriguez played all of 2024 at age 18, and he played the whole season at Low-A Carolina. He held his own there, too, facing much older competition (even now that the minors have contracted and players at that lowest full-season level have gotten younger). He walked a lot and had a 100 DRC+ in 484 plate appearances, and his tools are evident. He could start 2025 with the Timber Rattlers, which would be remarkable progress for a 19-year-old. In brief chances to play with the big boys last spring training, he made an instant impression, too. Alongside the higher-upside Jesús Made, Rodríguez is a symbol of the Brewers' stellar recent work in Latin America and the sustainability of their system of consistent contention.
    Matthew Trueblood
    At long last, the Brewers' most tantalizing not-quite-success story of the last several years has found the place where he belonged all along. Keston Hiura agreed to a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league spring training, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
    Hiura, 28, made it back to MLB for just 27 plate appearances in 2024, with the Angels, after not cracking the majors at all in 2023. He batted .148, without a walk or an extra-base hit. However, Hiura's kryptonite has always been the high, carrying fastball. You know where fastballs have a hard time carrying well? Coors Field. It's not that hard to imagine Hiura taking the place of non-tendered second baseman Brendan Rodgers and hitting the Rockies 12 or 15 or 20 home runs. He won't actually be good, but the ballpark just might be enough to make his raw numbers look good. It won't change the fact that the Brewers were right to move on from Hiura, or anything. It's just nice to see an old friend land in a place where a minor renaissance is, at least, plausible.
    Matthew Trueblood
    Baseball Prospectus dropped their Top 101 Prospects list for 2025 Tuesday, and it not only includes four Brewers farmhands, but shoves some helium into the likes of Jesus Made and Cooper Pratt. Here are the rankings for each player from the Crew's system who made the list:
    No. 31: Jesús Made No. 61: Jeferson Quero No. 63: Cooper Pratt No. 65: Jacob Misiorowski Made's emergence as a full-fledged premium prospect continues apace. He won't even turn 18 until May, but an assignment to full-season ball in Carolina sure feels possible, and it's starting to feel a lot like Made is the team's next Jackson Chourio. Meanwhile, Pratt (who held his own so impressively across both levels of A ball in 2024, at bat and in the field) looks increasingly like a player who could take over an infield spot for the Brewers by Opening Day 2026.
    BP elected not to ding Quero much on the basis of the severe shoulder injury he suffered early last season, and while Misiorowski's ranking isn't as lofty or hype-fueled as we might have dreamed a year ago, he remains solidly among the top 20 pitching prospects in the game.
    With some gentle prompting, co-author Jarrett Seidler also informed us all that Mike Boeve was a narrow miss for the list. The Brewers' depth, in other words, does not stop with the top 101. Milwaukee's farm system continues to be a strength, and some very real impact is on the horizon.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote a great piece about Wade Miley and his return from Tommy John surgery.
    Miley's recent run with the Brewers has been a story of declined options. Upon returning to Milwaukee for the 2023 season, he pitched incredibly well, posting a 3.14 ERA over 120 innings. He declined his 2024 option before returning to the Brewers on a $7 million deal. He only made two starts before suffering an injury in an April 16th game. He later underwent surgery.
    There are several great quotes from Miley in the article above, I highly suggest reading it. To boil it down, Miley wants to come back and pitch as early as May 2025, just 12-13 months after undergoing surgery. He believes that given his age, pushing the return date forward aggressively is possible due to the fact Miley only wants one or two more years out of his left arm before he retires; long term health isn't a factor.
    As for where he wants to pitch, he gave this outstanding quote:
    Brock Beauchamp
    Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote in a recent trade rumors round-up that the Brewers are open to moving Rhys Hoskins for salary relief.
    Hoskins will be difficult to move, especially right now. There are a slew of first base free agents still on the market including Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana, and others. It's hard to envision the Brewers being able to find a taker on Hoskins' contract until most, if not all, of those options are off the board.
    Hoskins underperformed in 2024, posting a 98 OPS+. Convincing a team to trade for him includes getting them to buy into a Hoskins bounce back season in 2025. Hoskins is owed $18 million in 2025 and has a mutual option in 2026 with a $4 million buy out.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported that Devin Williams is one of the relief arms the Dodgers are interested in for 2025.
    Williams is likely to be traded this offseason. He and his famed Airbender have been one of the best relievers in baseball for several years and with only one year of team control remaining, the Brewers have to consider what role he will play in the long-term health of the franchise.
    The Dodgers certainly have the horses to accomplish this trade. According to MLB Pipeline, they have the fifth-best farm system in baseball. Williams will command a significant return not only due to his on-field performance but because he'll likely garner a Qualifying Offer after the 2025 season, bringing in an additional draft pick for 2026.
    While Williams' return in trade should be notable, do not expect a return similar to Corbin Burnes when the Brewers traded him last year. The Brewers received Joey Ortiz and DL Hall in return; any return for Williams should be lower than that should the Brewers decide to trade him.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Jon Morosi tweeted that the Brewers are engaged in conversations with the White Sox about their ace starter, Garrett Crochet.
    This... is surprising, to say the least. I also find it unlikely that anything will come of it.
    Morosi is not the most reliable rumormonger, for starters. More importantly, there are a dozen vultures circling on the White Sox lefty, including teams such as the Cubs and Red Sox. The Red Sox in particular seem eager to spend as much money as possible and they have the farm system to acquire nearly any player in baseball if they put their mind to it.
    With that said, no one should put anything past Brewers GM Matt Arnold at this point. He has a well-earned reputation as one of the shrewdest negotiators in baseball and routinely pulls off deals no one expects.
    Brock Beauchamp
    MLB Trade Rumors wrote up a list of potential trade fits for Brewers closer Devin Williams.
    In typical MLBTR fashion, it's a good read. I'm skeptical of some of their choices but there are a few worth noting:
    Philadelphia Phillies: other than the fact both the Phillies and Brewers are in the National League and therefore are indirectly competing for the same playoff spots, this fit makes the most sense. The Phillies under Dave Dombrowski are always looking to wheel and deal and their bullpen is perennial a weak spot.
    New York Yankees: after getting egg on their face and losing Juan Soto to the fellas in Queens, no one knows how the Bombers are going to react. They could be in on literally everybody at this point.
    Kansas City Royals & Detroit Tigers: after surprise runs into October last season, either of these teams could be in the mix for Williams as they step into a long contention window. In particular, keep an eye on the Royals. They're trying desperately to convince the locals to build them a new downtown stadium and have shown a willingness to spend to buy some goodwill.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Will Sammon and Katie Woo of The Athletic reported in a recent piece that Willy Adames has stated he's willing to take less money to stay a Milwaukee Brewer.
    Let that sink in for a moment. Take a deep breath.
    While it's quite rare for a player to come out and say this publicly, Adames isn't your run-of-the-mill player. While his sentiment is surely true - he wants to stay a Brewer - he's still going to be want to be paid. The full quote: 
    MLB Trade Rumors projects Adames to receive six years, $160 million in free agency this winter so even accepting less money means a deal for 5+ seasons and well into nine figures. With the Brewers' television situation in flux, it's uncertain whether the team has much (if any) money to spend in free agency and it has been rumored they could be more active in the trade market than free agency.
    Either way, it's nice to feel loved. No matter where Adames lands, we all wish him the best.*
    *the Cubs aren't in the market for a shortstop so don't come at me
    Brock Beauchamp
    MLB Trade Rumors released their top 35 trade candidates for the 2024-2025 offseason. Unsurprisingly, the budget-conscious Brewers had some names on the list.
    Obviously, Devin Williams is widely rumored to be on the block; even the front office is keeping mum on the subject.
    A less obvious candidate to trade is Aaron Civale. Trading a recent acquisition (Civale was a deadline trade with the Rays) would be the most Brewers-y move Milwaukee could make. After struggling for half a season in Tampa, the Brewers took on Civale and coaxed him to a 119 ERA+ over 14 starts down the stretch.
    One has to believe the Brewers will demand value in return for the right-hander. He is expected to make around $8 million in arbitration this season, which is a good value if he's even a league-average pitcher, much less the solid #2/3 he was down the stretch in 2024.
    Brock Beauchamp
    The Colorado Rockies were one of the first teams to fall victim to the Diamond Sports (Bally Sports) disintegration. Like the situation the Brewers are now facing, the Rockies had to trim down their payroll last season and according to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, they're going to cut payroll again this offseason.
    The Rockies franchise is in a bad state. They've lost over 100 games for two consecutive seasons and haven't have a winning season since 2018. The Rockies don't have many easily-moved large contracts but the front office will likely to try to move at least one of Brendan Rodgers, Cal Quantrill, and Austin Gomber.
    Their most valuable asset is third baseman Ryan McMahon, who will turn 30 in two months. McMahon perfectly fits the Brewers' needs and team construction: while he's not a phenom with the bat (career 89 wRC+), he is phenomenal with the glove at third base, posting a +60 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) and a +40 OAA (Outs Above Average) in his career.
    Given that we're speaking about the Rockies, it's impossible to predict what they plan to do. McMahon is under contract for three more seasons: $12 million in 2025 and $16 million in both 2026 and 2027. 
    Brock Beauchamp
    Jon Heyman of the New York Post wrote that most baseball people consider the Los Angeles Dodgers the most likely landing spot for shortstop Willy Adames.
    Andrew Friedman, President of Baseball Operations for the Dodgers, has a long-standing connection to Adames. Friedman was the PoBO of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014 when the Rays traded for Adames, lifting him out of the Detroit Tigers system. A few months later, Friedman packed his bags and headed to Los Angeles to manage the bottomless wallet of the Dodgers.
    The Dodgers have been connected in rumors to Adames at nearly every turn since 2022; it has long been believed they are very high on the 29-year-old shortstop. It is rumored that Adames's camp is looking for a deal in the $200 million range.
    Brock Beauchamp
    This is a chorus Brewers fans are quite familiar with over the past few years: their soon-to-be free agent closer may be traded.
    In the Brewers' after-season press conference, General Manager Matt Arnold talks briefly about trade rumors surrounding closer Devin Williams. The right-handed reliever is entering his final season of team control in 2025 and the Brewers hold a $10.5 million option they will surely accept.
    Williams has been almost unbelievably good the past three seasons, posting a 1.66 ERA over 141 innings pitched while striking out over 14 batters per nine innings. To fans, this will surely bring back bad memories of the Josh Hader trade in 2022, which sent the lefty to the San Diego Padres mid-season.
     
    Brock Beauchamp
    It shouldn't be surprising to anyone familiar with the baseball financial landscape, particularly with the chaos of the Bally Sports bankruptcy proceedings, but it still hurts for fans to hear that one of their favorite players is likely to leave town after completion of the 2024 season.
    Brewers majority owner Mark Attanasio, speaking to the media during the Brewers' postseason, and reported by Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
    Adames, 29 years old, will pursue a nine-figure deal this offseason, likely for five years or more. He had a nice bounce back season in 2024, posting a 119 wRC+ but has slid backwards defensively, posting a -16 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) after being a plus-defender in 2023 with a +8 DRS.
    Matthew Trueblood
    Jon Heyman reports that the Marlins' enormous lefty has a warming trade market. All his recent trend markers are in the wrong direction--ugly stats this year, velocity and strikeout rate moving in the wrong direction, finally healthy but with a spotty injury history--but Rogers is under team control two more years after this one. 
    The 2021 All-Star and Rookie of the Year runner-up hasn't looked the same in any season since, but he has a unique arsenal and release point, including both a four-seamer and a sinker with a ton of arm-side movement. He'd be a fascinating target for the Brewers, who do so well with such development projects. As Heyman notes, though, he wouldn't come cheaply. This would have to be a case of the organization believing they could work their magic with him right away, in a big way.
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