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    Trade and free agent rumors posted here.

    133 rumors in this category

      Brock Beauchamp

      Trade deadline season is starting to heat up after the Rockies broke the seal by making a deal to move some lower-tier pieces to the Braves and Rangers. In this piece for MLB.com, Mark Feinsand lists the 17 players most likely to be traded and has the Brewers listed as potential suitors for several of them.

      We've already covered CJ Cron in this section so I'll ignore his mention.

      There are two really interesting names that stand out on this list, and for very different reasons.

      Randal Grichuck is a right-handed outfielder for Colorado who is having a solid season for the Rockies. Before anyone brings up road splits (which are often exaggerated for Rockies hitters but the altitude penalizes them, just as it does pitchers, though the inverse), Grichuck has a very respectable .792 road OPS in 2023.

      The most intriguing name on the list is Tigers left-handed starter Eduardo Rodriguez, who is under contract at a very reasonable rate through the 2026 season. The 30-year-old is having a breakout season, posting a 2.69 ERA in Detroit. The cost would be considerable but if there's a National League team that can extract additional value from a pitcher, it's the Milwaukee Brewers.

      Who on this list intrigues you?

      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

      There were rumors swirling that the Brewers might be open to dealing Adames this winter but based on a few things we've heard recently, that's now unlikely. While that's good news for Brewers fans, the reason behind it is possibly even more appealing: apparently, Adames and the Brewers may be discussing an extension.

      Adames took a step backward offensively in 2022; after posting a 126 and 120 wRC+ in 2020 and 2021, his batting average dropped about 30 points and his wRC+ fell below 110 while his on-base percentage dropped below .300. With batting averages dropping like a stone across MLB the past several seasons, it's hard to get a read on whether Adames' performance drop was a one-year aberration or what to expect going forward.

      Matthew Lenz

      Despite having five starters penciled into the rotation for 2026, the Milwaukee Brewers could get creative with a newly acquired reliever. At the very least, it sounds like the fifth rotation spot could be up for grabs throughout spring training.

      Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that the Milwaukee Brewers could use recently acquired Angel Zerpa as a starter. In his article, Brewers president of baseball operations, Matt Arnold, was quoted as saying, "We have some scouts that think he can do it.  He has done it in the past."

      Zerpa, recently acquired via a trade with the Kansas City Royals, progressed through the minor leagues primarily as a reliever, though in five seasons with the Royals only made eight starts. In 2025, Zerpa pitched 64 2/3 innings, posting a solid 3.86 FIP despite a low 13.1% K-BB rate, due to an elevated walk rate. As a southpaw, he's particularly effective against left-handed hitters who carried a .288 wOBA last season, whereas righties had a .360 wOBA. For more on Zerpa's arsenal and development, check out Jack Stern's dive into his repertoire. Zerpa, 26, just entered his first year of arbitration and is controllable through 2028.

      Do you think the Brewers should test him in the starting rotation or leave him in the bullpen? Let us know in the comments!

      Brock Beauchamp

      It felt almost inevitable but it may finally be happening. The Angels, fringe contenders for an American League Wild Card berth who saw Mike Trout go down with an injury a couple of weeks ago, are now reportedly considering trading Shohei "The Best Baseball Player on the Planet" Ohtani.

      This shouldn't be surprising, as the Angels' postseason hopes largely rode on the health of Ohtani and Trout as a duo. And the Angels will be loathe to let Ohtani walk into free agency without getting something in return... or at least that should be their mindset right now.

      It's unlikely the Brewers will enter this mix, as they likely do not have the intestinal fortitude to pay the price of acquiring a couple of months of Shohei Ohtani.

      But merely putting Ohtani on the market up-ends it like no other player. This will have far-reaching ramifications across the trade market should Shohei end up being traded. It's worth keeping an eye on Ohtani rumors even if they don't directly involve the Milwaukee Brewers

      Brock Beauchamp

      In his daily roundup, Bob Nightengale (yes, I know) mentioned the Brewers are a good fit for the 40-year-old former-Reds slugger.

      This could be speculation on Nightengale's part - and we all know he's not above firing from the hip on these things - but having specifically mentioned "three teams are interested" in Votto last week, the Brewers are possibly in play.

      From a roster fit, Votto simultaneously makes sense and no sense at all, depending what you think of players like Tyler Black: can he stick at third, is he ready for a prolonged chance to hit MLB pitching? The Brewers are lacking in corner offense and should they decide to pass on bringing back Carlos Santana, Votto could be a stop-gap measure at first base and possibly DH.

      Brock Beauchamp

      There's a lot of chatter around Twitter but not from what most of us would call the most reputable sources. But that doesn't mean it's necessarily untrue. With the addition of Carlos Correa, there isn't really a reason for the Mets to roster Eduardo Escobar other than "Steve Cohen wants all the players."

      Personally, I struggle to see Steve Cohen taking a step back talent-wise under any circumstances after the offseason the Mets have had but it's also possible Escobar isn't particularly thrilled about being in New York and shoved into a utility role - he's not a great defender anywhere anymore - behind two players on a legitimate Hall of Fame career arc.

      What are your thoughts? Is an Escobar reunion possible in Milwaukee?

       

       

      Brock Beauchamp

      With the recent Rhys Hoskins signing, General Manager Matt Arnold has firmly committed the Brewers to contending in 2024, and that's a good thing. The projected payroll is still roughly $20 million lower than it was in 2023 and there is no indication whether the Brewers are lowering payroll amidst television broadcast uncertainty or if they're still in the market to add more players this offseason.

      But the general consensus among the rumor-mongers is that trades of either or both Willy Adames and Corbin Burnes are increasingly unlikely to happen this winter. Every Burnes rumor thus far has stalled out before it gained traction. Willy Adames has been even less connected to specific rumors, only speculation.

      In the case of Adames, if the Brewers were truly in the market to deal him, we'd likely hear significant rumblings about it, as the shortstop free agent class this offseason was the worst we've seen in several years. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, possibly the best shortstop on the market, signed only a two-year deal with the Blue Jays and is a pale comparison to Adames, whose glove guarantees a relatively high floor for the 28 year old.

      Burnes is harder to predict. He has stated he plans to explore free agency after the 2024 season and the pitching market has been slow to develop. High-profile free agents Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are still available while Dylan Cease and Shane Bieber are being offered in trade. Whether the Brewers are truly interested in trading Burnes or not, the timer might run out on Spring Training before a market materializes for the 2021 Cy Young Award winner.

       

      Brock Beauchamp

      Curt Hogg reported that GM Matt Arnold has stated the Brewers want to improve at catcher. Given the status of their catching corps, this seems rather obvious but the interesting tidbit is that Arnold, when questioned, was cagey about whether the Brewers would pursue a free agent catcher - with Vazquez being the best remaining option while other guys like Gary Sanchez also remain available - or whether they'll pursue a trade at the cost of prospects.

      What makes the most sense to you? Free agency or give up prospects and save some money?

       

      Brock Beauchamp

      Recently, there has been speculation amongst multiple insiders that the 31-35 Arizona Diamondbacks may look to move contracts if they continue to fall out of the National League West race.

      The most interesting decision the Diamondbacks will have to make is about starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery, who was a list-minute signing amongst the Boras Four this past offseason. Montgomery, looking for a long-term deal over the winter, was forced to settle for a one-year contract with a player option for 2025.

      What the Diamondbacks might find most unsettling about this arrangement is that Montgomery, now 31, has been very bad this season. After a successful 2023 split between the Cardinals and the championship-winning Texas Rangers, Montgomery posted a 3.20 ERA. That number has ballooned to a whopping 6.80 ERA in nine starts this season. His fastball velocity has dipped and he's sagging in almost every possible category compared to his 2023 effort.

      Montgomery's 2024 salary is $25 million. He has multiple vesting options alongside his player option for 2025: at ten starts in 2024 he vests $20 million in 2025; at 18 starts in 2024 he vests $22.5 million in 2025; at 23 starts he vests $25 million in 2025.

      It's easy to see a situation where this scares a non-competitive Diamondbacks team. It also could present an opportunity for the Brewers to buy low on a player at a position of dire need for them in 2024.

      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.

      Steve Drumwright

      After the biggest week of player movement of this hot-stove season, Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta remains a hot topic.

      According to a social-media post by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, five big-market teams are leading the pursuit of the right-hander. Those teams are the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Atlanta. But Heyman also notes that those five are "among many, many" teams trying to acquire Peralta. This comes after Brewer Fanatic's own Matt Trueblood reported Monday the Brewers were "moving toward a deal" for Peralta, with the Yankees as the most likely fit.

      Peralta is a hot property as he is making a very affordable $8 million for 2026 before hitting free agency. He is coming off a 2025 in which he posted a career-best 5.5 bWAR with an NL-leading and career-high 17 wins to go along with a 3.64 FIP and 1.075 WHIP for an ERA+ of 154, the highest of his career.

      Of course, the Brewers could always sign Peralta to an extension.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that rival executives are saying the Blue Jays are open to trading embattled starter Alek Manoah. 

      Manoah was one of the promising young pitchers in baseball as he pitched 308 innings over 2021-2022 with an incredible 157 ERA+. Unfortunately, his 2023 was equally as bad as those seasons were good. He pitched to a 5.87 ERA in 87.1 innings pitched and lost all control over his pitches.

      The big (and I mean BIG, 6'6" & 285 lbs) right-hander won't come cheaply but with the Brewers knack for developing starting pitching, he could be worth the sizable risk. Manoah is still only 25 years old, won't become arbitration-eligible until after the 2024 season, and will not be a free agent until the 2028 season.

      Brock Beauchamp

      According to Mark Feinsand's latest MLB.com report, the Blue Jays are telling teams they are willing to trade any players on expiring contracts, though they are not yet willing to part with players with team control beyond 2024.

      The Blue Jays have a slew of players who will be free agents at the end of the season: center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, DH Justin Turner, relievers Trevor Richards & Yimi Garcia, and most interestingly to the Brewers, Yusei Kikuchi.

      Kikuchi is having a solid season with 101.1 innings pitched, a 101 ERA+, and is making only $10 million this season. Relievers Richards and Garcia might also be of interest to the Brewers depending on the healthy return of Devin Williams in the next couple of weeks.

      Matthew Lenz

      Relative to other buyers, trade deadline rumors regarding the Milwaukee Brewers have been a bit quiet.

      On an episode of Foul Territory on Wednesday, Jim Bowden stoked that fire a bit by reporting that the club is looking to improve the left side of the infield over the next week.

      Joey Ortiz has been the primary shortstop for the Brewers this season. In 98 games, he holds an OPS of .589 with 7 home runs, 42 runs scored, and 31 runs batted in. Ortiz has also added 9 stolen bases this season. Defensively, he has continued to be a valuable asset, recording 8 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). He has also seen time at third and second base. While Ortiz has been great defensively, his offense has been putrid. It's possible the Brewers would be looking for a more balanced player at the position.

      Initially a game of musical chairs, Caleb Durbin has locked down the hot corner. Since May 21st, Durbin ranks first in OBP (.391), eighth in slugging (.456), and fifth in wRC+ (142) amongst third baseman. He's hit five home runs and stolen nine bases on the season. Moreover, he currently has 14 DRS. 

      What shortstops should the Brewers target? Should they look to upgrade from Durbin? Join the conversation in the comments!

      Brock Beauchamp

      Ken Rosenthal highlighted the Brewers in today's roundup and while the news isn't earth-shattering to any Milwaukee fan, he reports that people familiar with the team don't expect a big splash at the deadline in either money or prospect capital, even for starting pitching.

      He reported that the Crew will retain their "bites of the apple" philosophy (my words, not his) and not trade away any of their top prospects for a badly-needed starting pitcher. There are several starting pitchers likely to be available at the deadline, highlighted by Garrett Crochet, who is under team control for several more seasons. As teams like the Blue Jays spiral out of contention, premier starters like Kevin Gausman could also be placed on the market.

      It's a controversial decision that will surely upset some Brewers fans but given the steady stewardship provided by David Stearns and now Matt Arnold, it's increasingly difficult to argue with the regular season results the Brewers have achieved for the past seven years.

      Brewcrew82

      From MLBTR, "Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports roughly 10 clubs have been in touch with Hazen and company regarding at least one of the team’s outfielders. Piecoro lists the Yankees, Brewers, Blue Jays, A’s, Marlins, White Sox and Reds as clubs with interest."

      Very interesting considering our existing stockpile of young outfielders. Daulton Varsho sure would look good in a Brewers' uniform, with the rare ability to play elite defense at RF, CF, and C....

      Brock Beauchamp

      Jon Morosi tweeted that the Brewers are one of four teams looking for middle infield help.

      Curiously, the names mentioned are Tim Anderson, Paul DeJong, and Vidal Brujan.

      Tim Anderson of the White Sox is having an abysmal year by his standards. The former batting champion has an average around .240 and a sub-.300 on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

      Paul DeJong could be an upgrade but he plays for the Cardinals and teams are reluctant to trade within the division, though it does happen.

      The third name, Vidal Brujan, has a OPS under .500 in 2023. He's a consensus top 100 global prospect with very little experience against MLB pitching.

      Frankly, I'm not sure any of these names make sense for the 2023 Brewers stretch run. 

       

      Jastro

      Per Seth Cummings (Independent reporter for the Nats) tweets that the Brewers and Nationals are in on Carlos Santana. Also tweeting that a reunion with the Brewers is the most likely destination at this point. A reunion with Carlos makes the most sense, as he provides a decent bat, solid defense,veteran leadership and good clubhouse chemistry. 

       

      Brock Beauchamp

      Jon Heyman of the NY Post wrote that the Brewers have discussed acquiring Ramon Laureano from the Oakland As.

      Laureano has three more seasons of control so should cost quite a bit in trade. He's not a great defender in center but is above average with the bat. Coming off a PED suspension, Laureano essentially lost a year of free agency and has question marks about performance given his previous substance use.

      Personally, I'm not a huge fan of pursuing Laureano. If the price is good, sure, have at it. But Laureano lacks on-base ability, which is perhaps the Brewers' greatest need right now. He checks the box for centerfield - sorta, anyway - but doesn't offer a lot of other qualities that make him attractive to me as a player on this roster.

      Thoughts? Would you pursue Laureano or go with someone more bat-first like Bell?

      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

      Bruce Levine of 670 The Score in Chicago mentioned that the Brewers and Marlins are expressing interest in White Sox slugging DH Eloy Jimenez.

      Pursuing Jimenez makes a lot of sense, as was argued by our own Tim Muma yesterday.

      Jimenez checks almost every box imaginable for the Brewers: he's still only 26 years old, he is cost-controlled through the end of the 2026 season with multiple option years, he bats right-handed, and he has an OPS over .800 on the season.

      The White Sox have been very active at the deadline but have only moved expiring contracts; over the past couple of weeks, they've reiterated that they will not move pieces they consider to be cornerstones of the 2024 season and beyond.

      The White Sox are also 20 games under .500 and have the 26th-ranked farm system according to MLB.com. It's possible they come to their sense in the next 72 hours and start moving players that will actually bring back significant prospect capital.

      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

      This is something of a shock. While Counsell-to-Mets rumors have been swirling all year, the Brewers still have their manager under contract through the end of the World Series. Teams will often grant permission for their employees to be interviewed by other MLB clubs but often only if the job opening is a step up the ladder for the employee.

      Obviously, this is not the case with Counsell, who is interviewing for a lateral position in New York.

      Counsell is already one of the highest-paid managers in the sport but when it comes to pure spending power, no one in the sport can compete with the Cohen-owned Mets.

      More to come as the situation develops.

       

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