Caretakers

The 2023 season saw rookies step up and make major contributions as the Brewers won the National League Central Division by a mile. Could the Brewers see a similar class in the 2024 season?

The Brewers called up several exciting rookies in 2023. Some sported mullets, some threw wicked sinkers with triple-digit velocity, some were defensive experts, and several took up metaphorical spaces only slightly less extreme. In a sport as multifaceted as baseball, it’s always challenging to try and predict whether rookies will sustain their early successes, but it’s fun to do so, anyway.

Brewers fans have to go back to the mid-2000s (with players such as Prince Fielder and new Associate Manager Rickie Weeks) to find a prospect who has received as much national attention as Jackson Chourio has over the last two years.

The Brewers are at a crossroads with Willy Adames. On one hand, last year was the least productive of his short tenure with Milwaukee. On the other hand, he’s an exceptional fielder, a great clubhouse presence, and is still capable of being an offensive sparkplug. So what will it be: trade him for better hitting, or trust in his ability to bounce back?

Ace-level pitching doesn’t come easily, and it doesn’t come cheaply. A former Cy Young winner with an unblemished injury record would be heavily sought-after, even amidst a free-agent market relatively rich with starting pitching. This could be precisely the time in which the Brewers can cash in for a big haul with Corbin Burnes. Before we can establish his value, we need to know the other options, and which teams might be the most desperate for his services.

At every time during which the Brewers have been competitive and relevant, trades have been a major driver of their growth and maintenance. They occupy one of baseball’s smallest markets, which limits their ability to build via free agency. Drafting and developing talent is a vital task for teams in this position, but the only truly, fully homegrown teams are terrible ones. To be good, you have to supplement good homegrown talent by bringing in talent from outside the walls of the organization, and in the Brewers’ case, that usually means trades.

As we head toward the 2024 season, the Brewers starting rotation is filled with question marks. Will Corbin Burnes be there? Can Freddy Peralta maintain his form from 2023’s stretch drive? Can Robert Gasser make a smooth transition to the majors? Will good or bad Adrian Houser step up? Will he even be tendered a contract? Can Colin Rea be at least serviceable? And last, but certainly not least: what kind of ability has Aaron Ashby retained after his devastating shoulder injury from last season?

Of all the positions on the Brewers roster, first base delivered the most disappointing results in 2023. Whereas teams hope to fill that role with prolific sluggers and menacing bats, Milwaukee struggled to find even league-average production, and it’s one of the spots most due for an upgrade. 

In this week's Caretaker-exclusive handbook, we look at free agent options the Brewers may consider this winter. Will they spend in free agency or are we looking at a quiet winter?