5 Last-Second Deals the Brewers Can Make Before Spring Training

Well, January is all but gone. Baseball is finally here! But there are still a lot of big names available in free agency. There’s no question the Brewers have made their best moves in the month of January. The recent signing of Rhys Hoskins is proof of that. However, we can’t sleep on February.

While we were still talking about the Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain signings in 2018, the Brewers added Wade Miley on a minor-league deal a month later. We were thinking Hernán Pérez would be the starting third baseman in 2019, until the Brewers brought back Mike Moustakas on a one-year deal. We were also thinking Keston Hiura would play second base often in 2021, until Kolton Wong was signed to a three-year deal.

With a number of solid players still waiting to be signed, the Brewers can make one more addition to a team that could use an upgrade at certain positions on the field. We aren’t going to look at the big fish like Matt Chapman or Blake Snell. Here are five under-the-radar players the Crew can target at the last second.

5. Tim Anderson, INF
If there is any candidate in need of a resilient season, look no further than former White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. Prior to his lackluster 2023 campaign, the two-time All-Star had a batting average over .300 and an OPS+ over 100 for four straight seasons. In 2019, he led all of baseball with a .335 batting average, with 18 homers and an .865 OPS.

In 2023, however, he had a .245/.286/.296 batting line, a -2.0 WAR, and a 23.3-percent strikeout rate. While his numbers weren’t nearly as great as his 2020 Silver Slugger-winning year, he would still have had a top batting average among Brewers hitters in 2023.

While he was at the center of a brawl last season against Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez, that felt like the culmination of months of frustration at both an individual and a team level. It didn’t help that the White Sox were planning to rebuild beyond 2023, either. Anderson was set to make $14 million this season if Chicago had exercised their club option on him in November, so instead, they cast him out into free agency.

While the Brewers already have a shortstop in Willy Adames, they could use Anderson at second base or even third base, should he be open to a position change. He has played two games at the keystone and could smoothly transition to the position.

This would give competition and/or a platoon partner for Brice Turang. With the additions of Vinny Capra, Oliver Dunn and Christian Arroyo, it doesn’t seem the team is sold on their young second baseman just yet. Should the Brewers add Anderson, it would put even more pressure on Turang.

Anderson to the Brewers could give this team a contact hitter. Even if Anderson doesn’t bounce back fully, it would still be seen as a success if he hits above .270. The biggest question might be one of fit into the clubhouse, given how ugly things got in Chicago.

4. Brad Keller, RHP
If tomorrow was the start of the season, Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, Wade Miley, Colin Rea, and Aaron Ashby would probably comprise the starting rotation. Granted, we don’t know how big of an impact Joe Ross, Janson Junk or Robert Gasser could make. However, the last two spots in the rotation could be up for grabs.

While it would be nice to add Jordan Montgomery to the rotation, he is just too expensive for the organization. The same might go for Micheal Lorenzen, who would be decent in whatever role a team could use him in. But what about Brad Keller?

The long-time Royals starter was once considered the future for the Kansas City rotation, having a 9-6 record and a 3.08 ERA in 2018. He even threw a complete game that season. In 2020, he continued his success with a 2.67 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and a .202 opponent batting average. However, no other season of his career has helped his cause.

After six seasons with the Royals, he threw two complete games, with one being a shutout. He has a 4.21 ERA, a 1.44 WHIP, and a 37-51 record over 114 starts. It doesn’t scream All-Star pitcher, but at 28, he still has the tools to become one.

Keller doesn’t strike out a lot of batters, but he does get a ton of ground balls, which is great for a hitter-friendly park in American Family Field. With a 57.6% ground-ball rate and a fly ball rate under 20 percent, he would be the perfect pitcher for the Brewers.

Keller made $5.775 million last season in his final year of arbitration. If the Crew want to take a chance on him, it should be possible to sign him to a one-year deal for less than last year's salary. Even a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training could lock in a back of the rotation starter. It’s good insurance to have should Rea or Ashby show signs of regression.

3. Eduardo Escobar, 3B
There were a lot of reunion options for the Brewers at third base. Among them were Mike Moustakas and Jean Segura, who both would be sneaky under-the-radar possibilities. In the end, we went with the one that was only on the team for two months.

When we last saw Eduardo Escobar in a Brewers uniform, he put up a .268/.342/.458 line in 48 games with the 2021 Brewers. A two-year contract with the Mets later, he is a free agent no one is really talking about.

Last season, Escobar had a forgettable season, posting a .613 OPS with six long balls and 31 RBI. His strikeout percentage (25.2) and ground-ball percentage (43.2) were the highest they have been since rookie days with the White Sox. Escobar's numbers were better prior to the trade to the Angels at the deadline. He was striking out less, hitting the ball harder, hitting more line drives, and drawing more walks.

While the AL West was rather competitive, the NL East seemed to be the Atlanta Braves' division to lose. Both the Mets and the Angels ended with a record below .500 in two powerhouse divisions. The NL Central certainly is no slouch. But if he’s on a team he’s familiar with, in a winning environment on top of it, then maybe Escobar's numbers can jump back up to his career levels.

After losing Victor Caratini, the Brewers don’t have a regular switch hitter at their disposal. Andruw Monasterio could be used in a utility role, while Escobar could be seen as a semi-regular. He is a low-risk, high-reward player with a cheap price tag. It’s all a matter of if the Brewers pull the trigger.

2. Brett Martin, LHP
What do Dan Jennings, Alex Claudio and Neal Cotts all have in common? Yes, they all pitched for the Brewers. But they also were left-handed pitchers signed late in the offseason. Each of these players made a big impact on the team's bullpen for that season.

Besides the Bryan Hudson trade, the Brewers have yet to add a reliable left-handed pitcher to their bullpen. They were interested in Aroldis Chapman, but that didn’t lead to a deal. Perhaps Brett Martin could be that pitcher to aid the pen.

In his first four seasons with the Rangers, Martin lodged a 3.85 ERA, a 3.77 FIP and a 1.35 WHIP. He was best utilized as a seventh- or eighth-inning set-up man. The Brewers could always use a late-inning left-hander to give players like Elvis Peguero and Joel Payamps occasional breaks when needed, and to complement Hoby Milner.

The only issue is that Martin missed the entire 2023 season after having shoulder surgery last January. Before non-tendering the pitcher in the fall, the Rangers gave him a $1.275-million salary during his second of four potential years of arbitration.

Whichever team signs Martin will have club control of the player until 2026. Martin will also have one minor-league option remaining, which helps the organization manage and massage the bullpen roster spots. You can never have enough pitching depth and this arm could reward the Brewers handsomely

1. Gio Urshela, 3B
With the infield free agents coming off the market in the most recent weeks, Gio Urshela is probably the best third baseman not named Matt Chapman left on the market.

Similar to our last entry on this list, Urshela is coming off an injury that ended his 2023 season. However, prior to his hip trouble, he was still able to hit .299/.329/.374 in 62 games. This isn’t a fluke season, either, as he’s been hovering near the .300 batting average line each year since 2019.

The fact that Urshela has been playing winter baseball in Colombia is a positive sign; he’ll be ready to go for spring training. While third base is his primary position, he has played every spot in the infield throughout his career. The Brewers can use that to their advantage by playing Urshela in other positions, should players need rest or shielding from bad matchups.

If they don’t have enough confidence in Monasterio, Urshela is the best player to learn from, as he’s basically the same guy with more experience and slightly more pop. If this guy can be had as cheaply as it seems, they have to jump on it quick.

As soon as Chapman comes off the board, interested teams who miss out will start making offers to Urshela. Teams like the Giants, Mets and Yankees all could use a defensive-minded third baseman like Urshela. He was making $8.4 million last season and will be even more affordable in 2024.

The Brewers could walk into this season with the roster they have now. But why stop upgrading if the price is right? The Crew have a couple weeks left before pitchers and catchers report. Let the madness begin.

Will the Brewers add another player to their arsenal? What player would you like to see don the blue and gold? Let us know in the comments.