You're the Brewers GM! Creating Overall Value and Greater Flexibility

This series of articles is a primer for the release of our new "You're The Brewers GM!" tool, where you play the role of Matt Arnold and build your own Brewers offseason. Please visit the tool here and join in on the fun!

It's important for an organization to lean into its strengths and understand its weaknesses. For the Milwaukee Brewers, that means trusting their pitching philosophies and development, keeping many options available and favoring flexibility. Offensively, the track record through the farm system hasn't been nearly as impressive (save for Jackson Chourio). That means trusting the youth and depth of the pitching staff while going outside the club to create a more balanced, consistent lineup.

After going through my offseason plan, don't forget you can also be the Brewers' GM!

Trade #1:  RHP Joel Payamps and RHP Elvis Peguero to the Texas Rangers for 1B Nathaniel Lowe
If you read my article on trading for Lowe, you already get the idea. The Rangers' owner allegedly wants to cut payroll to get under the luxury tax threshold; Texas is desperate for relievers; and Lowe would be a solid upgrade at first base, with far better on-base skills, power potential and improved defense.

Some might think Devin Williams would make more sense, but his higher salary wouldn't give Texas much salary relief and with a bare bullpen, two experienced arms are better than one.

Trade #2:  RHP Devin Williams to the New York Yankees for RHP Will Warren, RHP Sabier Marte and C/1B/3B Jesus Rodriguez
The Yankees are another team looking for top-end bullpen help and who will have the money to make a move, especially after losing out on Juan Soto. Williams gives them a splashy closer to build the rest of their pen around.

For the Brewers, Warren can have an impact this season as a reliever or even get starts on the mound, while Marte is a lanky 20-year-old who should make the Brewers' pitching lab experts' mouths water. Rodriguez might be too intriguing as a third piece for New York to give up in this deal, but let's dream a bit. His bat and plate discipline are close to MLB-ready, but trusting him defensively might be an issue.

Trade #3: 1B Rhys Hoskins and $6 million to the Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Ryan Thompson
The Diamondbacks will need a power-hitting first baseman after losing Christian Walker to free agency (I assume). Milwaukee would want to unload most of Hoskins's salary, and have no need for him after trading for Lowe. Arizona is looking to deal from their surplus of pitching, and Thompson, a 32-year-old sidearmer, likely feels more expendable than younger arms.

Truthfully, the Brewers could trade Hoskins for almost nothing and it would have more value than keeping him. But if they can get a useful bullpen arm to use strategically, you might as well take it. Since Thompson only makes $1.35 million and the Diamondbacks won't pay Hoskins's full $18 million, that is where the $6 million kicker comes in.

Free Agent #1: Sign free agent OF Austin Hays to a one-year, $5 million contract with a mutual $7 million option for 2026
Many people will say the Brewers don't need an outfielder, but let's think this all through. Christian Yelich is aging and coming off back surgery. Garrett Mitchell has been injury-prone since day one. Sal Frelick plays with reckless abandon. Blake Perkins has a long way to go as a hitter. Not to mention, three of those four regular outfielders are left-handed, so a righty would help against pesky southpaw hurlers.

Hays's poor 2024 numbers are largely due to injury and a frightening kidney infection that sidelined him. His All-Star 2023 in Baltimore (114 OPS+) is closer to what a healthy Hays can do, particularly if the Brewers prioritize his at-bats against lefties. Hays had a .941 OPS in 90 plate appearances against left-handers last season, and in two of his previous three seasons as a regular, his OPS was .897 and .796.

Free Agent #2:  Sign free agent IF Brandon Drury to a $2 million contract with incentives
This would come three years after I pushed for the Brewers to acquire Drury as a defensively versatile, solid bat who usually mashes lefties. He was abysmal last season (35 OPS+ in 360 plate appearances), which is why his price tag projects to be so low—if he were even to get a Major League offer. But in 2023, Drury posted a 114 OPS+ with 26 home runs and 30 doubles, so there should be some optimism for a bounceback. From 2021-2023, Drury posted an OPS versus lefties of .881, .955 and .800.

Drury will be average (at best) playing third base, but the free-agent market doesn't have any great defenders who can hit enough. So, you take a chance on the bat at third base after you improved at first base and shortstop while having the Platinum Glove winner at second base.

These moves would leave the Brewers' payroll at $107.2 million, according to BrewerFanatic's "You're the GM!" tool. That leaves plenty of room for smaller deals that GM Matt Arnold is likely to make, particularly to add pitching options. As you'll see below, this plan keeps starting pitcher Aaron Civale in the fold at $8 million. He's another guy who could go to free up more salary flexibility, but finding a good trade for him and bringing in a valuable replacement felt too challenging. If they did ship him off, starter Spencer Turnbull should be the Brewers' target.

With that, here is the breakdown of the lineups versus righties and lefties, as well as the bench and pitching staff.

vs. RHP
Chrisitan Yelich DH
Jackson Chourio LF
Nathaniel Lowe 1B
William Contreras C
Garrett Mitchell CF
Brandon Drury 3B
Sal Frelick RF
Joey Ortiz SS
Brice Turang 2B

Vs. LHP
Christian Yelich LF
Jackson Chourio RF
Williams Contreras C
Austin Hays DH
Nathaniel Lowe 1B
Brand Drury 3B
Sal Frelick CF
Joey Ortiz SS
Brice Turang 2B

Additional Reserves
Eric Haase C
Tyler Black IF
Andruw Monasterio IF

I love having three high-end OBP hitters in the top of the lineup, with a chance for a fourth in Chourio. This position-player grouping also allows for many matchup games, rest for veterans and coverage in case of injury. And the Brewers should finally deliver against lefties with the new free agents—you know, maybe.

Starting Rotation
RHP Freddy Peralta
RHP Tobias Myers
RHP Brandon Woodruff
RHP Aaron Civale
LHP DL Hall

Bullpen
RHP Trevor Megill
LHP Bryan Hudson
RHP Nick Mears
LHP Jared Koenig
RHP Ryan Thompson
RHP Jacob Misiorowski
RHP J.B. Bukauskas
LHP Aaron Ashby

Expect there to be lots of movement with the pitching staff. Jacob Misiorowski could see time in the rotation. DL Hall might drop into the bullpen. In the minors, hurlers like Warren, Abner Uribe, Craig Yoho, Logan Henderson, Chad Patrick and Deivi García likely all see time in the big leagues in various roles. And once again, you just have to trust the Brewers' staff to make it all work.

Go ahead and pick away. The trades don't make sense and won't happen, the pitching is too uncertain, and the back half of the lineup feels weak. That might all be true. Feel free to try your luck as the Brewers' GM!

What do you think of this offseason plan? Do you think you can do better? Then build your own Brewers roster and hit the button below!

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