You’re The Brewers GM! My Offseason Plan: A Miracle, A Salary Dump, & An International Star

When a team has won back-to-back division titles, it’s best to go with the adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The Brewers are far from wholly broken, so they don’t need to break anything, including the bank… unless it’s for a good reason. Like a miracle...

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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!

We know what the conventional wisdom about Willy Adames is. Even though Adames has said he would take less money to stay in Milwaukee, the expectation is that he’s headed to a big-market city. But that hasn’t been determined for sure, not until the ink is on the contract. We’re run down how an offseason strategy could bolster the Brewers in that situation.

The fact is, miracles can happen, whether it’s Easter Sunday 1987, the United States Men’s Olympic Hockey team toppling the Soviets, Jim McMahon’s Hail Mary at the 1980 Holiday Bowl, or any one of the improbable comebacks in sports history.

So what if the miracle happens? Here’s an offseason plan for that.

The Miracle: Willy Adames signs a 6-year, $120 million contract with a team option for 2031.
Somehow, between Mark Attanasio opening the checkbook, the Brewers channeling the spirit of Bobby Bonilla, and a little extra luck, Adames returns to Milwaukee to hold down shortstop. The deal is, on paper, $20 million a year from 2025 through 2030, with a team option for 2031 that includes a $10 million buyout. Of that money, $45 million is deferred over 30 years after the contract expires.

This cements the Brewers' excellent defense at third base (Joey Ortiz), shortstop (Adames), and second base (Platinum Glover Brice Turang) for the next four years. Given the battle royales at shortstop and third base, this will cause a bit of havoc, but the Brewers could always use the prospects as trade assets or move Ortiz and Turang if the prospects are clear upgrades.

The Brewers also get the off-field benefits of Adames’ clubhouse leadership for that timeframe.

Trade: Send 1B Rhys Hoskins to the Arizona Diamondbacks for C Ivan Luciano
The next order of business is to get some financial flexibility after retaining Adames – a necessity with the collapse of the Bally Sports regional networks – and the best way to do that is to move Rhys Hoskins. Fortunately, the Brewers could have a potential buyer in the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Arizona will likely be looking for a replacement for Christian Walker, who is drawing interest from the Yankees – and the Brewers can provide that in Hoskins, who did not do poorly in his first season back from knee surgery. Hoskins is also cheaper than Walker (by as much as $4.6 million, per Sportrac’s projection).

Tyler Black would likely replace Hoskins. The Brewers hope for an OPS similar to Jackson Chourio's, albeit with more on-base percentage and less slugging.

The International Star: Brewers sign Roki Sasaki for $3 million in international bonus money
This move is not very different from what the Brewers would do if Adames goes elsewhere in free agency. Again, this probably blows up plans surrounding the 2025 international free agent class. The team will have to re-configure how they do the other signings to an extent, but Sasaki is a game-changer for the 2025 Brewers.

Sasaki’s description of what he is looking for seems to fit Milwaukee very well, and it gives the Brewers a new Big Three when you add Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers to the mix. It’s an excellent replacement for Colin Rea on a one-for-one basis (with a higher upside) and a good insurance policy if Brandon Woodruff isn’t the same after his shoulder surgery. Plus, Sasaki will have an outstanding bullpen behind him. It's hard to imagine a better situation for a starting pitching phenom to air-drop into.

As for the contract itself, How about something similar to the contracts Freddy Peralta and Aaron Ashby signed? Pay $2 million in 2025, $4 million in 2026 and 2027, $6 million in 2028 and 2029, $8.5 million in 2030 and 2031, with team options of $15 million in 2032 and 2033.

Other Moves
In this case, the Brewers will probably move Aaron Civale and Devin Williams again to free up some money. The returns will likely be some prospects in Double-A or Triple-A who are relatively close to the majors. Hoby Milner, Elvis Peguero, Joel Payamps, J.B. Bukauskas, Vinny Capra, and Brewer Hicklen will likely also be moved, ideally for international bonus money to make up for the massive bonus it will take to lure Sasaki to Milwaukee.

One move that will help is a reunion with Colin Rea on a two-year contract at $5 million yearly. Rea spent most of 2022 in NPB and, in this case, can be a touchstone for Sasaki in his first years in Milwaukee.

Projected 26-man Roster On Opening Day

Lineup:
1B: Tyler Black
LF: Jackson Chourio
DH: Christian Yelich
C: William Contreras
CF: Garrett Mitchell
SS: Willy Adames
RF: Sal Frelick
3B: Joey Ortiz
2B: Brice Turang

Bench:
C Eric Haase
IF Andruw Monasterio
IF/OF Isaac Collins
OF Black Perkins

Rotation
RHP Freddy Peralta
RHP Tobias Myers
RHP Roki Sasaki
RHP Colin Rea
LHP DL Hall

Bullpen
RHP Trevor Megill
RHP Nick Mears
LHP Jared Koenig
RHP Abner Uribe
RHP Craig Yoho
LHP Bryan Hudson
LHP Aaron Ashby
RHP Bryse Wilson