Just looking ahead at what kind of payroll the Brewers will have committed for 2019. I'm making some assumptions that guys like Chase Anderson will still be here (although I kinda forgot how cheap his non-option years were), but there's a possibility some of this money comes off the books via trade, but also a good possibility that we add more money in areas as well. * = Projected in Arbitration SP: - Chase Anderson: $6M - Jhoulys Chacin: $6M - Jimmy Nelson: $3.7M* - Junior Guerra: $2.7M* - Zach Davies: $2.4M* - Corbin Burnes: $555K - Brandon Woodruff: $555K - Freddy Peralta: $555K RP: - Joakim Soria: $10M mutual option ($1M Buyout) - Corey Knebel: $4.9M* - Jordan Lyles: $3.5M club option ($250K Buyout) - Jeremy Jeffress: $3.175M - Matt Albers: $2.5M - Dan Jennings: $1.6M* - Xavier Cedeño: $1.5M* - Josh Hader: $555K - Jacob Barnes: $555K - Adrian Houser: $555K - Brent Suter: $555K - Taylor Williams: $555K OF: - Ryan Braun: $18M ($3M deferred) - Lorenzo Cain: $15M ($1M deferred) - Christian Yelich: $9.75M - Domingo Santana: $2M* IF: - Mike Moustakas - $15M mutual option ($1M Buyout) - Jonathan Schoop: $10.1M* - Eric Thames: $6M - Travis Shaw: $5.1M* - Stephen Vogt: $3.065M* - Hernan Perez: $2.7M* - Manny Piña: $1.8M* - Erik Kratz: $1.7M* - Tyler Saladino: $1M* - Jesus Aguilar: $555K - Orlando Arcia: $555K - Jacob Nottingham: $555K As far as those with above-minimum salaries go, I think we can probably assume: - Soria: $1M Buyout - Moustakas: We exercise option, Moustakas either accepts for $15M or we owe nothing (I'm assuming that's how buyouts work with mutual options, we don't pay unless we don't exercse our end) - Lyles: $250K Buyout - Jennings: Tender - Cedeno: Tender - Nelson: Tender - Davies: Tender - Guerra: Tender - Santana: Tender - Schoop: Tender - Shaw: Tender - Vogt: Non-Tender - Perez: Tender - Pina: Tender - Kratz: Non-Tender (guessing they'll try to sign him on a minor league deal though) - Saladino: Non-Tender (same as Kratz, try for minor league deal) Assuming all these are correct, that leaves us with a payroll for the above players of $112.28M (plus whatever the cost of Moustakas would end up, +$15M or +$1M) Obviously there's more than 25 players there so cut out a few minimum salaries and maybe get down to $110 Don't forget that tendering a contract would still allow the Brewers to cut several guys in spring training and only pay them like 30 days salary. Guys like Jennings/Cedeño/Vogt/Kratz/Saladino could just fall into that camp. That's why I assume they tender most of those guys instead of outright releasing them. Even if there's only an outside chance some of them make the team (can't see both Jennings/Cedeño making it), might as well keep the depth around for a minimal cost. I'd say it seems that the Brewers can't keep both Moustakas and Schoop. Which means if they pick up Moustakas' option, Schoop will certainly be on the trade block. As for additional money, I think the Brewers could really benefit from another late-inning relief arm and a starting catcher, but they'll probably still be pretty good without either of those if the price is too high. We'll have to wait and see. What does everyone else think?