The Milwaukee Brewers exited the 2024 MLB playoffs in a heartbreaking fashion, doing so by blowing a late-game lead despite having one of the best relievers in the league on the mound, and now, they are headed for another pivotal offseason as they look to maintain their place atop the NL Central.

One of their most crucial orders of business this offseason is to settle the shortstop position now that Willy Adames, their starter at short for the past three-and-a-half seasons, is headed to free agency.

At first glance, it’s looking like Adames’ time with the Brewers has come to an end. The Brewers, historically speaking, have never spent big in free agency. But Adames hasn’t ruled out a return to the Brew Crew, for as long as they offer him a fair contract based off his contributions over the past few seasons.

“I’m willing to stay here for less money, let’s say, but I just want to be fair for what I deserve in my career and whatever I’ve done. We just have to wait and see where we’re at. You never know what’s going to happen and you never know who is going to be willing to make that commitment with me for a long time,” Adames said, per Will Sammon and Katie Woo of The Athletic.

Adames is coming off the best season of his career, and he played in nearly every game to boot. He suited up in 161 games for the Brewers in 2024, and he hit 32 home runs and had 112 runs batted in, doing so with a slash line of .251/.331/.462 — incredible numbers for a shortstop who plays above-average defense. His contributions were worth 4.8 WAR, according to Fangraphs, making him one of the most coveted players in free agency.

The Brewers will have to shatter the biggest free-agent contract they’ve given in the history of the franchise to keep Adames in town. And considering how the team has operated in its lifetime, that may be nothing but a pipe dream.

Can the Brewers hang with the MLB’s biggest spenders in the Willy Adames sweepstakes?

Just to put things in perspective for the Brewers, the biggest contract they have given to a free agent hitter is $80 million over five years, a contract earned by Lorenzo Cain following a successful stint with the Kansas City Royals. Meanwhile, Willy Adames is sure to surpass nine figures in the total value of his new contract — something that may be far too rich for Milwaukee.

Analysts project that Adames will be signing a contract worth around $150-$200 million, similar to the huge deals that shortstops such as Dansby Swanson, Trevor Story, and Javier Baez signed back in their foray into free agency.

Other NL powerhouses such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves have been linked to a potential pursuit of Adames; the Dodgers stand out as the more likely team to get a deal done thanks to their financial might. But if the market cools down on Adames, then perhaps the Brewers could swoop in with a below-market deal.