The Milwaukee Brewers were the most surprising division winner of 2024.
After trading Corbin Burnes to the Orioles, they won the NL Central by ten games and coasted into the playoffs.
The postseason did not go well, losing in three games to the Mets, but it was a successful season that should lead to more regular season success. The Brewers should start by making some offseason trades, dumping Devin Williams, and adding a power bat.
The biggest loss for the Brewers this offseason will be Willy Adames.
Their shortstop had a career-high 32 homers and 112 RBIs while playing solid defense. Manager Pat Murphy already admitted that he is not expecting to get Adames back.
The magic of the Brewers is their ability to replace star players internally. Tobias Myers slid into the rotation and dominated after Corbin Burnes was dealt. Expect Brice Turang or Joey Ortiz to shine at shortstop.
The biggest loss for the Brewers this offseason will be Willy Adames.
Their shortstop had a career-high 32 homers and 112 RBIs while playing solid defense. Manager Pat Murphy already admitted that he is not expecting to get Adames back. The magic of the Brewers is their ability to replace star players internally.
Tobias Myers slid into the rotation and dominated after Corbin Burnes was dealt. Expect Brice Turang or Joey Ortiz to shine at shortstop.
One player they could grab is Adolis Garcia, the 2023 ALCS MVP who is a 2026 unrestricted free agent. As the Texas Rangers look to shed payroll, they should look to cash in on Garcia’s value.
The Brewers are a good fit, as they will not have to pay much in terms of money or prospects. They would have Garcia for one year before arbitration and then he would hit free agency in 2026.
Brent Rooker also fits the Brewers’ needs
This trade depends on the health of Christian Yelich. If the Brewers need to ease him back using the designated hitter spot, Brent Rooker may not be a great fit.
If they trust Yelich to go right back to the outfield, Rooker will shine in Milwaukee.
He has been one of the best hitters in baseball over the past two years and the Athletics are not trying to compete in their Sacramento era. Getting prospects for Vegas would be key for this offseason.
Rooker is a poor defender and is best used as the designated hitter. With Jackson Churio, Yelich, Blake Perkins, and Sal Frelich, they can get away with keeping Rooker at DH.
The Brewers’ biggest need is replacing Adames’ offensive production. While their offense was a reason they made the playoffs, they need to improve to keep pace with their division rivals.
The Brewers should be willing to part with mid-level prospects to make either one of these trades. While they are a developmental model every team should be following, they can afford to part with some players.
The Athletics should target young pitcher Josh Knoth and first baseman Blake Burke.
They are focusing on the distant future. The Rangers, on the other hand, should go with shorter-term options like Craig Yoho and Mike Boeve.
Bonus trade: dump Devin Williams as soon as possible
Rumors were swirling early in the offseason that the Brewers could part with reliever Devin Williams.
He allowed the season-ending home run to Pete Alonso in the Wild Card Series, continuing his playoff struggles. While he is one of the best closers in the regular season, he has shown cracks in the postseason worthy of moving on.
The Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox are all in the market for a top-end reliever. With great pitching coaches on each of those teams, they believe they can turn Williams around.
Getting these big market teams to bid against each other will be good for the Brewers and the return package. The return they got for Burnes helped them throughout 2024 so they should try and recreate that.
Reports are that Williams won’t be traded until the deadline, if at all.
While it is understandable that the Brewers want to give the 2025 squad a solid bullpen, they can create one through free agency. Trading Williams will help the future and make the prospect pool even stronger.
