Milwaukee Brewers beat reporter Curt Hogg recently provided a thorough article looking at the club’s projected payroll for the 2025 season.
Briefly, he expects the Opening Day payroll to be in the $110 million-$125 million range and if all the players he projects to return do in fact return the estimated payroll would be $113.8 million.
That doesn’t leave Matt Arnold with a lot of financial flexibility and Curt Hogg suggested that the team could look to shed payroll via trade while adding players with less money attached to their name.
Here we take a look at three pitchers that Curt Hogg suggested as potential trade options in order to shed payroll.
Milwaukee Brewers potential trade option to shed payroll #1: Devin Williams
This should come as no surprise. Devin Williams is entering his final year of team control and the Brewers have a track record of trading pitchers prior to their team control running out. Milwaukee will almost certainly decline his $10.5 million club option for next year in favor of going through the arbitration process that has him projected to earn $7.7 million in 2025.
Milwaukee Brewers potential trade option to shed payroll #2: Aaron Civale
Among players going through the arbitration process Aaron Civale is projected to be the Brewers highest paid of the group as MLB Trade Rumors estimates his salary will be $8.0 million. 2025 will also be his final year of team control. He finished the year strong with Milwaukee and finding a trade partner will most likely not be difficult.
Milwaukee Brewers potential trade option to shed payroll #3: Colin Rea
“Code Red” was the Brewers most consistent arm throughout the first half of the 2024 season, but he faltered down the stretch. Regardless he was a pivotal piece to their starting rotation and his consistency plus availability were his two biggest strengths. Colin Rea has a $5.5 million club option next year and Milwaukee likely could find another player who could put up similar numbers at a cheaper price tag.
MLB teams currently cannot trade until the off-season officially begins; which is one day following the conclusion of the World Series.
