A look at the Brewers' contract situations heading into offseason
With the offseason now officially upon us with the end of the World Series, Major League Baseball teams can now turn their attention to the 2020 season.
Milwaukee Brewers have four impending free agents who are all pitchers, but also two players with mutual options who are expected to also head to free agency.
Those two players also happen to be big boppers from the starting lineup – catcher Yasmani Grandal and third baseman Mike Moustakas, both of whom will be hoping to land multiyear contracts on the open market (of course, both thought the same last year and instead signed a one-year deal with a mutual option with Milwaukee).
Milwaukee also has three team options to decide upon: starting pitcher Chase Anderson, catcher Manny Pina and first baseman Eric Thames. Anderson would make $8.5 million if he returned and only has a $500,000 buyout. Thames would make $7.5 million if brought back and would get $1 million if the option is declined. Pina would be more affordable at $1.85 million; his buyout is only $150,000.
But that's not all. The Brewers have a number of players – 12 in all -- who could go to arbitration. Milwaukee could non-tender any of those players, making them a free agent. Of the 12, Corey Knebel and Travis Shaw made the most money in 2019.
On the bright side, Christian Yelich is signed through 2021 (OK, 2022 since he has a team-only option for that year).
Here's a rundown of the Brewers' contract situations this offseason, with salary numbers included (information from Cot's Baseball Contracts and baseball-reference.com).
Signed
OF Ryan Braun -- signed through 2021 ($16 million in 2020; $15 million in 2021 with a mutual buyout option of $4 million)
OF Lorenzo Cain -- signed through 2022 ($16 million in 2020, $21 million in 2021 and $18 million in 2022)
RP Deolis Guerra – signed through 2020, terms unknown
OF Christian Yelich -- signed through 2021 with an option for 2022 ($12.5 million in 2020, $14 million in 2021, $15 million team option in 2022 with a $1.25 million buyout)
Options
SP Chase Anderson -- $8.5 million team option and $500,000 buyout; also has a $9.5 million team option in 2021 and $500,000 buyout in 2022 (note: there are conditions which could increase the 2021 option to $10.5 million)
C Yasmani Grandal -- $16 million mutual option and $2.25 million buyout
3B Mike Moustakas -- $11 million mutual option and $3 million buyout
C Manny Pina -- $1.85 million club option and $150,000 buyout
1B Eric Thames -- $7.5 team option and $1 million buyout
Free agents (2019 salary)
RP Matt Albers ($2.5 million)
SP Gio Gonzalez ($2 million + $999,999 in appearances bonuses)
SP Jordan Lyles ($2.05 million)
RP Drew Pomeranz ($1.5 million + various bonuses which added up to around $2 million)
Arbitration eligible (2019 salary)
SS Orlando Arcia ($887,500; eligible for free agency in 2023)
1B Tyler Austin ($568,600; eligible for free agency in 2024)
RP Alex Claudio ($1.275 million; eligible for free agency in 2022)
SP Zach Davies ($2.6 million; eligible for free agency in 2022)
OF Ben Gamel ($567,700; eligible for free agency in 2023)
RP Junior Guerra ($2.225 million; eligible for free agency in 2023)
RP Corey Knebel ($5.125 million; eligible for free agency in 2022)
SP Jimmy Nelson ($3.7 million; eligible for free agency in 2021)
UT Tyler Saladino ($887,500; eligible for free agency in 2022)
3B Travis Shaw ($4.675 million; eligible for free agency in 2022)
UT Cory Spangenberg (split contract: $1.2 million in majors, $250,000 in minors; eligible for free agency in 2021)
SP/RP Brent Suter ($568,300; eligible for free agency in 2024)
Pre-arbitration (2019 salary)
SP/RP Corbin Burnes ($562,800)
C David Freitas ($558,500)
RP Josh Hader ($687,600)
C Jacob Nottingham ($545,000)
SP Freddy Peralta ($564,000)
RP Bobby Wahl ($558,400)
RP Taylor Williams ($563,800)
SP/RP Brandon Woodruff ($561,400)
