2 Brewers who just became free agents following official completion of 2025 season

The Milwaukee Brewers' offseason began when the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated them in the National League Championship Series back on October 17, but the MLB offseason officially began this morning after the World Series wrapped play last night. With the Dodgers defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 on Saturday night, another season is officially in the books, and now the attention turns to 2026.

With the 2025 season now officially in the rearview mirror, teams can start to make transactions to improve their rosters. The trade prohibition, which lasts from the July 31 trade deadline until the final day of the World Series, is now over. Additionally, players who are eligible for free agency this offseason are officially no longer a part of their former clubs. While said free agents are allowed to re-sign with their 2025 clubs at any point, they won't officially be able to sign with a new club until Thursday, November 6 -- five days after the end of the World Series.

While several members of the Brewers' 2025 squad will become free agents when the club almost certainly declines their mutual options, Milwaukee has just two players who immediately became eligible for free agency this morning. Interestingly enough, they both joined the team in the same midseason trade.

2 Brewers who became free agents this morning

1. RHP Shelby Miller

Shelby Miller was the main return from the Brewers' buzzer-beating deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks at the 2025 trade deadline. Miller, who has been a true reliever for five seasons now after beginning his MLB career as a starting pitcher, was enjoying an impressive season with the D-Backs before going down with a right forearm strain -- generally a precursor to elbow injuries. The Brewers acquired him while he was still on the injured list, knowing he wouldn't be immediately available, but would be a significant addition to the bullpen once he returned.

Despite a couple of poor outings, one of which came right before his season-ending injury, Miller was the significant high-leverage arm that the Brewers were hoping he would be. Unfortunately, his Brewers tenure was short-lived as he went down with an ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) sprain after just 11 appearances with Milwaukee. According to MLB.com's Brewers injuries page, Miller went under the knife on October 13, and endured a procedure that repaired both his UCL and flexor tendon.

The 35-year-old, who has now undergone two major elbow surgeries in his career, has a clouded free agency picture. If Miller can get back to the pitcher that he was this season, he would be a solid addition to any big league bullpen. However, given the fact that he most likely won't pitch at all in 2026 and his future is riddled with uncertainty, it may be tough for the short-term Milwaukee Brewer to find a new contract this offseason.

2. LHP Jordan Montgomery

Jordan Montgomery's time in Milwaukee will go down as one of the strangest tenures in Brewers history. The team acquired him alongside Miller at the deadline, knowing that he wouldn't pitch a single game before hitting free agency at season's end. Montgomery underwent his second Tommy John surgery in early April, forcing him to miss the entire 2025 season.

The Brewers agreed to pay some of Montgomery's remaining salary in exchange for Miller, saving them from having to part with their coveted prospect capital. Montgomery was never even assigned a number in Milwaukee, so if you see someone in a Jordan Montgomery Brewers jersey, know that it required a bit of creativity.

However, Montgomery may actually be a good fit for the Brewers this offseason. Milwaukee likes to capitalize on players who need one-year "prove-it" deals to re-establish themselves as strong major leaguers following an injury or a down season. Montgomery will almost certainly earn a one-year deal (potentially with options) for the 2026 season worth much less than the $25 million he made in 2025. If the Brewers believe he can bounce back from his second Tommy John surgery, something most pitchers struggle with, signing him to a low-risk contract could be a creative way to supplement their 2026 starting rotation.

Neither Miller nor Montgomery played a massive role on the 2025 Brewers. It's revealing of the front office's expertise that the Brewers were able to reach the NLCS in 2025 and bring back a very similar team the following season.