Milwaukee Brewers: Payroll Outlook After Yasmani Grandal deal

The Milwaukee Brewers made a big splash last night with the surprise signing of catcher Yasmani Grandal to a one-year, $18.25 million dollar deal. How does their payroll look now? Is there still room to add?

Fan reactions are the best. We get excited, then do the stats comparison, then we stop and think about the money and what that does to the Milwaukee Brewers payroll.

For the Brewers, they’ve never had an extremely high payroll, but owner Mark Attanasio is willing to spend what it takes to win.

Current contracts on the payroll

These contract figures are according to baseball-reference.com.

Ryan Braun – $19 million

Ryan Braun still has two seasons left on his current deal, with a mutual option for 2021. His salary for 2020 is $16 million, which continues the decline in his year-over-year salary.

Yasmani Grandal – $18.25 million

Yasmani Grandal is one just a one-year deal after turning down a qualifying offer of $17.8 million from the Dodgers and a multi-year offer from the Mets.

Lorenzo Cain – $15 million

Lorenzo Cain is signed through 2022, earning an additional million each season, topping out at $18 million.

Christian Yelich – $9.75 million

The NL MVP will make $9.75 million in 2019, $12.5 million in 2020, $14 million in 2021 and has a team option in 2022.

Eric Thames – $6 million

Eric Thames is in the last year of his current deal with a player option for 2020.

Jhoulys Chacin – $6.75 million

Jhoulys Chacin is in the last year of his current deal.

Chase Anderson – $6.50 million

Chase Anderson has team options for 2020 and 2021.

Jimmy Nelson – $3.7 million

Jimmy Nelson reached the deal with the Brewers earlier this off-season, avoiding arbitration.

Matt Albers – $2.5 million

Matt Albers is in the last year of his current deal.

Jeremy Jeffress – $3.17 million

Jeremy Jeffress is in the second season of his current deal and has a team option for 2020.

Hernan Perez – $2.5 million

Hernan Perez reached an agreement with the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this off season to avoid arbitration.

Erik Kratz – $1.5 million

Erik Kratz signed with the Brewers this one season to a one-year deal. If he doesn’t make the major league roster, the there is a $300 thousand buy out.

Cory Spangenberg – $1.2 million

Cory Spangenberg signed earlier this month to a one-year deal.

Tyler Saladino – $887.5K

Tyler Saladino and the Milwaukee Brewers reached agreement and avoided arbitration this off-season.

Current open arbitration players

Players who have yet to reach an agreement with team, and their estimated salary based on arbitration figures are as follows:

Travis Shaw – est. $5.1 million

Travis Shaw is user team control until 2022 and is in his first year of arbitration.

Corey Knebel – est. $4.9 million

Corey Knebel is in his first year of arbitration and is under team control until 2022.

Junior Guerra – est. $2.7 million

Junior Guerra is in his first year of arbitration and is under team control until 2022.

Zach Davies – est. $2.4 million

Zach Davies is in his first year of arbitration and is under team control until 2022.

Manny Pina – est. $1.8 million

Manny Pina is in his first year of arbitration and is under team control until 2022.

Alex Claudio – est. $1.3 million

Alex Claudio is in his first year of arbitration and is under team control until 2022.

Pre- Arbitration players

Players who have three or more years of Major League service but less than six years of Major League service become eligible for salary arbitration if they do not already have a contract for the next season:

Orlando Arcia, Jesus Aguilar, Jacob Barnes, Ben Gamel, Brent Suter, Josh Hader, Bobby Wahl, Taylor Williams, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Corbin Burnes, Jacob Nottingham, Adrian Houser, Aaron Wilkerson, Nate Orf

Buyouts still on the payroll

Mike Moustakas – $1 million

Jordan Lyles – $250k

Joakim Soria – $1 million

These figures are bound to adjust and change as we get closer to Spring Training. Everyone will be watching to see how high the Milwaukee Brewers want to raise payroll this season. However, they’re currently projected to be at $123.5 million. While there should be some room left, the Brewers may have to move Thames or Anderson to acquire the ace they’ve been looking for.