Should the Brewers re-sign first baseman Eric Thames?

Milwaukee Brewers GM David Stearns is still actively looking in the market for infield upgrades, but it seems like he’s forgetting that the Brewers already had a first baseman the last couple of seasons.

It’s been well over a month since Brewers fans heard the news that Eric Thames club option for 2020 would be declined, throwing him into the free agent market, and they still have yet to find someone to cover his position.

But, if they’re having so much difficulty trying to find the right person to fill that hole, why not just bring back the man who dominated at that position? It would seem like a logical reason to bring back Thames and continue to have him play in Milwaukee.

How did Thames Perform?

In 2019, Thames hit 25 homers, drove in 61 runs, and posted a .247/.346/.505 slash line, which was impressive. He dominated defensively at first base as well, which really helped contribute to the Brewers defense.

Since he coming back from Korea, his time with the Brewers has helped him receive a .848 OPS in just three seasons.

So…Now What?

It’s no secret that Thames is a fan favorite. For being 33-years old, Thames could still hit a ball. After the Brewers declined his $7 million club option, it was a true feeling of devastation losing Thames to free agency.

To this day, he still remains on the market. It could be due, in part, to the fact that as athletes age, they’re usually expected to decline in performance, but Thames definitely proved that theory to be wrong. Do we not remember his multi-home run game in September this year? He crushed it.

The real question is, “Who’s on first”? Who are we going to put there if the Brewers decide to let Thames explore the free agent market because as of right now, it’s honestly shocking that he’s not signed with another team already. It seems that they’re still actively trying to get Thames back, but it doesn’t seem like they’re reaching for him as a first option.

It would be ideal for 2020 to have the return of Thames, at a lower salary discussion, and make him primary first baseman. With the recent signing of Avisail Garcia, we could potentially see Ryan Braun hopping back to first base from time-to-time, but it would be nice to have someone who’s played that position consistently to be there.