Brewers: The 10 Biggest Contracts in Franchise History

With the offseason officially upon us, that means it’s time to start looking ahead to the 2023 Milwaukee Brewers season, and that means we get to get out hopes up about the possibility of signing someone big in free agency.

The Brewers have never been known to make huge signings in free agency like the Dodgers or the Mets, but there have been a few big signings or extensions that the Brewers have given some of their players over their 50+ year history. With free agency quickly approaching, we’ll take a look into the top 10 biggest ones.

Here are the ten biggest contracts in Brewers franchise history.

#10: SP Kyle Lohse – Three years, $33MM

Kyle Lohse is most commonly known for his success with the St. Louis Cardinals, being a huge part of their 2011 World Series team. Lohse signed his three-year deal with the Brewers going into the 2013 season where he was dominant, pitching to a sub-4.00 ERA in his first two seasons.

In the final year of his contract, he struggled quite a bit, resulting in a move to the bullpen. He went on to put up a 5.85 ERA that season before finishing his career with the Rangers.

#9: 3B Aramis Ramirez – Three years, $36MM

In the winter of the 2011-12 offseason, the Brewers looked to fill one of many holes of players that left from the previous season and looked within the division with Aramis Ramirez. When he signed with the Brewers he was a two-time All-Star with the Chicago Cubs along with finishing in the top 20 in MVP voting for the National League four times.

He would end up leading the league in doubles (50) in his first year in Milwaukee, finishing 9th in NL MVP voting as well. He would make the All-Star game in his third year and then play for the Brewers for part of a fourth season before being traded to the Pirates that final year.

Here are the ten biggest contracts in Brewers franchise history.

#7 (Tied): 2B Rickie Weeks – Four Years, $38.5MM

Coming off of his best season in 2010 where he led the league in plate appearances, at bats, and hit-by-pitches, the Brewers went ahead and locked up Rickie Weeks for the next four years. With injuries playing a bit of a role in his first season on the long-term contract, Weeks copied and pasted his season from a year ago, enough so to notch his first career All-Star appearance.

Weeks ended up finishing his contract with the Brewers before going to Seattle. By the end of his tenure he finished top 10 in the Brewers’ all-time list in multiple categories such as at-bats, plate appearances, runs scored, doubles, triples, and walks.

#7 (Tied): SP Ben Sheets – Four Years, $38.5MM

At the time of the extension signing, the four-year, $38.5MM contract given to Ben Sheets was the biggest contract in Brewers history. The two-time All-Star deserved every penny and continued to show out on his new contract as he earned two more All-Star appearances, as well as becoming the first Brewers pitcher to start a midsummer classic.

Sheets ended his time in Milwaukee as an All-Star, pitching a 3.09 ERA, as well as leading the league in shutouts (3). As the franchise’s second-leading pitcher in strikeouts (1206) and bWAR (25.6), he ranks as one of the greatest pitchers in Milwaukee history.

#6: SP Jeff Suppan – Four Years, $42MM

A majority of fans tend to look at this contract as possibly one of the biggest busts in franchise history as far as free agent signings go. Jeff Suppan wouldn’t even make it to the end of his contract, being released by the team midway through his fourth and final year of the deal.

Appearing in 110 games with the Brewers from 2007 to 2010, Suppan posted a 5.08 ERA while finishing with a 29-36 record. The lowest ERA he would end up putting up in a single season would be 4.62 in the first season of his contract.

#5: OF Ryan Braun – Eight Years, $45MM

Coming off of a phenomenal 2007 rookie season where he won the Rookie of the Year and finished 24th in the MVP voting, Ryan Braun jumped on his first big contract. Things only got better from there.

Braun spent the next five seasons piling up All-Star appearances and Silver Slugger awardswinner, as well as finishing top 15 in MVP voting every year, actually winning the award in the team’s 2011 playoff season. He led the National League in hits in 2009, slugging and OPS in 2011, and runs, homers, and OPS in 2012.