Brewers agree to one-year contract with William Contreras, avoid arbitration hearing

Milwaukee Brewers fans were anxiously awaiting the news of William Contreras' arbitration situation. Most everyone expected the Brewers and Contreras to eventually go to an arbitration hearing, which generally occurs sometime within the first two weeks of February. Seeing as it's currently February 12, Brewers fans were wondering what the hold-up on the situation was.

Thankfully, the hold-up was not because the third-party arbitrators were deliberating over whether to grant Contreras the salary that he and his camp put forward back in early January ($9.9 million) or the one that the Brewers proposed ($8.55 million). Rather, the delay was due to the two sides negotiating a one-year deal for the 2026 season with a club option for the 2027 campaign, which they agreed to just moments ago, avoiding an arbitration hearing altogether.

The impact that an arbitration hearing can have on the relationship between a player and their organization is often overblown to a certain degree. However, Brewers fans know that in some instances these hearings can significantly hurt a player's view of the organization they play for. Back in 2023, after a contentious arbitration hearing, Corbin Burnes admitted that his relationship with the Brewers had been negatively impacted. It's therefore a sigh of relief that Brewers fans don't even have to worry about that possibility with their 2x All-Star catcher.

Brewers, William Contreras avoid arbitration by agreeing to one-year, $9.4 million contract with $14.5 million club option for 2027 season

The structure of the deal is exactly the same as the one that the Brewers and Contreras agreed to last year after failing to reach an agreement prior to the salary exchange deadline in early January. Last year, it didn't take quite as long for the two sides to strike a deal, but it's once again a one-year contract with a club option for the following season. As reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Contreras will earn $9.4 million in 2026 and the club option is worth $14.5 million.

It's a win-win situation for Contreras and the Brewers. Contreras earns a higher salary than he would have if he lost the arbitration hearing -- which seemed likely -- and even a higher salary than the midpoint between the number his camp proposed and the one the Brewers put forward.

The compromise is that the ball is in the Brewers' court when it comes to Contreras' 2027 salary. If Contreras puts together an MVP-caliber season and his projected salary in arbitration is far more than the $14.5 million value of the club option, then the Brewers will exercise the option and theoretically get a good deal on their All-Star catcher for the 2027 season. If Contreras' projected arbitration salary is less than $14.5 million, then the Brewers will simply deny the option and go through the arbitration process -- just as they did this year. Certainly, the Brewers are hoping for the former -- an MVP-esque season from their catcher -- but they've given themselves the flexibility to strike a favorable deal in 2027 regardless of the type of season that Contreras has this year.

More than anything, Brewers fans are just happy the arbitration process has come and gone without any compromised relationships this year.