Brewers' Brandon Woodruff backup plan could involve trading for this Royals All-Star

Initially, it appeared as if the Milwaukee Brewers' front office was set for an active offseason. Following the team's loss in the NLCS, rumors of the Brewers trading their ace, Freddy Peralta, during the winter immediately began swirling, and the initial expectation was that Brandon Woodruff would decline both his mutual option and the qualifying offer that Milwaukee has since offered him. If both of those moves come to fruition, Brewers' president of baseball operations, Matt Arnold, has some serious work to do this offseason to reinforce a starting rotation that is filled with talented, yet unexperienced arms.

However, just a few weeks into the offseason, it appears as if the Brewers might be headed for a much quieter offseason than initially expected. Reports from the GM Meetings in Las Vegas this past week indicate that the Brewers are planning on retaining Peralta for the 2026 season. Additionally, as options get picked up and declined around the league, the market for starting pitchers is beginning to take shape, and it's looking more and more possible that Woodruff will accept the qualifying offer. Perhaps the best indicator is the fact that Toronto Blue Jays starter, Shane Bieber, who had a very similar injury timeline to Woodruff, accepted his $16 million player option earlier this month.

Woody also has to consider the looming potential lockout that MLB faces when the current CBA expires ahead of the 2027 season. While agreeing to a long-term deal would alleviate the concerns brought on by a work stoppage next season, it also means that teams will be less likely to hand out multi-year deals to veterans like Woodruff. Agreeing to the sizable qualifying offer would allow Woody to delay his free agency to next season when teams might have a better idea of how the CBA negotiations will play out.

That said, the Brewers have to be prepared for the highly possible reality that Woodruff doesn't accept the qualifying offer and subsequently leaves for another organization that is willing to give him more guaranteed money than Milwaukee. Such a scenario leaves the Brewers with a hole in their rotation that they need to patch if they hope to return to the NLCS and advance past it next year. If that situation presents itself, Arnold and company could turn to one AL Central squad who is looking to swap one of their starting pitchers for some offensive improvements.

Brewers could explore a Kris Bubic trade with the Kansas City Royals if Woodruff departs in free agency

The Kansas City Royals are at a crossroads. On one hand they have some talented pieces, have won more than 80 games in the last two seasons, and play in a very winnable AL Central division. On the other hand, they have some interesting trade candidates in their rotation who they could move to further bolster their lineup and prolong their current era of success.

One such trade candidate is left-handed starting pitcher Kris Bubic. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, several teams have already checked in on the availability of Bubic. While the specific teams weren't listed out, Sammon did indicate that the Royals were open to moving someone like Bubic and are looking for an outfielder in return who can push their talented young slugger, Jac Caglianone, to right field where his strong arm plays better.

The Brewers, should Woodruff not accept the qualifying offer, would have both a dearth of proven, left-handed starting pitchers and a surplus of outfielders after Isaac Collins' breakout season and Garrett Mitchell's return from injury. With Blake Perkins and Brandon Lockridge also being options for the outfield alongside the lineup locks of Sal Frelick and Jackson Chourio, Milwaukee has the depth to move an outfielder for an upgrade in their starting rotation.

Bubic would certainly be an upgrade as he not only brings more experience to the table in comparison to the rest of the Brewers' rotation options, but he also has shown a great deal of success with a revamped arsenal over the last two seasons, as also pointed out by Sammon. Bubic holds a 2.58 ERA and 155 strikeouts in 146.2 innings pitched over the last two seasons, while serving as a reliever during the 2024 campaign and a starter last year.

His upward trajectory is not, however, reflected in his 2026 salary, as Bubic is set to make just $6 million in his final year of arbitration this year, as projected by MLB Trade Rumors. With a modest salary, a new array of pitches, and a team that is looking to trade for an outfielder, Bubic heading to Milwaukee this offseason makes a lot of sense. However, should Woody accept his qualifying offer in the coming days, the entire offseason picture would be significantly impacted.