Do either of these recently released Rangers make sense for Milwaukee this offseason?

Friday afternoon's non-tender deadline, when teams have to decide whether or not to tender contracts to eligible players for the following season, was a quiet one for the Milwaukee Brewers. After agreeing to a one-year, $2.7 million deal with Jake Bauers and electing to eventually tender contracts to the other six players who are arbitration-eligible this offseason, the Brewers didn't "non-tender" a single player.

However, around the league, several notable players were told that they wouldn't be tendered contracts for the 2026 season by their respective teams. Names like Christopher Morel, Nathaniel Lowe, and Andrew Knizner were all released from their 2025 organizations despite being under team control for at least the 2026 season.

That said, perhaps the most notable non-tenders came from the Texas Rangers, who are known to be searching for creative ways to shed payroll this offseason. In addition to non-tendering right-handed relievers Jacob Webb and Josh Sborz, Texas chose not to tender contracts to outfielder Adolis García and catcher Jonah Heim, both of whom played integral roles in the Rangers' 2023 World Series Championship run.

While García and Heim, both of whom became free agents the moment Texas chose not to tender them a contract on Friday afternoon, didn't have strong 2025 campaigns, they each possess enough upside to make them intriguing players to watch out for during the 2025-26 offseason. The Brewers, known to be searching for more power and another big-league catcher this offseason, should at the very least check in on the price of both García and Heim.

The Brewers should consider both Jonah Heim and Adolis García, who were recently non-tendered by the Texas Rangers, this offseason

The Brewers don't necessarily need to make any major alterations to their position player group ahead of the 2026 season; Milwaukee is returning practically the same group of position players that led to them a franchise record number of regular season wins during the 2025 campaign. That said, improvements can always be made, and the post-non-tender pool of free agents is a place where the Brewers could find their next change-of-scenery candidate at a reasonable price.

The Brewers have been reportedly shopping for another catcher to add to their 40-man roster for the 2026 season. It remains unclear what role that third catcher will assume with the readiness level of top prospect Jeferson Quero being the determining factor. If Quero is ready for the big leagues, the Brewers could elect to have him serve as William Contreras' back-up in 2026, which would mean that the team only needs an "emergency catcher" to cover innings in Triple-A and be ready for a promotion if one of the two aforementioned backstops goes down with an injury. However, if the Brewers don't believe Quero is ready for the majors, or wants to keep him in Triple-A for a few months so that he can get consistent at-bats, they could add a more experienced catcher like Heim to their roster.

Heim had his best season in 2023, when he was named to the American League All-Star team and slashed .258/.317/.438 with 18 homers and 95 RBI. Despite his numbers being relatively pedestrian in each of his other four full seasons in MLB, Heim has slugged double-digit homers in each of the last five seasons. He pairs his solid power numbers with an above-average defensive game. His defensive numbers slipped slightly in 2025, but he's consistently been a strong framer throughout his career, though that could matter far less next season when the ABS challenge system is adopted.

MLB Trade Rumors projected Heim to make exactly $6 million in his final year of arbitration after earning a salary of $4.575 million in 2025. The Rangers believed that $6 million salary was too much for Heim in 2026, meaning whoever signs the former All-Star will get him for a reasonable price. A one-year deal in the $3-4 million range could make sense for the Brewers, assuming they don't believe Quero is ready to be a big-league backup quite yet.

Meanwhile, the Brewers are also expected to target power this offseason after their lack of it became a major talking point down the stretch and into the postseason. One area where they could upgrade their power this offseason is in the outfield. Sal Frelick and Jackson Chourio are locked into starting spots in the outfield next season, with each possessing the ability to play all three outfield positions. The third outfield spot, however, remains up for grabs, with Garrett Mitchell, Isaac Collins, Blake Perkins, and potentially Brandon Lockridge all competing for it.

While that logjam of players might suggest the Brewers are set in the outfield, each of those players comes with question marks, particularly when it comes to the power department. If there's one thing the recently released Adolis García has, it's power. The 2x All-Star, who originally debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals back in 2018, averaged more than 28 homers per season in the last five years. He topped out at 39 longballs in 2023, when he finished 14th in AL MVP voting.

However, over the last two seasons, García has been a below-average hitter in terms of OPS+ with his lack of on-base ability outweighing the impressive power that he still possesses. With a projected arbitration salary of $12.1 million, risking another below-average season was not something the Rangers were interested in. However, at a much lower salary, García would be a sensible addition for many teams, especially those looking for more power this offseason. Despite being an inconsistent defender, García's arm strength remains elite.

If the Brewers are interested in shaking things up in their outfield group and adding some serious power in the process, García is a name to look out for. While neither Heim nor García is a perfect fit, each is at least worth checking in on for the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason; they might just be the team's next diamond in the rough.