Here are the free agents the Brewers should avoid during this offseason

3B/DH Justin Turner

The Brewers have previously been linked to former Dodgers and Red Sox third baseman Justin Turner, even if only for leverage to get himself paid. However, now is not the time for the Brewers to rekindle those talks.

Justin Turner is a third baseman by trade but as he nears 40 years of age, that is not what he will be doing on a baseball field should any team decide to sign him. Since the 2023 season began, he has played only 13 games at the hot corner. So there should be no Brewers fans saying "sign Justin Turner for third base and move Joey Ortiz to shortsop." Justin Turner is not that guy anymore.

In fact, Turner has played 10 games at second base in that time span and 98 at first base. What Justin Turner is at this stage of his career is a designated hitter. Turner has appeared in 175 games as a DH in the last two seasons. While the Brewers may be in the market for a designated hitter assuming Gary Sanchez isn't brought back which seems unlikely, there are better options than an aging Justin Turner.

SS Tim Anderson

It is possible that with the pending free agency of Willy Adames that Milwaukee could be in the market for a shortstop if they want to keep Joey Ortiz at third base. Ortiz showed he is more than capable of occupying the everyday third baseman role in 2024.

However, if the Brewers decide to look at the shortstop free agent market, they can do better and more reliable than Tim Anderson. Anderson looked like one of the best shortstops in the game from 2019-2022, however, 2023 and 2024 paint a very different picture.

From 2019 to 2022, Anderson was an offensive machine, batting for a high average, getting on base at a solid clip and hitting for power. In those four seasons collectively, He slashed .318/.347/.474/.820 and hit 51 home runs, just shy of 13 per season to go with 88 other extra base hits and 53 stolen bases.

In 2023, his final year with the Chicago White Sox, Anderson batted .245/.286/.296/.582 with an OPS+ of 62 (100 being average). In 2024, with the Miami Marlins, in just 65 games played due to injuries Anderson slashed .214/.237/.226/.463 with an OPS+ of 27. Anderson has hit just one home run combined in the last two seasons and only six in 2022.

The team that takes a shot on Anderson will be certain in knowing that the chances of getting late 2010s, early 2020s version of Anderson is extremely low. Anderson hasn't only regressed offensively, each of the last three seasons as he has posted a negative two outs above average defensively, per Baseball Savant.

Based on his trajectory, Anderson may get a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, but shouldn't be anything more and the Milwaukee Brewers should steer clear entirely.

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