3 reasons why the Brewers won't bring Willy Adames back, 1 why it could happen

1 reason why Willy Adames could stay

Adames has said that he wants to stay with the Brewers

Perhaps the most important factor in retaining a top tier free agent is whether or not that free agent wants to return. Willy Adames has loved being in Milwaukee and he is certainly open to returning and the Brewers are open to bringing him back. With that, there can at least be some hope that a reunion is possible.

After the Brewers were eliminated, Adames told reporters, "I would love to be here next competing with my boys again. It'd be great, it'd be special." Adames continued, "I don't know if I'm going to be back. I say I hope. If not, it's been a hell of a time here."

When asked about what makes the Brewers so special to him and why he wants to stay, Adames said, "It's something special what they have here in this clubhouse and I don't know if it's Bob and the energy that he always brings, even though he's years old, but there's something special in this place and I feel like everybody that comes here, they embrace it. When I got here in '21, I just embraced the energy that they have here."

Adames loves Milwaukee. He's been a leader in that clubhouse, he loves the group of guys in the clubhouse and that is essential to any path to a reunion in free agency. He won't return if he doesn't want to, and he certainly seems to want to.

Whether that desire to stay results in a "hometown discount" though remains to be seen. In order for Adames to return, he's likely going to need to give the Brewers one.

The best chance the Brewers have to retain Adames is if the free agent market is not as lucrative for him as he expects, causing his contract demands to fall into a range where the Brewers could find him more affordable. Whether that's fewer years, fewer dollars, or both, the longer Adames lingers out on the open market, the better the chances for his return to Milwaukee.