5 Brewers Most Likely To Be Traded Away This Offseason

The Milwaukee Brewers are hitting a crossroads this offseason. They're coming off their fifth postseason appearance in the last six years but it's their fourth straight first round exit. Many of the team's core players are entering their final year of arbitration before hitting free agency, while a young core is starting to emerge.

This crossroads situation has led to speculation that the Brewers are open to trading virtually anybody on their roster and could be moving veterans once again this winter. Milwaukee doesn't have a lot of available payroll space to improve the team via free agency and this year's free agent crop isn't very strong to begin with.

GM Matt Arnold figures to be active this offseason once again and trades may be the most logical avenue to make them. Which Brewers players make the most sense as trade candidates this offseason?

Brewers offseason trade candidate #1 - SS Willy Adames

This is a bad year to need a shortstop upgrade. There were multiple elite shortstops on the free agent market last winter and the teams that missed out on that carousel are left in a tough situation because this year's free agent shortstop class is barren. Amed Rosario is the top of the class but he's a platoon bat that's a better fit at second base. Tim Anderson is coming off a brutal season as well and would only be a one year rebound option for anyone and expectations are low.

Willy Adames would instantly be the best shortstop acquisition of the offseason if the Brewers do indeed move him. The lack of other quality options on the market could drive up the price from a team desperate for a shortstop upgrade. Even though Adames is coming off a bit of a down year himself, he did slug 24 homers and his defense is excellent, making him a sought after commodity.

Adames has wanted to engage in extension talks with the Brewers but the Brewers haven't appeared too interested in those kinds of discussions, and Adames is likely to walk in free agency after 2024. Milwaukee may be better served trading Adames in a weak market, getting a great return, and setting themselves up better for seasons to come. The Dodgers are one potential team to watch for Adames.

Brice Turang is a true shortstop and defensively he could easily take over the position from Adames without skipping a beat. There may be a step back offensively from Adames to Turang, but Turang is likely to see improvement at the plate in his second season.

Brewers Trade Candidate #3 - OF Joey Wiemer

The Brewers have valuable veterans nearing free agency, but they're not the only ones who could get traded this winter. Some of the Crew's young position players could make sense as trade candidates as well.

Milwaukee is loaded in the outfield and they brought up a number of their top prospects this year. Garrett Mitchell was the Opening Day centerfielder, Sal Frelick was impressive, and Joey Wiemer was in the big leagues most of the season. Playing time found a way to work itself out, mostly through injuries, but there's too many starting quality players and not enough open spots in the outfield.

The organization seems to be very high on Mitchell and Frelick, and there were a lot of good things they liked about Wiemer, but Wiemer struggled at the plate in 2023. He made some late season adjustments and even though we didn't get much of a chance to see those changes in action, the stock is still fairly high on Wiemer. The Brewers could look to trade from a position of strength to address a position of need.

Wiemer can be marketed as a centerfielder given his extended playing time out there and excellent defense, but he's more likely a long term fit in right field, at least in Milwaukee, given his throwing arm and power hitting ability. Centerfielders, though, bring back a larger return because it's a premium position. The Brewers will be just fine in centerfield if they send out Wiemer to address a larger need, likely pitching.

One thing working in Wiemer's favor for staying in Milwaukee is the fact that he's a right handed hitter. Frelick, Mitchell, and Christian Yelich are all lefties and they are his biggest competition for playing time. Having at least one right handed hitting outfielder in the starting lineup would be ideal.

The Blue Jays are one team looking for outfield help this winter that would be a logical destination if the Brewers moved Wiemer.

Brewers Trade Candidate #4 - OF Tyrone Taylor

Continuing with the outfield depth chart being crowded, Tyrone Taylor could be a trade candidate this winter as well. The Brewers do like having plenty of outfield depth, but this could be the time to sell high on Tyrone Taylor.

Taylor struggled mightily in the first half of the season as he was playing through an elbow injury. Once he finally got healthy, Taylor was lighting it up in the second half, hitting nine of his 10 homers after the All Star Break. He also had an .854 OPS in that time. Taylor hit .291 with a .912 OPS in the month of September alone. It's the kind of stretch that boosts a player's trade stock heading into the offseason.

This also would make for a good time to trade Taylor because he's just now reaching arbitration. While his projected $1.7MM salary wouldn't break the bank for the Brewers, it may be more than they're willing to pay for someone who will be nothing more than a backup option on this team. Taylor is deserving of more playing time than he's going to get in Milwaukee because of the bevy of outfield prospects that already arrived and Jackson Chourio isn't even here yet.

Some other team that recognizes that Taylor is worthy of more playing time on a different team could look to acquire him, believing in his strong second half and knowing that Taylor can play all three outfield spots. The Guardians and Red Sox are two teams that could be in the market for a player like Taylor.

Brewers Trade Candidate #5 - LHP Ethan Small

It's become quite clear that the Brewers don't see Ethan Small as a part of their future. Small has been pushed to the bullpen now and is no longer considered a starting pitcher, and even as a reliever, Small just cannot find any staying power at the big leagues.

Whenever the Brewers called him up, he gets immediately sent back down after making an appearance. Small has struggled in his few outings in Milwaukee, appearing in just four games. He made two appearances this year, giving up five runs in three innings back in May, then had a scoreless inning in September.

Small was pitching well in Nashville and the Brewers were desperately seking a second left hander in their bullpen alongside Hoby Milner, but they never called upon the former first round pick. It's clear the Brewers don't envision Small as a reliable arm and in his few big league outings, he's done nothing to prove otherwise.

Small's trade value right now is, well, small. An Ethan Small trade would be less about extracting value and more about a change of scenery. Small clearly needs a different organization and maybe the Brewers can find a taker who has a player that needs a change of scenery themselves.

Perhaps the Brewers could include him as a throw in for a larger trade involving one of the other players on this list. The future for Small does not look like it'll be in Milwaukee and a trade would be best for both sides.