5 Former Brewers Players Milwaukee Can Still Reunite With In Free Agency

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There are several players that remain in free agency even as we turn the calendar to January. There's a good amount of those players that used to play for the Milwaukee Brewers and theoretically still could come back to the organization.

The Brewers likely aren't done with their offseason quite yet. They still have some holes to address and the rest of the roster to fill out. Perhaps they could fill it out with some players that they've previously had.

It certainly isn't a new concept for players to return to a previous team in free agency, even a couple of years after their departure. Lorenzo Cain, for example, was drafted by the Brewers, made his debut in Milwaukee, and was later traded to Kansas City. After several years with the Royals, he returned to Milwaukee as a free agent.

While none of these remaining players are in line to score a five year contract, they still could make a return to the place they once called home.

These 5 former Brewers players could come back to Milwaukee in free agency still this offseason.

1. Trevor Rosenthal

Calling Trevor Rosenthal a former Brewers "player" may be a bit of a stretch considering he never actually played for the team. The Brewers acquired Rosenthal at the Trade Deadline in 2022, sending away a solid outfield prospect in Tristan Peters to get him, even though he was injured at the time. He remained injured, hurting himself on a rehab assignment and missing the rest of the season.

It made sense to bring Rosenthal into the organization. It made sense to trade Tristan Peters for a reliever. It made no sense to trade Peters for an injured reliever in Rosenthal. It was a very dumb trade as it worked out.

But the Brewers can salvage that trade a bit if they sign back Trevor Rosenthal this offseason. They've liked him for a while and clearly paid a high price to get him even though he was hurt and going to become a free agent. Perhaps by acquiring him the Brewers will have a leg up to sign him this offseason.

When healthy, Rosenthal can be a very good reliever, and his velocity is as good as ever. But the problem is he hasn't been healthy for the last two seasons.

The Brewers can bring him back on a very cheap deal since he hasn't pitched in two years. If he's healthy, he can quickly become a solid high leverage relief option, which the Brewers could certainly use.

Milwaukee definitely should look to bring Rosenthal back, not only because he can help the team when he's healthy, but also because it'll make their Deadline trade for him look a little less dumb.

2. Jesus Aguilar

I know Jesus Aguilar had a down year in 2022, but the lovable slugger still has some juice in his bat. He'd be a great addition back into the clubhouse and could provide some depth help at first base and DH behind Rowdy Tellez and Jesse Winker.

Aguilar is coming off a .235/.281/.379 season with 16 homers and and 86 OPS+. He was DFA'ed by the Marlins and claimed by the Orioles mid-season. He was non-tendered by Baltimore, putting him back on the free agent market this winter.

Aguilar is going to be entering his age 33 season and is likely looking at a bench/depth role coming off the season he had. He did the same thing for the Brewers in 2017 when they claimed him off waivers from Cleveland. He made the team in a bench role behind Eric Thames and spent most of the time as a pinch hitter and backup option, but eventually earned the starting job. He could potentially do so again.

However, there won't be much pinch hitting for Aguilar to do now with the DH in both leagues, but Aguilar could be a DH option as well, likely behind Jesse Winker. If Winker isn't able to bounce back in 2023 or needs a day off, Aguilar could jump in and provide some productive ABs. It'd be a cheap, one year deal at most, and this is a place Aguilar has thrived and became an All Star. Perhaps he'd be open to coming back.

3. Will Smith

Will Smith had a great career with the Brewers from 2014-16 and has gone on to do bigger and better things since he was traded away in July 2016. He recently won another World Series ring with the Houston Astros this year after winning one the year before with the Atlanta Braves.

However, the Brewers never really used Smith in the postseason despite the fact that he had a 3.24 ERA in 24 appearances with them in the regular season since getting traded to them.

Smith ended up with a 3.97 ERA in 65 appearances last season. He's remained a solid pitcher although his days as a closer may be over. He saved 37 games for Atlanta in 2021 and was excellent for them in their postseason run. He lost the closer's job there in 2022.

The Brewers wouldn't be asking Smith to close games anyways, not with Devin Williams still on the roster. Milwaukee needs another left-handed relief option besides Hoby Milner and Smith fits the bill. He has the experience to fill a late inning role if need be but doesn't necessarily have to be in that kind of spot.

4. Andrew McCutchen

The Brewers had certainly hoped for better from Andrew McCutchen in 2022 when they signed him to that $8.5MM contract. He ended up with a .237/.316/.384 slash line with 17 homers and a 99 OPS+. It was the first ever sub-100 OPS+ in McCutchen's career, and he didn't miss by much.

McCutchen struggled against lefties, which was primarily what he was signed to do. Still, he brought some pop, some veteran leadership, and the ability to play the outfield.

Some may groan at the thought of bringing McCutchen back, but the Brewers did say that they would keep the lines of communication open and were open to a potential reunion with McCutchen. Now it should be noted that those comments were made prior to the acquisition of Jesse Winker, who projects to earn most of the playing time at DH.

McCutchen isn't what he once was. Now a year older and going into his age-36 season, a rebound to old form gets less and less likely. But even for the hitter he is now, he provides some value, and a return may not yet be ruled out, although still unlikely.

5. Jimmy Nelson

The Big Sweat is back on the market. Jimmy Nelson had finally broken out as an ace-type starting pitcher in 2017 when a slide back into first base after a single jammed his shoulder, tearing his labrum. It's been a series of setbacks and injuries for Nelson ever since. He missed the 2018, 2020, and 2022 seasons entirely with injury.

Nelson found some success with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2021, he posted a 1.86 ERA in 28 games with the Dodgers prior to suffering another injury. He just hasn't been able to catch a break.

But he did prove that, when healthy, he can still be a valuable pitcher. Nelson is purely a relief arm at this point, no one is going to be putting him into a starting rotation or expecting him to reach ace form ever again, unfortunately.

He's got the stuff and could help a big league team when he's healthy. Hopefully he can stay that way for a full season. Expectations aren't going to be high for Nelson, but maybe it would be nice to get him back to the organization that drafted him. No team will believe in you as a player like the one who drafted you.

Nelson is likely looking at a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp, maybe a split deal at best. If he can prove he's healthy in spring training, he could earn a bullpen job.

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