The 2024 Milwaukee Brewers season came to yet another heartbreaking end. A late collapse in Game 3 has sent the Brewers home packing and now they head into an offseason where a star player in their lineup and several others will be hitting free agency.
Roster turnover is nothing new for this organization. There were only a handful of players from the 2023 playoff roster who were also on the 2024 playoff roster. One of the big names that departed last year was Corbin Burnes, who left in a trade with Baltimore. But this offseason, the big name that's departing will be the starting shortstop Willy Adames.
Every Brewers player entering free agency after the 2024 season
Willy Adames
Willy Adames had one of the best seasons of his career in 2024 and it couldn't have come at a better time. Adames slugged a career high 32 homers with 112 RBIs while playing in 161 games. He's without a doubt the top free agent shortstop on the market and he will command a big contract.
"I don't know if I'm going to come back. I say I hope. If not, it's been a hell of a time here" Adames said after the Brewers were eliminated in the Wild Card.
When the regular season ended, Pat Murphy said, "Chances are that's his last regular season game in a Brewer uniform and everybody knows that. I wanted him to feel that, feel the appreciation and I wanted the fans to get a chance to do that"
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the expectation is Adames will be seeking a contract of at least $200MM in free agency and while the Brewers would love to have him back, they know the odds are not in their favor.
Joe Ross
Coming off two lost seasons due to injury, Joe Ross signed a simple one year deal with the Brewers with no options attached to it. Ross pitched to a solid 3.77 ERA in 25 games, making 10 starts and covering 74 innings. He found a decent home in the bullpen during the second half and it's not out of the realm of possibility the Brewers could look to bring him back.
Ross may be again looking at a bullpen role next season if he does return to Milwaukee but if he feels and another team feels he's done enough to earn another look in the starting rotation, Ross could sign elsewhere.
Brewers mutual options for 2025 that will be declined
Gary Sanchez, Frankie Montas, Wade Miley
The Brewers only have two players that are set for unrestricted free agency as of now, but there are three players with mutual options that will assuredly be declined.
Gary Sanchez had a rough season as the Brewers backup catcher and DH. Sanchez hit just 11 home runs with a .699 OPS on the season. With Eric Haase's presence and team control, Sanchez's mutual option will not be picked up.
Frankie Montas was a mid-season pickup and his mutual option for 2025 carries a hefty price tag of $20MM that the Brewers will decline, making Montas a free agent. Montas was solid with the Crew, pitching to a 4.55 ERA in 11 starts following the trade. He was the Brewers Game 2 starter in the NL Wild Card series.
Wade Miley didn't pitch much this year, undergoing Tommy John surgery early on in the season and his mutual option for 2025 is set to be declined as well. The soon to be 38 year old is going to attempt to comeback, but it'll have to be on a new contract, potentially with a new team. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Brewers look to bring him back at some point.
Decisions on these options won't be made until after the World Series is over, but the Brewers already know which direction they will go on all of them.