\nChristian Yelich<\/a>, DH\/LF: $58.5MM through 2028 (includes $6.5MM buyout of $20MM mutual option for 2029)
\nCooper Pratt<\/a>, SS: $45.25MM through 2033 (contract includes club options for 2034-35 seasons)
\nLuis Lara<\/a>, OF: $27MM through 2032 (contract includes club options for 2033-35 seasons)
\nAaron Ashby<\/a>, RP: $8.5MM through 2027 (includes $1MM buyout of $9MM club option for 2028; Brewers also have $13MM club option for 2029)<\/p>\n
Option Decisions<\/p>\n
2027 guarantees: $61.75MM (assuming Contreras\u2019 option is exercised)
Total future commitments (assuming Contreras\u2019 option is exercised): $221MM<\/p>\n
Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz<\/a>)<\/p>\n Free Agents<\/p>\n One magical October turned the Brewers from a consistent winner who couldn\u2019t get over the hump into a dominant champion that could return much of its roster.\u00a0 The starting outfield projects as Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell<\/a>, and the Sal Frelick<\/a>\/Luis Lara timeshare in right field, with Christian Yelich making the odd cameo in left field when he isn\u2019t at DH.\u00a0 Andrew Vaughn<\/a> can platoon with Yelich at DH and potentially get a good deal of action at first base (more on that position later).\u00a0 Brice Turang<\/a>, Cooper Pratt, and the David Hamilton<\/a>\/Joey Ortiz<\/a> third base platoon round out the rest of the infield, and William Contreras will line up behind the plate\u2026.<\/p>\n \u2026or will he?\u00a0 The difference between Contreras\u2019 club option and his projected arbitration salary is so negligible that the Brewers will surely just exercise the option rather than go through the headache of the arb process (especially with an impending lockout threatening to delay arb hearings).\u00a0 Even though the club option is a no-brainer decision, Milwaukee\u2019s history of trading star players prior to free agency has led to plenty of speculation that Contreras might\u2019ve already played his final game in a Brewers uniform.<\/p>\n The Crew\u2019s decision to hang onto Willy Adames<\/a> during the 2023-24 offseason and let him go to free agency the next winter is evidence that Milwaukee doesn\u2019t always trade star talent early, though Adames\u2019 trade value was diminished by an underwhelming 2023 campaign.\u00a0 Contreras\u2019 109 wRC+ (from 18 homers and a .270\/.341\/.417 slash line in 640 PA) was actually his lowest in the last five seasons, and his framing and blocking metrics tumbled to below-average levels, though Contreras was still excellent at throwing out baserunners.<\/p>\n Even this more modest performance still added up to a 3.0 fWAR season for Contreras, not to mention his October heroics.\u00a0 There is no doubt Contreras would generate a lot of interest as a trade chip, yet the equation might change now that Contreras has cemented his place as a franchise legend.\u00a0 As painful as it was for the Brewers to deal Freddy Peralta<\/a>, Corbin Burnes<\/a>, Devin Williams<\/a>, Josh Hader<\/a>, and other stars, none of that group had a World Series MVP trophy, so moving Contreras for a package of young talent would be an extra tough blow to the Milwaukee clubhouse and fanbase.<\/p>\n An argument could be made that Contreras is an extension candidate.\u00a0 A new deal would likely create a one-year payroll bump for the Brewers in 2028 before Contreras essentially just replaced Yelich (whose 2029 option is unlikely to be exercised) as the one big veteran splurge on the team\u2019s books.\u00a0 Or, perhaps the simplest route is for the Brewers to just keep Contreras as part of their reload for 2027, and then if he does head elsewhere in free agency, some type of compensation should still be available to Milwaukee as part of the next collective bargaining agreement.<\/p>\n Keeping Contreras also gives the Crew another year to evaluate their catching situation.\u00a0 Former top-100 prospect Jeferson Quero<\/a> has delivered okay but unspectacular numbers in more than a season\u2019s worth of Triple-A action, and he made his big league debut in the form of one game in March 2026. \u00a0Gary Sanchez is an impending free agent. Turning backstop duties over to some combination of Bo Naylor<\/a> and Quero (or bringing Sanchez back as the starter) would be a risk on the Brewers\u2019 part, as the team would be turning a position of strength into a question mark.\u00a0 The team could seek out another catcher, but then the Brewers would themselves be treading into a thin catching market.<\/p>\n
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