The Milwaukee Brewers, despite what the national media thinks, believe they have a chance to win this season. Despite sending Corbin Burnes, the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner, to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Joey Ortiz and DL Hall (along with a draft pick), Milwaukee’s roster appears to be better than it was at any point last season.
This is especially true now that the Brewers have finalized a deal arrangement with free agency catcher/DH Gary Sanchez. After initially agreeing to a one-year $7 million contract, Sanchez’s chronic wrist ailment raised concerns during his physical. The two parties eventually reached an agreement for lower basic salary with incentives that may raise the total to $7 million.
In addition to Sanchez, the Brewers signed free agency first baseman Rhys Hoskins this offseason. Even though the right-handed slugger did not participate in 2023 due to a torn ACL, he is widely regarded as one of the game’s greatest young power hitters. The Philadelphia Phillies only let him go in free agency because they transferred the two-time National League champion.
Indeed, it is clear that general manager Matt Arnold’s choices this offseason have benefited the team’s short-term and long-term prospects. However, despite the team’s refusal to trade any of its key players, the national media feels one player in particular is done for.
MLB Analyst Predicts the Milwaukee Brewers Will Trade Willy Adames Soon
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report listed Brewers shortstop Willy Adames as one of the top ten MLB players most likely to be moved. He wrote:
“If the Milwaukee Brewers had not sent 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles earlier this month, he would have been the most sought-after trade candidate this summer.
“But the fact that the Brewers got 25-year-old shortstop Joey Ortiz from the Orioles in exchange for Burnes implies that they feel he’ll have a place to play in 2025, and possibly sooner.
“So Willy Adames is going to be a big name this summer if the Brewers aren’t major contenders. Even if they are in contention for the playoffs, Adames could be traded. According to Keith Law of The Athletic, Ortiz is currently ready to start at shortstop in the MLB.
“Adames will become a free agency following the 2024 season, and since the Brewers are unlikely to issue a qualifying offer to him, they will be encouraged to acquire something in return.
“It appears to be a matter of when, not if, Adames no longer works for Brewers. But his mix of power and great defense should make him a coveted commodity this summer, and he is certain to get a multi-year contract next winter.
It’s almost as if Kelly hasn’t followed the Brewers’ front office news over the past few weeks.
The Milwaukee Brewers Are Not Trading Willy Adames Anytime Soon
Kelly is correct about one thing: Adames will no longer be a Brewer. Once he enters free agency, he will be offered considerably more than Milwaukee can afford. However, this does not imply that the Brewers are looking to deal him.
In reality, Milwaukee is not actively looking into Adames at all. Just yesterday, Robert Murray revealed that Matt Arnold and Pat Murphy want Adames to be their Opening Day shortstop this season.
Furthermore, Adames contributes significantly to the Brewers’ camaraderie in the dugout and in the clubhouse. If they traded him in the middle of the season, it would hurt the team more than the Josh Hader move.
