After much speculation, the Brewers announced that they are picking up Kolten Wong’s club option for the 2023 season. Wong will make $10M next year and had a $2M buyout. This move is the first of several tough decisions that Matt Arnold will have to make over the course of this off-season.
Wong is coming off a strange season in which he performed quite well at the plate but had arguably his worst defensive season of his career. The two time gold glove second basemen revealed in a post season interview with Curt Hogg that he is highly motivated to return to form defensively next season.
Only time will tell if Wong will perform to expectations next season or not. However, the decision was somewhat surprising given the fact that prospect Brice Turang appears MLB ready. That being said, rookies tend to have many ebbs and flows while adjusting to major league competition.
In the end, picking up Wong’s option is exciting. He is a proven veteran, knows the club house, and will positively benefit the team next year. It also is a strong statement from Arnold in that he is willing to retain good players despite their rising cost.
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