Brewers Face Uncertain Free Agency Outlook This Offseason

The Brewers’ Aggressiveness in Free Agency Remains Unclear

Milwaukee is not typically a big player in the free agent market. Their approach resembles that of a poker player, waiting for the market to yield a player like José Quintana just days before Opening Day. This strategy has proven successful for the smallest market team in MLB, which has enjoyed remarkable regular-season success over the past decade.

Pitching

Arnold’s phone will likely be ringing, especially with Freddy Peralta‘s $8 million price tag catching the attention of the entire league. Peralta, who finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting and made the 2nd Team All-MLB, would command significant trade value.

While it may be wise to trade Peralta while his value is high, it raises the question of whether the Brewers should maintain a club that loses very little with an ace leading a young pitching staff. Having a player in his prime at such a price is desirable for any team, yet the Brewers could potentially receive two marquee prospects in return.

Milwaukee boasts one of the top farm systems in MLB, giving them numerous trade pieces not named Jesús Madé. An interesting idea proposed by Jeff Passan of ESPN was a trade for Washington Nationals’ 26-year-old left-hander MacKenzie Gore, who would have two years of team control remaining.

The prospect of a rotation featuring Peralta, Gore, Woodruff, Quinn Priester, and Jacob Misiorowski would be enticing.

Infield

The Brewers do not have many holes to fill, but adding power at third base and in the outfield are their top priorities. The free agent market isn’t loaded with third basemen, and players like Alex Bregman and Eugenio Suárez will be outside Milwaukee’s price range.

The extra revenue from making the NLCS will likely allow them to retain Woodruff on a one-year deal, but it’s conceivable that the Brewers and Woodruff could negotiate a longer-term, more team-friendly deal. Otherwise, any of the necessary improvements may come from within the organization.

The Brewers’ third-ranked prospect, Cooper Pratt, is ready to take over the shortstop position from the defensively skilled but light-hitting Joey Ortiz. Both players are essentially keeping the position warm for the aforementioned Madé, who is expected to make his debut in 2027, but is rocketing up through the system like another prodigy did in 2024 – Jackson Chourio.

Cooper Pratt just hit his third homer of the week

102 MPH off the bat, 407 feet pic.twitter.com/fgwDcHgh3H

— Spencer Michaelis (@smichaelis234) August 17, 2025

In terms of third basemen, the Crew has some intriguing prospects. The 10th-ranked player in the system is former first-round draft pick Brock Wilken, whose potential power is immense. After recovering from getting hit in the eye by a pitch in 2024, he began to regain his promise in 2025, mashing 18 home runs in 79 games at Double-A Huntsville.

Keep an eye on Andrew Fischer – the 2025 first-round selection from Tennessee as well; his swagger reminds some of Ryan Braun.

Outfield

As for the outfield, can we hope that health will be on the side of Garrett Mitchell for a year? An outfield consisting of Chourio, Frelick, Mitchell, and Blake Perkins as the fourth outfielder looks promising.

Ultimately, this all hinges on whether Woodruff accepts his qualifying offer. Even if he declines, it’s hard to envision the Brewers breaking the bank on anyone. They might continue the same approach as in 2025 and see what starting pitchers remain unsigned in March, like former Brewer Nestor Cortes, Merrill Kelly, or a potential return of Quintana.

This presents an intriguing scenario for Matt Arnold. Should he aggressively build off of 2025, or trust the process, knowing more talent is on the way? While the fan base would love to see them go all-in, the Brewers must be cautious not to overextend themselves because they cannot afford to waste their limited capital in free agency.