Headlines

  • Kelvin Herrera Announces Retirement
  • Braves Extend Brian Snitker
  • Giants, Scott Kazmir Agree To Minor League Deal
  • Yankees Sign Justin Wilson
  • Braves Sign Jake Lamb
  • Athletics Sign Mitch Moreland
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Indians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2020-21 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2021
    • 2021 MLB Arbitration Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • Last 100 Comments
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Latest On Brewers’ First Base Plans

By Connor Byrne | November 4, 2019 at 9:59pm CDT

Although the Brewers declined first baseman/outfielder Eric Thames’ 2020 option on Monday, that doesn’t necessarily mean his time with the franchise is up. General manager David Stearns stated after the decision that the team’s open to re-signing Thames for less than the $7.5MM salary he’d have made had it exercised his option, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

“We’re certainly not closing the door on bringing Eric back. We’ll see if there’s a fit sometime later in the offseason,” said Stearns. “But at this point with the dollar value associated with the club option and the market we see developing out there at that position, we thought it was in the [team’s] best interests to decline the option.”

The Brewers ended up saving $6.5MM by cutting Thames, whose option came with a $1MM buyout. The former Korea Baseball Organization superstar spent three years in Milwaukee, where his tenure began with a flourish early in 2017 before his production settled in at solid but unspectacular levels. Thames, who will turn 33 next week, slashed .247/.346/.505 with 25 home runs in 459 plate appearances this season. His overall offensive output checked in at a respectable 16 percent above the league-average mark, per FanGraphs’ wRC+ metric, though the left-handed hitter was a platoon player who did just about all of his damage versus righty pitchers.

Considering Thames’ limitations and what the Brewers deemed too high a price tag, the small-market club now at least wants to sees if it can find similar or better production for less money. In Stearns’ estimation, it’s shaping up to be a “robust” offseason market for first basemen in terms of free agency and trades. Jose Abreu, Edwin Encarnacion, Howie Kendrick, Justin Smoak and Mitch Moreland look like the game’s best free-agent first basemen, though at least the first two names on that list could prove to be out of the price range of a Milwaukee team that may want to save money at the spot, re-sign one or both of Yasmani Grandal and/or Mike Moustakas and perhaps upgrade other areas of need.

Should the Brewers opt against adding any somewhat pricey first basemen in the coming months, they could turn to outfielder Ryan Braun at the position. Braun is indeed “on the table” as an in-house option, Stearns revealed. While Braun only has 18 games at first on his resume (all of which came in 2018), moving him there may help preserve the oft-injured soon-to-be 36-year-old and his keep his still-capable bat in the lineup on a more consistent basis. The Brewers would perhaps be in position to deploy Trent Grisham as their primary left fielder in that scenario.

Share 0 Retweet 2 Send via email0

Eric Thames Milwaukee Brewers

Cardinals, Marcell Ozuna To Discuss Multiyear Deal
Main
Offseason Outlook: Colorado Rockies
26 comments
newest oldest

Comments

  1. Phattey

    1 year ago

    I’m sure we’ll just claim a bum off waivers or platoon the two best hitters from brewers summer fantasy camp

    2 Like
    Reply
  2. Matt Galvin

    1 year ago

    Shaw at 1B.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • gheitz67

      1 year ago

      How bad would Huira be at SS?

      Like
      Reply
      • weo

        1 year ago

        He’s the worst 2nd baseman in baseball, so he’d probably be the worst SS in baseball. He’s ticketed for left field if he can’t drastically improve.

        Like
        Reply
  3. Baseball 1600

    1 year ago

    Trade for Brandon Belt

    Like
    Reply
    • Bocephus

      1 year ago

      lol

      1 Like
      Reply
      • Baseball 1600

        1 year ago

        Please

        Like
        Reply
  4. iuo

    1 year ago

    The Brewers should be interested in Wilmer Flores 28yrs old and he can play 1B and 2B, had a good season (.319/ 9HR/ 37 RBI in just 265 AB’s) in Arizona even though he was out due to injury.

    1 Like
    Reply
  5. Jeff Zanghi

    1 year ago

    Assuming Thames can be had for significantly less than $7.5M I wouldn’t mind seeing the Red Sox take a flier on him and platoon him with Chavis. If nothing else Thames would provide them with really good pop and assuming Betts is on his way out in Boston – it could serve as a relatively cheap way to help fill some of the offensive power that will clearly be missing with Betts gone. Additionally Chavis could play at 2B when Thames is in the lineup (assuming Pedrioa doesn’t really comeback from his knee injuries) I think it would be a solid fit.

    Like
    Reply
    • Stanley

      1 year ago

      Great idea

      Like
      Reply
  6. stubby66

    1 year ago

    If I’m the Brewers and San Diego is willing to eat 2/3 of Myers contract I’m trading Ray Black and Nate Griep for Myers and Hedges

    1 Like
    Reply
    • stubby66

      1 year ago

      That or see if you can pry Dominic Smith away from New York for Ben Gamel.

      Like
      Reply
      • GarryHarris

        1 year ago

        To get Dominic Smith, I suspect the team will also have to take on Yoenis Cespedis too.

        Like
        Reply
        • WereAllJustGuestsHere

          1 year ago

          If the Mets took Grichuk I’d do Smith and take Cespedes’ contract.

          Like
          Reply
    • gheitz67

      1 year ago

      I would love to see Dominic Smith with the Crew.

      1 Like
      Reply
  7. jvent

    1 year ago

    Dom Smith for Corey Ray or Nottingham the Mets need a CF and C

    Like
    Reply
    • Chris Koch

      1 year ago

      That could be a possibility. The Brewers would have to get Grandal back on a 3-4yr deal first and then make that trade.

      Like
      Reply
      • stubby66

        1 year ago

        I would rather give Nottingham a shot with Pina and sign Didi for short then Grandal who thinks he is as good as Bench when in reality more like a Rick Cerone. Take away Grandal away from Milwaukee and he will bat .235 with 20 home runs

        Like
        Reply
        • HailRodgers12$

          1 year ago

          What has nothingham done to suggest he’ll be any good as even a platoon MLB catcher?
          And let’s pump the brakes just a bit on replacing arcia (not that it’s a terrible idea) until we fill the actual holes we have at 3b, 1b and c.
          And I’m really hoping the plan isn’t to move Braun to 1b on a regular basis. I think there’s a reason he didn’t play there at all (that I recall) in ’19, despite how godawful Aguilar and thames were early in the season…hes not good, and I suspect he doesn’t want to play there either.

          Like
          Reply
        • Thomas James

          1 year ago

          Braun come up as a third baseman. His problem wasn’t picking it, it was throwing where about 90 percent of his errors were. It just makes to much sense to move him to first at this point in his career. They are already committed to him financially so might as well get the most for their dollar they can. Save the money and bring back at least Moose and Drew.

          Like
          Reply
        • HailRodgers12$

          1 year ago

          It may make sense to us, but again, I think there’s at least 1 reason he didn’t play 1b in ’19. He either hates it and said he wouldn’t do it, or something about it (stretching on low/bad throws..?) was physically uncomfortable.
          Meanwhile, Grandal saw time there as a way to keep his bat in the lineup and rest his knees. Even Shaw played some 1b, and he couldn’t hit.

          Like
          Reply
  8. FattKemp

    1 year ago

    “Explore the free agent market” really? Kendrick and Encarnacion are the only two listed that were better than Thames last year and Encarnacion hasn’t needed to wear a glove in 5 years..

    Like
    Reply
    • HailRodgers12$

      1 year ago

      Kinda doubt that Encarnacion will be cheaper either. Or be willing to put that glove back on.

      Like
      Reply
  9. jbeerj

    1 year ago

    Dom Smith for Corey Ray straight up.

    Like
    Reply
  10. Ron Rome

    1 year ago

    Travis Shaw needs to get an eye exam. Preferably a cycloplegic refraction. This year, he was an automatic out. An aging Braun, Shaw, Arcia, weak starting pitching, I might stop being a Brewers fan. Baseball needs a salary cap.

    Like
    Reply
    • BrewCrew82

      1 year ago

      You might want to stop being a baseball fan then. If you are upset that a team is carrying dead weight players coming off bad years, show me a team that isnt…..

      1 Like
      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Kelvin Herrera Announces Retirement

    Braves Extend Brian Snitker

    Giants, Scott Kazmir Agree To Minor League Deal

    Yankees Sign Justin Wilson

    Braves Sign Jake Lamb

    Athletics Sign Mitch Moreland

    Yankees Re-Sign Brett Gardner

    Giants To Sign Jake McGee

    Mariners CEO Kevin Mather Resigns

    Athletics Sign Trevor Rosenthal

    Recent

    MLBTR Poll: Shortstop Extension Candidates

    Chicago Notes: Baez, Pederson, Kopech

    Health Notes: Yordan, E-Rod, Bailey, Nottingham, Parra

    Giants Claim Jordan Humphreys

    Minor MLB Transactions: 2/26/21

    Braves Outright Phil Pfeifer

    Angels To Sign Jesse Chavez

    Kelvin Herrera Announces Retirement

    Braves Sign Terrance Gore To Minor League Deal

    Diamondbacks Designate Travis Bergen, Keury Mella For Assignment

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Kris Bryant Rumors
    • Jackie Bradley Jr. Rumors
    • Jake Odorizzi Rumors
    • Taijuan Walker Rumors
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • 2020-21 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2021
    • 2021 MLB Arbitration Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Indians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version