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Brewers Interested In Jackie Bradley Jr.

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An intriguing new team has emerged in the Jackie Bradley Jr. race, as FanSided’s Robert Murray (Twitter link) reports that the Brewers are “in the mix” for the outfielder’s services.  Milwaukee made a push to sign Justin Turner before the third baseman re-signed with the Dodgers, indicating that the Brewers have some money to spend if they feel a substantial upgrade can be found.

While the Brewers technically have a regular center fielder in Lorenzo Cain and a full outfield altogether with Christian Yelich and Avisail Garcia in the corners, an argument can certainly be made for Bradley’s inclusion.  Cain played five games before opting out of the 2020 season, and he also struggled at the plate while dealing with a number of injuries in 2019.

Those injury problems didn’t hamper Cain’s glovework, however, as Cain was his usual excellent self in center field.  The idea of having both Cain and Bradley in the same outfield would be a dream from a defensive standpoint, and the Brewers could also deploy Bradley in center to give Cain some off-days, while occasionally sitting Bradley when a tough left-handed pitcher is on the mound.  Garcia would likely see the biggest reduction in playing time, coming off a season that saw him hit only .238/.333/.326 over 207 plate appearances.

Bradley’s bat has been inconsistent over the years, though he hit .283/.364/.450 with seven home runs over 217 PA with the Red Sox in 2020.  His hard-contact numbers weren’t impressive, marking a bit of a strange reversal from the 2017-19 seasons that saw Bradley made much more solid contact but it didn’t translate to above-average offensive production.

Several clubs have been linked to Bradley over the course of the offseason, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that “about a half dozen teams” still considering signing the 30-year-old (who turns 31 in April).  Such teams as the Giants and Astros have shown interest in Bradley and still have obvious room in their outfields, though The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal noted today that signing Bradley would put Houston over the luxury tax threshold, which would hamper the team from a draft-compensation standpoint this winter for both its own free agents (i.e. Carlos Correa) and any free agents it might pursue.

Other possible Bradley suitors like the Red Sox, Mets, Cubs, and Phillies could be only on the periphery based on other additions made this offseason.  With Bradley still on the market as Spring Training begins, however, it could open the door for more non-obvious teams like the Brewers to check in to see if a deal could possibly be had.

Brewers To Sign Travis Shaw

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8:02pm: Shaw will make $1.5MM with another potential $1.5MM in incentives if he earns a roster spot, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com relays. There’s a March 15 opt-out date in the pact.

7:14pm: Shaw will get a non-guaranteed deal, per Bradford.

6:48pm: A Shaw signing “is imminent” for the Brewers, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com tweets.

6:19pm: Free-agent corner infielder Travis Shaw and the Brewers are “in serious talks” on a contract, Robert Murray of FanSided tweets. It’s “likely” they’ll reach a deal, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reported earlier Tuesday that Shaw could come off the board soon.

There is plenty of familiarity between the Brewers and Shaw, who spent 2017-19 with the team after it acquired him from the Red Sox in December 2016. Shaw was an offensive standout as a Brewer in his first two years, in which he hit .258/.347/.497 with 63 home runs in 1,193 plate appearances, but his numbers have dropped off significantly since then. He batted a horrific .157/.281/.270 with seven homers over 270 PA in his final year with the team, and the Brewers non-tendered him after that.

Shaw joined the Blue Jays on a $4MM guarantee heading into last season, and though he did post better numbers, he still wasn’t a major threat. The 30-year-old slashed .239/.306/.411 with six HRs across 180 PA. If he goes back to Milwaukee, though, Shaw could compete for at-bats at both first and third. The Brewers are slated to start Keston Hiura and Luis Urias at those two positions, while Daniel Vogelbach and Daniel Robertson are on their 40-man roster as potential bench options.

Brewers Acquire Derek Fisher From Blue Jays

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The Brewers have acquired outfielder Derek Fisher from the Blue Jays for cash and a player to be named later, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.

Milwaukee is the third organization for Fisher, who began as the 37th overall pick of the Astros in 2014. Houston sent him to Toronto five years later in a 2019 trade that delivered right-handers Aaron Sanchez and Joe Biagini to the Astros.

Fisher didn’t have much major league success with either the Astros or Jays, as evidenced by his .194/.286/.376 line with 17 home runs and 10 stolen bases in 458 plate appearances. He does, however, own a much more imposing triple-slash of .289/.379/.520 with 50 homers in 1,053 PA at the Triple-A level. Because Fisher is out of options, though, he’ll have to earn a spot on the Brewers’ 40-man roster this spring or potentially go back to the waiver wire. Christian Yelich, Avisail Garcia, Lorenzo Cain, Daniel Robertson, Tyrone Taylor, Billy McKinney, Corey Ray and Tim Lopes represent the other outfield-capable players on the Brewers’ 40-man.

Brewers Sign Brad Boxberger To Minors Contract

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The Brewers have agreed to a minor league deal with right-hander Brad Boxberger, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel reports (via Twitter).  Boxberger will receive an invitation to the team’s Major League Spring Training camp.

After signing a minors contract with the Marlins last winter, Boxberger posted a 3.00 ERA over 18 innings with Miami, plus 3 1/3 scoreless frames during the team’s playoff run.  It was a nice bounce-back performance for Boxberger in terms of pure results after struggling in 2019 with the Royals, though there wasn’t much difference between the two seasons from an analytical perspective.

Boxberger’s 22.8K% and 10.1BB% were both below average and there weren’t a lot of positives within his Statcast numbers, with the exception of a fastball spin rate in the 90th percentile.  For added pluses, Boxberger posted a career-best 51% grounder rate, and his fastball averaged 92.5mph for his highest velocity since 2015.

It was during that 2015 season that Boxberger achieved All-Star status for a 41-save season with the Rays, but he then battled some injuries and became something of a journeyman since Tampa traded him to the Diamondbacks in November 2017.  Since Opening Day 2018, Boxberger has now been a member of six different organizations, counting Milwaukee.  The right-hander will compete for a job in a Brewers bullpen that has plenty of talent but relatively little MLB experience, so Boxberger could add a veteran element to the mix.

NL Notes: Turner, Brewers, Cubs, Robertson, Mets

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Justin Turner is returning to the Dodgers, agreeing to terms last night on a two-year, $34MM guarantee with a 2023 option. The Brewers were known to be interested in Turner for much of the offseason and apparently made a legitimate run at the star third baseman. Milwaukee made a two-year offer similar to the one Turner ultimately accepted from Los Angeles, while also proposing a potential three-year deal at a lower annual rate, hears Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). Having missed out on Turner, Milwaukee’s now left to weigh the possibility of another addition versus rolling with the in-house pairing of Luis Urías and Daniel Robertson at the hot corner.

More from the National League:

  • The Cubs are looking to add a left-handed hitting second baseman, reports Bruce Levine of 670 the Score (Twitter link). There aren’t a ton of players fitting the profile still available in free agency, unless the Cubs are interested in a reunion with Daniel Descalso or Jason Kipnis. Eric Sogard might be the cleanest fit, but he’s coming off a poor season with the Brewers. Travis Shaw remains on the open market as well; he’s primarily a corner infielder but has some experience at the keystone. Otherwise, Chicago might be left looking to the trade market to address the issue.
  • Levine also notes that the Cubs were among the teams to attend David Robertson’s recent showcase as they pursue veteran bullpen help. A 2019 Tommy John surgery wiped out almost all of Robertson’s past two seasons, but the 35-year-old looks like an interesting buy-low candidate now that he’s returned to health. Robertson was among the more consistent and productive relievers in baseball before the operation.
  • The Mets are promoting Steve Barningham to international scouting director, relays Tim Healey of Newsday (via Twitter). Healey adds that the 46-year-old has worked in the New York organization since 2005. In addition to his voluminous scouting experience, Barningham played a pair of seasons in the Rangers’ system in the early 2000’s.

Latest On Justin Turner

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Justin Turner’s market had already reportedly narrowed to four teams, and the field could now be even thinner for the former All-Star.  The Dodgers and Brewers have each made multi-year contract offers to Turner, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link), and while the third baseman could potentially have other longer-term offers on the table, Turner seems “less likely” to sign with other rumored suitors like the Braves, Mets, or Blue Jays.

If Turner’s final four is now down to a final two, the Dodgers are still in the lead, according to both Heyman and FanSided’s Robert Murray (via Twitter).  There has been a widespread expectation for much of the winter that Turner would eventually re-sign with Los Angeles, though some wrinkles were added by Turner’s initial ask of a four-year contract, and the Dodgers already projected to spend far beyond the $215MM luxury tax threshold.  As per Roster Resource, the Dodgers’ tax number for 2021 is over $240MM (thanks in large part to the Trevor Bauer signing), and spending beyond $250MM would trigger the maximum tax penalty — a 42.5% surtax on overages, and the Dodgers’ first 2021 draft pick would be dropped back in the draft order by 10 spots.

Of course, the Dodgers could have no issue taking the extra one-year tax hit in order to bolster their chances at another World Series title, or to retain a star player who has spent the last seven seasons in Dodger blue.  Still, the lack of common ground to date between Turner and the Dodgers has opened the door for a team like Milwaukee, as Murray writes that the Brewers made a “competitive” offer.  It seems unlikely that any team would be willing to give four guaranteed years to the 36-year-old Turner, but speculatively, the Brewers might gain an edge over L.A. by offering three years depending on the nature of the Dodgers’ offer.

As for the other teams linked to Turner, earlier reports suggested that the Mets weren’t getting far in contract talks.  The chances of Turner going to Atlanta or Toronto seemed to dim after those teams made other high-priced signings — the Braves and Marcell Ozuna, and the Blue Jays with George Springer and Marcus Semien.

Latest On Ryan Braun’s Future

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Longtime Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun’s future has been in question since the club declined his 2021 option at the start of the offseason. While the Brewers and Braun have been in contact since then, no deal appears imminent, and retirement seems like a legitimate possibility for the 37-year-old.

“I’m continuing to work out and stay in shape, but I’m not currently interested in playing,” Braun told Adam McCalvy of MLB.com in a text message. “I am enjoying my family and focused on other business interests for now but appreciate the interest I’ve received and will continue to regularly stay in touch with the Brewers.”

Braun has been a Brewer for his entire career, which started in 2007, but the six-time All-Star doesn’t look like an ideal fit for their roster at this point. That’s, of course, assuming the Brewers won’t line him up in the corner outfield on a regular basis. Braun split last year between right and designated hitter, but the Brewers have Avisail Garcia as an RF, while it doesn’t look as if the DH will return to the National League in 2021. Braun could perhaps get time at first base, though the Brewers will primarily turn to Keston Hiura there after signing second baseman Kolten Wong in free agency.

Even if the Brewers had an obvious opening for Braun, it’s debatable whether he’s effective enough anymore to occupy one. While Braun is among the most decorated sluggers in recent memory, he struggled to a career-worst .233/.281/.488 line with eight home runs in 141 plate appearances during an injury-limited 2020. The Brewers then decided to turn down a $15MM mutual option in favor of a $4MM buyout.

Brewers Sign Jordan Zimmermann To Minor League Deal

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The Brewers have signed veteran right-hander Jordan Zimmermann to a minor league contract and invited him to Major League Spring Training, per a team announcement. It’s a homecoming for the Auburndale native and UW-Stevens Point product. He’s represented by ISE Baseball.

Zimmemann, 35 in May, had a much different free-agent experience this time around than his he did in his first foray into the open market, when he was one of the top names available in the 2015-16 offseason. He’d put together an excellent five-year run with the Nationals leading up to that free-agent venture, but the resulting five-year, $110MM investment from the Tigers proved to be a disaster for the Detroit organization.

Three of Zimmerman’s five seasons in Detroit ended with an ERA north of 6.00, including a 2020 season in which he was limited to just 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander’s best year with the Tigers came in 2018, when he tossed 131 1/3 roughly average innings — far from the No. 2/No. 3 type of starter the Tigers hoped to be getting in signing him to that nine-figure deal. On the whole, Zimmermann’s time with the Tigers produced 514 1/3 innings of 5.63 ERA ball with a similarly discouraging 4.80 SIERA and a lackluster 16.3 percent strikeout rate.

For the Brewers, however, there’s no risk in taking a speculative flier on a pitcher who, at least from 2011-15, was one of the game’s more underrated arms. A return to that form shouldn’t be expected — not when his average fastball has dipped about four miles per hour as he’s weathered forearm, back, shoulder and UCL injuries in the past half decade. But Zimmermann’s control remained excellent throughout his Tigers tenure, and he can still generate above-average spin on that depleted four-seamer. If he indeed makes the Brewers’ roster, it’s unlikely to be with the expectation of serving as anything more than a fifth starter or swingman.

NL Central Notes: Turner, Wong, Doolittle, Flaherty

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The Brewers were known to be one of the teams linked to Justin Turner’s market, and Milwaukee still has interest in Turner even after signing Kolten Wong, FanSided’s Robert Murray tweets.  A deal with Turner may be something of a longshot at this point, as Murray notes that the Dodgers are still considered the favorites for the third baseman, and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal writes that the Brewers are just “on the periphery of the bidding for Turner.”

Still, the Brew Crew might see an opportunity to strike given the overall lack of action by NL Central teams this winter.  Milwaukee has a projected payroll of just under $92MM for the coming season, and signing Turner for something in the ballpark of a $13MM average annual value wouldn’t put the Brewers far beyond the $102MM they were projected to spend last season prior to the prorated salary reductions for the 60-game schedule.  If necessary, president of baseball operations David Stearns could also look to swing some trades to create a bit of extra payroll space either before or during the season.  While some creativity may be required, it isn’t as far-fetched as it may seem that the Brewers could still pry Turner away from more free-spending suitors like the Dodgers or Blue Jays.

More from the NL Central…

  • Speaking of Wong, reports throughout the offseason indicated the Cardinals were ready to move on after declining their $12.5MM club option on his services back in October, and Wong confirmed as much in a recent chat with reporters (including Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).  The second baseman said the Cardinals “talked here and there” with his representatives “but it wasn’t much, kind of checking in, feeling things out.  We never really engaged.”  By contrast, “the Brewers were on me at the beginning ]of the offseason]….I just felt like a top priority.  They made it feel like home.”  Several teams were linked to Wong throughout the winter but the Brewers ended up landing the two-time Gold Glover for a two-year contract worth $18MM in guaranteed money.
  • Sean Doolittle also spoke with reporters (including Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post) about his own free agent experience, which concluded when he signed a one-year, $1.5MM deal with the Reds last week.  Cincinnati was in touch with Doolittle early in the free agent process and he ended up choosing them amongst a few suitors, though Doolittle admitted that he held out hope for much of the winter that he would end up re-signing with the Nationals.  There were some negotiations between Doolittle and the Nats but once Washington signed Brad Hand in late January, Doolittle began to pivot to other teams.
  • The arbitration hearing between Jack Flaherty and the Cardinals took place on Friday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, so a decision should be coming any time about Flaherty’s 2021 salary.  The right-hander is looking for $3.9MM, while the Cards countered with a $3MM figure.  While this is Flaherty’s first year of arbitration eligibility, Goold observes that this is actually the third straight year of some salary-related contention between the two sides, as the Cardinals renewed Flaherty’s pre-arb contracts in each of the previous two seasons after Flaherty didn’t agree to the team’s figure as a matter of “principle.”  Goold writes that Flaherty and the Cards came within $300K of agreeing to a deal prior to the arbitration deadline, and continued to have talks even leading up to the hearing.  This would seemingly imply that a contract extension was being discussed, since St. Louis otherwise wouldn’t re-open negotiations after the arb deadline due to the team’s “file and trial” strategy for arbitration cases.

Brewers Interested In Shin-Soo Choo At First Base

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It’s been a few seasons since Shin-Soo Choo had an opportunity for impact at-bats, but the southpaw swinger has maintained his control of the strike zone with solid bat-to-ball skills. His 10.2 walk percentage in 2020 remains solidly above-average, and though a 26.0 strikeout rate isn’t ideal, he did enough damage when he did make contact to produce a 97 wRC+. His exit velocity (90 mph), 10.1 percent barrel rate and below-average .284 BABIP suggest Choo might have gotten that wRC+ number back above average had there been a full season in 2020. Instead, that number fell below 100 for the first time since 2007.

While the 38-year-old seems to have enough left in the tank to contribute offensively, he’s long been considered a subpar defender in the outfield, a perception that’s born out in -25 career defensive runs saved across 1,722 career innings in left, and -26 DRS over 8,109 2/3 career innings in right. But Choo has been working out at first base this offseason to provide teams with another avenue for getting his bat in the lineup, per Robert Murray of FanSided (via Twitter).

That’s enough for the Brewers to give him a look, notes Murray. Presumably, the Brewers also like Choo as a potential contributor at the designated hitter spot, should it eventually find its way into the 2021 rule book. Otherwise, Choo would join a rotating collection of position players at manager Craig Counsell’s disposal. With the recent addition of Kolten Wong at second, Keston Hiura is expected to slide over to first full-time. There are at-bats to be had at third base for Hiura, as well, with Luis Urias being relatively unproven at the hot corner. All in all, it’s not hard to imagine Choo getting regular work in Milwaukee between first base and right field, where Avisail Garcia’s career splits suggest he might be best suited in a short-side platoon.

The Pirates have also expressed some interest in Choo at first base, per the Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel (via Twitter), though not much progress was made towards a deal. The Phillies are another of Choo’s known suitors.

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