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Brewers Name Pat Murphy Manager

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November 15: The Brewers officially announced Murphy’s hiring today.

November 13: The Brewers appear to have settled on their new manager. Milwaukee is expected to promote longtime bench coach Pat Murphy, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Murphy will replace longtime manager Craig Counsell after his departure to the Cubs.

Milwaukee’s managerial search proved to be a short one, ultimately concluding just one week after Counsell officially departed for Chicago. In that time, the Brewers reportedly considered several candidates in addition to Murphy during the short process, including Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly, Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough, 14-year MLB veteran Rickie Weeks and Astros hitting coach Troy Snitker.

Their reported list of candidates also included a pair of names attached to the other managerial vacancies around the league at the time: Astros then-bench coach Joe Espada, who has since been promoted to the managerial gig in Houston, as well as Padres senior advisor Mike Shildt, who is considered a potential favorite to replace Bob Melvin in San Diego. Ultimately, the Brewers decided to go with Murphy, who many around the game had speculated could consider joining Counsell as bench coach in Chicago if not promoted in Milwaukee.

Murphy, 64, has never been formally hired for the manager’s role with a big league organization but has plenty of experience managing in baseball nonetheless. He ran the Padres for 96 games on an interim basis in 2015 after Bud Black was dismissed that June. Murphy also spent more than 20 years as a head coach in college baseball for Arizona State and Notre Dame. Now, he’ll get his first proper managerial opportunity in the major leagues, stepping into Counsell’s shoes in the Milwaukee dugout after the pair worked closely for eight seasons.

He’ll inherit a roster that figures to be in flux this offseason. Though the Brewers won 92 games and an NL Central crown in 2023 en route to their fifth playoff appearance in the past six seasons, Counsell’s departure combined with the impending free agencies of ace right-hander Corbin Burnes and shortstop Willy Adames have Milwaukee’s front office potentially contemplating major changes to the roster. Further complicating the club’s offseason plans is the status of Burnes’s fellow ace Brandon Woodruff, who underwent shoulder surgery earlier in the offseason and is expected to miss most or perhaps even all of the 2024 season, though he hopes to be back sometime next summer.

Tumultuous as the coming offseason might be, the outlook in Milwaukee isn’t entirely bleak. Outfielder Jackson Chourio is widely considered one of the top two prospects in the entire sport. The club’s farm system sports three other top 100 prospects per MLB Pipeline. Those prospects could help to supplement a core of quality players at the big league level that includes catcher William Contreras, right-hander Freddy Peralta, closer Devin Williams, and outfielders Christian Yelich and Garrett Mitchell, among others. Even if Burnes and Adames are dealt this offseason, the club has the pieces to remain competitive in a relatively weak NL Central division if they choose to supplement the roster rather than engage in a larger teardown.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

MLBTR Podcast: Top Trade Candidates, Bryce Harper at First Base and the Braves’ Raising Payroll

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • The NL Central appears to be the most intriguing division from an offseason perspective. The 2023 division winner could be selling. The Reds have a positive youth movement that could be augmented with veterans and turn into a real threat. The Cubs and Cardinals have pieces and could do an offseason push to rapidly improve their teams. The Pirates always seem to be a year or two away. What does each team in the NL Central need to do take the Brewers spot on top of the division? Do you see a potential arms race in the middle of the country instead of the coasts? (25:10)
  • Do the Angels have a chance for Cody Bellinger or one of the top pitchers? (29:50)
  • Could you explain why any team would trade something of value for Jonathan India? He’s been one of the worst defensive second basemen in baseball both of the last two years (according to both DRS and OAA), plus he’s been a below average hitter by wRC+ both years? He’s also had injury concerns both years. Maybe I’m wrong, but wouldn’t just about any contender aim higher than him as a starting second baseman? (34:10)

Check out our past episodes!

Brewers To Add Rickie Weeks To Coaching Staff

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The Brewers are adding Rickie Weeks to the major league coaching staff, as first reported by Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. A coaching position is opening with the reported promotion of bench coach Pat Murphy to manager.

It isn’t clear if Weeks will receive Murphy’s old title. Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes that the 41-year-old is taking on responsibilities that would traditionally fall to the bench coach, however.

Whatever the specific role, it’ll be the first MLB coaching gig for the longtime second baseman. The #2 overall pick of the 2003 draft, Weeks played in the big leagues for nearly a decade and a half. Eleven seasons came in Milwaukee, where he made an All-Star Game in 2011. Weeks hit .249/.347/.424 as a member of the Brew Crew. He later suited up with the Mariners, Diamondbacks and Rays before finishing his playing days in 2017.

Weeks returned to his original organization in February 2022 — this time as a player development assistant. He clearly impressed in that role, as he lands an MLB coaching job two seasons later. Weeks was floated as a candidate for the managerial job between Craig Counsell’s departure and the agreement to hire Murphy. It isn’t known if he received a formal interview for that position.

Promoting Weeks directly to manager would have been a bit of a surprise given his limited coaching experience (although the Guardians tabbed Stephen Vogt just one year removed from his retirement as a player). Working on Murphy’s staff could position Weeks well for managerial opportunities down the line. In the interim, he’ll be back in the dugout at American Family Field.

Brewers Acquire Oliver Dunn From Phillies

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The Brewers have acquired infielder Oliver Dunn from the Phillies, per an announcement from the latter club. Dunn has been added to Milwaukee’s 40-man roster, per Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, bringing their count to 37. In exchange, the Phillies receive outfielder Hendry Mendez and infielder Robert Moore. Notably, Dunn was set to be Rule 5 eligible but the other two players were not. Today is the deadline for selecting players to prevent them from being eligible in the Rule 5 draft.

Dunn, 26, was an 11th-round selection of the Yankees in 2019 but went to the Phillies last year. He was the very last pick in the minor league phase of last year’s Rule 5 draft, with the Phils making three more selections after every other team gave up.

He then played 119 Double-A games in the Phillies’ organization in 2023, hitting 21 home runs and stealing 16 bases. He struck out in 27.5% of his plate appearances but also walked 16.2% of the time. His .271/.396/.506 batting line translated to a wRC+ of 148 while playing second base, third base and left field. He then went to the Arizona Fall League and hit .343/.455/.616 in 88 plate appearances there.

Dunn would have been Rule 5 eligible again next month but it seems the Phils didn’t have a spot for him, or perhaps were debating the decision until they were able to work out this deal, nabbing a couple of guys who won’t be Rule 5 eligible until 2025.

Mendez, 20, was an international signing out of the Dominican Republic, getting a bonus of $800K from the Brewers in 2021. Prior to this deal, he was considered the #25 prospect in the Brewers’ system by Baseball America, who note that he has strong approach at the plate but a concerning lack of power. He has nine home runs so far in his 856 minor league plate appearances, including three this past season.

Moore, 22 in March, was just selected 72nd overall in the 2022 draft. The son of executive Dayton Moore, he got into 123 High-A games in 2023 and hit .233/.321/.361 for a wRC+ of 94. He played second base, third base and shortstop. BA has him ranked #20 in the system.

For the Brewers, they’re giving up a couple of long-term prospects coming off underwhelming seasons in order to add a guy who can bolster their infield depth immediately. They are set to have Willy Adames at shortstop, though his name has come up in trade rumors. They also have Andruw Monasterio, Brice Turang, Rowdy Tellez, Abraham Toro, Owen Miller, Jahmai Jones and Vinny Capra as options on the 40-man to cover the infield spots, with Dunn now added into that mix.

Brewers Select Jeferson Quero, Bradley Blalock

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The Brewers announced to reporters, including Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, that they have selected catcher Jeferson Quero and right-hander Bradley Blalock to the 40-man roster. Tomorrow is the deadline to select players eligible for the Rule 5 draft in order to protect them from being selected. The 40-man roster count is now at 36.

Quero, 21, was an international signing out of Venezuela, getting a $200K bonus in 2019. The minor leagues were canceled in 2020 but Quero has since made up for lost time by going through Rookie ball, Single-A, High-A and Double-A.

He spent all of 2023 with the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers, getting into 90 contests for that club. He walked in 10% of his plate appearances while also limited his strikeouts to a 17.8% rate, hitting 16 home runs and stealing five bases. His .262/.339/.440 batting line translated to a wRC+ of 107, indicating he was seven percent above league average.

Quero is considered an excellent defensive catcher, so that ability to also provide some offense makes him a very exciting prospect. He’s currently ranked #29 in the entire league by Baseball America and #32 at MLB Pipeline. Back in July, Keith Law of The Athletic had him up in the #11 slot. Given that lofty reputation, it’s unsurprising that the Brewers didn’t want to risk losing him in the Rule 5 draft. It will be hard for him to get regular playing time at the major league level with William Contreras taking the bulk of it, so Quero will likely head to Triple-A next year and continue to develop towards his eventual debut. The Brewers don’t have any other catchers on the 40-man roster at present but could sign a veteran backup in the offseason.

Blalock, 23 on Christmas, was a 32nd round pick of the Red Sox in 2019 but came to the Brewers a few months back in the Luis Urías trade. He wasn’t able to pitch very much between his draft and this past year since the minors were canceled in 2020 and he missed all of 2022 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. In 2023, he was able to make 15 minor league starts between the two clubs with a 2.82 earned run average. In his 67 innings, he struck out 27.7% of opponents while issuing walks at a 7.4% clip.

The righty has yet to reach Double-A but it seems the Brewers were nonetheless concerned that he could get picked up in the Rule 5. For now, he’ll add some long-term starting depth as he looks to take the next steps towards his major league debut. BA currently has him as the #24 prospect in the system while FanGraphs has him at #15.

Cubs Hire Craig Counsell As Manager

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Nov. 13: The Cubs formally introduced Counsell at a press conference Monday morning.

Nov. 6: The managerial market provided a stunning twist today, with Craig Counsell jumping from the Brewers to the Cubs. He will replace David Ross, who has been relieved of his duties, per an announcement from the Cubs. Counsell will become the highest-paid manager in the league, earning $40MM over the next five years, $8MM per year. The Brewers reportedly made him an offer to stay in Milwaukee but topped out at $5.5MM per year.

“Today we made the difficult decision to dismiss David Ross as our Major League Manager,” a statement from president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer reads. “On behalf of the Cubs organization, we express our deep gratitude for David’s contributions to our club, both on and off the field. First as a player and then as a manger, David continually showcased his ability to lead. David’s legacy will be felt in Chicago for generations and his impact to our organization will stack up with the legends that came before him. Going forward, our Major League team will be managed by Craig Counsell. We look forward to welcoming Craig at Wrigley Field early next week.”

Counsell took over as manager of the Brewers for the 2015 season. Since then, the club has had a run of strong results, making the playoffs in five of the past six years despite generally having low payrolls. 2023 was the final year of his contract and he was a popular target around the league. He interviewed with the Guardians and Mets and garnered interest from the Astros, though a return to the Brewers seemed to still be possible. But now in a stunning twist, he’s jumping from the Brewers to their divisional rivals, who weren’t even known to be looking for a new skipper.

The fit with the Mets was a sensible assumption to make, even before Counsell interviewed there. David Stearns, who worked with Counsell for many years in Milwaukee, was hired by the Mets a couple of months ago to be president of baseball operations. It was also reported last week that Counsell was looking to push manager salaries forward, which only made the fit with the Mets more logical, given the spendthrift stylings of owner Steve Cohen.

Joe Torre previously had the managerial salary record, earning $8MM with the Yankees. But his last season in the dugout was 2007 and salaries for skippers have evidently levelled off since then. Recent reporting indicated that Terry Francona of the Guardians was the highest-paid manager in 2023, with a reported salary of $4.5MM. Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote last month about the growing concern around the game that managerial and coaching salaries at the big league level were falling behind those of many colleges. Counsell seems to have set a mission to reverse that trend and seems to have done so, which could potentially have effects in the game for years to come.

But the fact that the Cubs have swooped in to be the one to help him accomplish that goal is a development that came out of nowhere. Ross has been the manager for the Cubs since 2020 and was extended prior to 2022, with a contract that went through 2024 and had a club option for 2025. The Cubs have been rebuilding for much of that time but made a more earnest shot at contending in 2023. They gave significant contracts to players like Dansby Swanson, Jameson Taillon, Cody Bellinger and others last winter and then added Jeimer Candelario at the deadline. Unfortunately, the club fell just short, finishing 83-79 and just a single game back of a Wild Card spot.

It seems the club will respond to that finish with a managerial shift, though it’s not necessarily a knock on Ross. Heyman reports that today’s development was more about Counsell’s availability than it was about Ross. As the season was winding down, both Hoyer and chairman Tom Ricketts voiced support for Ross but they have now pivoted in a big way, putting down significant cash to do so.

This move will have ripple effects on the game of musical chairs that has been playing out in terms of big league managerial positions. Counsell will be charged with leading the Cubs further away from their recent rebuild while the Brewers will now have to look for a new bench boss for the first time in almost a decade. The Astros, Padres and Angels have current vacancies as well.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported that Counsell would be leaving the Brewers and that he would join the Cubs. Rosenthal also reported that Counsell would make more than $40MM over five years, though subsequent reports pegged his contract at exactly $40MM. Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel provided the details on the offer from the Brewers.

Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.

NL Central Notes: Shildt, Brewers, Morel, Keller, Cruz

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Mike Shildt is considered one of the favorites to be the Padres’ next manager, but USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that if San Diego doesn’t make the hire, the Brewers would have interest in Shildt for their own managerial vacancy. Shildt and bench coach Ryan Flaherty are thought to be the two top candidates in San Diego, though there is a bit of fluidity to the situation.  Shildt, Flaherty, and Angels infield coach Benji Gil were thought to be the final three (Carlos Mendoza was also a finalist before he was hired by the Mets) candidates, but the Padres have since interviewed Phil Nevin and also reportedly have some interest in ex-Cubs skipper David Ross.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi writes that “Padres are expected to” make their decision on a new manager by the middle of the week, so the Brewers should know soon about Shildt’s availability.  The Brew Crew didn’t want to fully explore other candidates until Craig Counsell had made his decision, but after Counsell shocked the baseball world by supplanting Ross as the Cubs’ dugout boss, the Brewers now have a preliminary candidate list that included six names.  Joe Espada was on the list but has now been hired by the Astros as their new manager, so Shildt’s inclusion might keep the field at six for now.  Milwaukee has plenty of intra-division familiarity with Shildt, as he managed the Cardinals from 2018-21 before joining the Padres in an advisory role.

Some other items from around the NL Central…

  • Christopher Morel has drawn a lot of buzz as a trade candidate this winter, but The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma have some doubts that the Cubs would move Morel for a player who is only under control for the 2024 season.  Morel is controlled through the 2028 season, so Chicago is likelier to explore trades that would see another longer-term asset come back to Wrigleyville, in the event that Morel is moved at all.  The 24-year-old has shown lots of power potential and the athleticism to play multiple positions, though it remains to be seen if Morel is a real defensive plus anywhere on the diamond.  The presence of Nico Hoerner at second base perhaps blocks Morel at an ideal position, though Morel is preparing to add first base to his repertoire and might be an option at the cold corner if the Cubs don’t add a more established first baseman.
  • The Pirates were known to have had some talks with Mitch Keller about a contract extension last May, and while no deal was hammered out, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that “talks gained traction during the middle of last season, though the up-and-down nature of performance mixed with business led both sides to press pause until the fall or winter.”  Keller had an overall solid 2023 season, but ran into a midseason slump with a 6.28 ERA over five starts in July.  The Bucs also received some trade interest in Keller leading up to the deadline, and while it didn’t seem like a deal was ever likely to happen, it makes sense that the Pirates didn’t want to lock themselves into an extension with Keller just in case another club came along with a blow-away offer.  Speaking with Mackey and other reporters at the GM Meetings, Bucs general manager Ben Cherington called Keller “one of the guys who checks a lot of boxes” and “a guy we would love to see in a Pirates uniform for a long time,” but unsurprisingly didn’t give any information on the status of any ongoing extension negotiations.
  • Cherington did give an update on Oneil Cruz, who might play some winter ball in the Dominican Republic as a way of continuing his recovery from ankle surgery.  Cruz played in only nine games last season due to the April surgery, as continued soreness in his left leg prevented him from returning to action in September.  The good news is that Cruz has been participating in full baseball activities at the Pirates’ training camp, and he’ll be at least getting in some game action at the Pirates’ academy in the Dominican Republic, even if the winter ball assignment doesn’t happen.  Cherington still expects Cruz to be ready to go for Spring Training.

MLBTR Poll: Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff Decision

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Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff is among the most talented pitchers in the league today. In 103 starts since joining the club’s rotation full-time during the 2019 season, Woodruff has posted a 2.93 ERA (45% better than league average by measure of ERA+) with a 3.10 FIP and a 30% strikeout rate across 595 innings of work. Among pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched during that timeframe, only Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander have posted a lower ERA than Woodruff. Meanwhile, only Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, Blake Snell, and fellow Brewers Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta have posted a higher strikeout rate over that same timeframe.

Despite that immense talent, Woodruff struggled with injuries in 2023, making just 11 starts all season due to shoulder issues. While he managed an impressive 2.28 ERA and 29.2% strikeout rate during his limited time on the mound, the Brewers received devastating news last month when it was revealed that ace right-hander Brandon Woodruff underwent surgery that could put his entire 2024 season in jeopardy. News that a pitcher of Woodruff’s caliber has gone under the knife is never welcome, but it’s particularly poor timing for both the right-hander and his club given Woodruff’s pending free agency following the 2024 season.

With Woodruff projected for a $11.6MM salary in his final trip through arbitration by MLBTR’s Matt Swartz, the small-market Brewers have been unexpectedly forced to reckon with the question of whether or not it’s worth devoting what would have been nearly 10% of their total 2023 payroll (per RosterResource) to one-year deal for an injured arm with an uncertain timetable for return. While initial indications were that the righty would miss most or perhaps even all of the 2024 campaign, Woodruff himself has said that it’s possible he could return to the mound “at some point” next summer. Still, even the possibility of a half-season of excellence from Woodruff doesn’t change the fact that a $11.6MM gamble on Woodruff’s health could be unwise for Brewers to make this offseason.

With star manager Craig Counsell having already jumped ship to join the Cubs, the Brewers have started off their offseason by dealing veteran first baseman and outfielder Mark Canha to the Tigers as reports have indicated that the club is willing to deal the majority of the players on their roster. What’s more, co-ace Corbin Burnes and shortstop Willy Adames both set to hit the open market in 2024 in addition to Woodruff, leaving the Brewers in a tight spot regarding their roster if they hope to continue avoiding a full-blown rebuild as they have for the past several years. That being said, even if the Brewers wind up moving Burnes and Adames this offseason, it’s unlikely they’d find much value for Woodruff on the trade market.

It’s always possible that Woodruff and the Brewers could work out a short-term extension, extending Woodruff’s club control into 2025 while providing him additional security as he rehabs from shoulder surgery. That being said, Woodruff will be 31 years old on Opening Day 2024. Delaying his free agency until he’s preparing for his age-33 season would surely compromise the right-hander’s value on the open market, making it a less than attractive option for the righty. While Woodruff has expressed a desire to remain in Milwaukee long term, he noted last month that he and the Brewers had not yet engaged in extension negotiations at that point.

With MLB’s tender deadline less than a week away, the Brewers are staring down the most significant decision of their offseason to this point: do they tender Woodruff a contract? If they do so without a pre-tender extension, they could find themselves on the hook for a salary upwards of $12MM in 2024 for a pitcher who might not be able to contribute. And while they could extend Woodruff a qualifying offer next offseason to ensure they recoup draft pick compensation for his services, there’s no guarantee that his performance in 2024 coming off injury will justify such an expenditure. At the same time, Woodruff has strong incentive to not agree to a pre-tender deal. If the Brewers ultimately decide to non-tender the 30-year-old, he’ll have the opportunity to negotiate a deal with any of MLB’s 30 clubs on the open market, giving him plenty of options as he looks for a new home with whom to rehab and hopefully pitch in 2024 and perhaps beyond.

How do MLBTR readers believe the Brewers will approach their predicament? Will they non-tender Woodruff this coming Friday if he does not agree to a pre-tender deal, allowing him to hit the open market for nothing? Or will they tender him a contract and hope to agree to a more favorable arrangement than his $11.6MM projected salary later in the offseason? Have your say in the poll below:

(poll link for app users)

What Will The Brewers Do With Brandon Woodruff?
Non-tender him if he will not agree to a pre-tender deal with more favorable terms than his one-year, $11.6MM projection. 58.82% (3,171 votes)
Tender him a contract in hopes of agreeing to a more favorable deal later in the offseason. 41.18% (2,220 votes)
Total Votes: 5,391

Latest On Brewers’ Offseason Approach

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The Brewers are open to trade offers on the majority of their roster, writes Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. While that’s standard procedure for most teams — especially smaller-market franchises — Rosenthal suggests that Milwaukee could be more amenable than they had been in previous offseasons to moving notable players.

Around this time last offseason, Milwaukee was reportedly telling teams they weren’t interested in dealing Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes or Willy Adames. It doesn’t seem they’re being quite so definitive this time around. At the same time, that doesn’t guarantee any of those players will be on the move.

Woodruff doesn’t hold much trade value at this point anyhow. The All-Star righty underwent shoulder surgery and will miss the bulk of next season. He’s on track to hit free agency after that year. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him for an $11.6MM salary if tendered an arbitration contract. There’s a chance Milwaukee cuts him loose for nothing before next Friday’s non-tender deadline.

Burnes would have immense trade appeal, while Adames would be a valuable asset in his own right. The former is one of the sport’s best pitchers and would likely be the best starter available if the Brewers seriously considered dealing him. The 2021 Cy Young winner worked to a 3.39 ERA over 193 2/3 innings this year. He reached the 200 strikeout mark for a third straight season, fanning 25.5% of opponents. While a less impressive showing than Burnes’ three consecutive sub-3.00 ERA years between 2020-22, that’s still very strong production.

Swartz projects him for a salary just above $15MM in his final season of team control. The projected outlay on Adames checks in at $12.4MM. The 28-year-old shortstop is coming off a relative down season. He hit .217/.310/.411 across 638 trips to the plate. That’s well below the .256/.325/.483 line he’d posted between his acquisition from the Rays in May 2021 and the end of the ’22 season.

Despite the dip in offense, Adames would have strong trade appeal. He’s an excellent defender at the infield’s most demanding position. He still connected on 24 home runs and has topped 20 longballs in each of the last four full seasons. A dismal free agent shortstop class leaves other teams without many alternatives.

It is generally expected that Burnes and Adames will price themselves out of Milwaukee when they reach free agency. The Brewers could expect a stronger trade return this offseason than they would if they shopped either player at the deadline — an acquiring team would not only get a full year of their services, they’d be able to make them a qualifying offer next winter.

Moving either player would deal a notable blow to Milwaukee’s hopes of repeating as NL Central champions, though. Between Woodruff’s injury and Wade Miley hitting free agency, the Brew Crew are already thin on the rotation front. The aforementioned middle infield shortage would make it difficult to effectively replace Adames on a low-cost free agent pickup.

The Brewers have made one trade this offseason, sending Mark Canha to the Tigers in lieu of an $11.5MM club option. Moving either Burnes or Adames would be a much tougher decision. Milwaukee has around $36MM in guaranteed contracts for next season. The arbitration class is projected for nearly $65MM, although non-tenders of Woodruff and Rowdy Tellez would trim almost $18MM from that estimate. The Brewers opened the 2023 season with a player payroll in the $119MM range, so retaining Burnes and Adames should be financially viable.

Various others on the Milwaukee roster are sure to be the subject of interest from rival teams. Devin Williams would be one of the most in-demand relievers, while Adrian Houser could hold appeal to clubs looking for starting pitching. It’s hard to envision the Brewers orchestrating a full teardown — the organization has instead sought perpetual contention by moving select players as they get closer to free agency — but there are various options on the table for GM Matt Arnold over the coming months.

Astros Have Interviewed Joe Espada In Managerial Search

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Astros bench coach Joe Espada has received an interview in the club’s managerial search, GM Dana Brown confirmed this afternoon (link via Chandler Rome of the Athletic). That’s no surprise considering he has been viewed by many as the logical choice to replace Dusty Baker atop the Houston dugout.

Espada has never managed in the big leagues but has gotten serious attention from a number of teams. He was reportedly one of the finalists in the Marlins search last offseason and has interviewed for several jobs over the years. This morning, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal listed Espada among the potential targets for the Brewers as they set out in search of Craig Counsell’s replacement.

Curiously, Brown told reporters today that the Astros would not grant permission for Espada to interview with Milwaukee until Houston had made its own decision. However, Rome reports that Espada’s contract with the Astros expired on October 31 — thereby negating Houston’s ability to block him from speaking with other teams.

That the Astros have considered trying to prevent Espada from interviewing elsewhere at least seems to suggest he’s a legitimate candidate for the Houston job. Brown pushed back against characterizing the 48-year-old (or anyone else) as the favorite but confirmed Espada was the only in-house person under consideration. That rules out first base coach Omar López, who had been floated as a potential option in the immediate aftermath of Baker’s retirement. Brown added that another team’s bench coach without MLB managerial experience (whom he did not name) is among the other candidates.

Espada has spent the past six seasons as Houston bench coach, holding the position under both A.J. Hinch and Dusty Baker. Before that, he’d logged three seasons on the Yankees staff. Espada has managed for Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic but has no experience doing so in the affiliated ranks.

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