Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers will honor legendary broadcaster Bob Uecker during the 2025 season with a tribute patch.

Major League Baseball shared a look at the patch on Monday:

Uecker died last month at the age of 90 after a legendary broadcasting career. He became unanimous with the Brewers as he continued his career, and now the team will keep his memory alive in the season after his passing with the recognition on the jersey sleeve.

"Ueck was the light of the Brewers, the soundtrack of our summers, the laughter in our hearts, and his passing is a profound loss," the team said in a statement after his death. "He was the heart and soul of Wisconsin and a dear friend. Bob loved people; his presence warmed every room and he had a way of welcoming all of us into his world as if we were lifelong friends.

"Saying goodbye to Bob shakes us all. He was so much more than a Milwaukee Brewers icon. He was a national treasure. Bob entertained us with his words and storytelling, so it is no surprise that his passing now leaves us at a loss for our own words."

Uecker started as the Brewers' radio play-by-play man in 1971 after a playing career that included the 1964 World Series title with the St. Louis Cardinals. He also played for the Milwaukee Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves as a catcher.

While his playing career went for six seasons from 1962 to 1967, he was best known for his career in broadcasting. That time in broadcasting even landed him opportunities as a humorous announcer in the Major League film franchise and on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

But it was with the Brewers that he created his legacy.

The Baseball Hall of Fame recognized him with the Ford C. Frick Award in 2003, forever cementing his place in the sport's history. That came after he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2001.

The Brewers start their regular season with a March 27 road game against the New York Yankees. Their home opener is March 31 against the Kansas City Royals.

The Milwaukee Brewers announced Thursday that legendary announcer Bob Uecker died at the age of 90.

"Ueck was the light of the Brewers, the soundrack of our summers, the laughter in our hearts, and his passing is a profound loss," the team said in a statement. "He was the heart and soul of Wisconsin and a dear friend. Bob loved people; his presence warmed every room and he had a way of welcoming all of us into his world as if we were lifelong friends."

Uecker was the Brewers' radio play-by-play man since 1971. The Baseball Hall of Fame honored him with the Ford C. Frick Award in 2003 to celebrate his contributions from the broadcast booth.

Uecker also spent six seasons as a catcher in MLB, winning a World Series in 1964 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

"Bob became incredibly popular, incredibly recognizable, but his favorite environment was always the clubhouse," Hall of Famer Paul Molitor said, per MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. "He never changed. With everything that came his way, he never forgot his roots."

McCalvy also included some of the self-deprecating comments Uecker made about his nondescript playing career.

"You know, I was once named Minor League Player of the Year," he once said. "Unfortunately, I had been in the majors for two years at the time."

Uecker also quipped that his lifetime .200 batting average "tied me with another sports great averaging 200 or better in a 10-year period," before citing legendary professional bowler Don Carter.

Uecker's reach extended far beyond Milwaukee. His quick wit and sense of humor were regularly showcased on Johnny Carson's late-night television show, and he portrayed play-by-play announcer Harry Doyle in the Major League film franchise. A number of his lines from Major League entered the popular baseball vernacular.

Uecker even managed to carve a special place in wrestling history for himself. He was part of the broadcast for WrestleMania IV and the clip of him being "choked" by André the Giant circulated for years afterward in WrestleMania retrospectives.

"When you spend a lot of time with Ueck, you really wish that you wrote everything down," former Brewers manager Craig Counsell said, per McCalvy. "That's what I always wish. I wish I wrote it all down."

Free-agent shortstop Willy Adames is one of the most popular players on the open market this winter, and he reportedly could make himself even more attractive with his versatility.

According to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, sources close to the situation said that Adames "is open to a position change, but only if all other factors fit his desires." The 29-year-old would be willing to move around the infield if the team he signs with already has the shortstop position filled.

"If the team, city and contract work -- but there's an incumbent at shortstop -- Adames could move over to third or even to second base," Rogers explained.

It was noted that Adames has made 51 appearances at second base and just seven at third during his time in the majors, but an MLB scout believes his future will be in the hot corner.

"His middle infield range could be limited as he gets older," the scout told Rogers. "It wasn't the best last year, plus he has corner infield power. I like him there."

Adames is coming off a stellar season for the Milwaukee Brewers in which he posted career-highs of 32 home runs, 112 RBI and 21 stolen bases. He would surely be a strong addition to any team hoping to contend for a World Series title next year and beyond.

The Milwaukee Brewers are eyeing a former MVP in free agency.

Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Brewers are hoping to bring former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to Milwaukee this offseason. Nightengale also reported that the Brewers would have been even more keen on signing Goldschmidt had Rhys Hoskins decided not to opt into his contract.

"The Brewers would love to find a way to get former Cardinals All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on their roster, and would have been all-in if first baseman Rhys Hoskins had opted out of his contract," Nightengale wrote.

Goldschmidt, a seven-time All-Star and 2022 National League MVP, is coming off a season that saw him hit 22 home runs and 65 RBI with a .245 batting average and .716 OPS. His numbers have tapered off a bit since his MVP season, but he's still a reliable hitter who could help take the Brewers to the next level.

While Goldschmidt has had success in St. Louis, the Cardinals didn't seem to have much of a desire to bring him back. The Athletic's Katie Woo reported in September that the Cardinals were "expected to part ways" with him this offseason, which could make things easier for the Brewers.

Milwaukee won the NL Central last season but faced a wild-card exit against the New York Mets. After years of being a postseason contender, the Brewers are ready to take the next step and compete for a World Series, and adding a veteran like Goldschmidt could help.

Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams is considered a trade candidate after the team declined his $10.5 million club option, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Per Passan, Williams will receive a $250,000 buyout and remain with the Brewers. He's expected to make roughly $9 million in his final year of arbitration.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post noted that Milwaukee declined the 30-year-old's club option because he should get a lower salary in arbitration due to injuries that caused him to miss time.

Williams was limited to just 22 appearances during his 2024 campaign, as his season debut was delayed until July 28 due to stress fractures in his back. He was able to maintain a 1.25 ERA while recording 38 strikeouts in 21.2 innings of work, though.

His season didn't end on a high note, as he allowed a three-run homer to Pete Alonso as Milwaukee was eliminated by the New York Mets in the National League Wild Card Series.

Still, Williams has established himself as one of the top closers in the majors when he's been able to stay healthy. He won 2020 NL Rookie of the Year honors with the Brewers and made consecutive All-Star appearances in 2022 and 2023.

Williams owns a 1.83 ERA for his career, racking up 68 saves and 375 strikeouts compared to 112 walks in 241 appearances.

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold didn't rule out a trade when discussing Williams entering his final year of team control.

"We have to stay open-minded," Arnold said, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. "We're the smallest market in the league, so that's something that's required in this."

While Milwaukee is coming off a 93-win season, moving Williams for a package of future assets appears to be on the table. Heyman reported on Sunday that the closer will be "highly coveted" as a trade target, but the Brewers can still afford to keep him.

After the team declined his club option, Arnold could start receiving calls from opposing front offices regarding Williams' availability.

Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams is putting the weight of Thursday's 4-2 loss to the New York Mets in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card series on his shoulders.

After allowing four runs in the top of the ninth inning, Williams told reporters he felt like he let the team down.

"This is the closest team that I have played on," Williams said. "That it makes it that much more disappointing. Everyone did their job except me. I feel like I let everyone down."

After both teams were held scoreless for the first six innings, the Brewers broke through in the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back homers from Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick.

Milwaukee maintained a 2-0 lead going into the ninth when Williams took the mound. The two-time All-Star allowed three of the first four hitters to reach, highlighted by Pete Alonso's go-ahead three-run homer.

The Mets tacked on another run with two outs after Jesse Winker was hit by a pitch, stole second and came around to score on Starling Marte's RBI single that knocked Williams out of the game.

David Peterson closed out the game for the Mets by getting Brice Turang to ground into a double play.

Williams has been one of the best and most reliable relievers in baseball since his first full season in 2020. He had a 1.70 ERA and 361 strikeouts in 222 regular-season innings over the past five seasons.

A back injury kept Williams out for the first three months this season. He was excellent in 22 appearances with a 1.25 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 21.2 innings.

Thursday night marked the first time Williams allowed more than two earned runs in a game all season. His four earned runs allowed tied his career-high, previously done twice. The last time it happened was against the Minnesota Twins on June 13, 2023.

The dramatic finish for New York came one day after the Brewers had their own late-inning magic with a three-run eighth in a 5-3 win to force the decisive Game 3.

Milwaukee has now lost five consecutive playoff series since losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 NLCS. The Brewers are just 2-10 in their last 12 playoff games.

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames confirmed to reporters on Thursday that he not only told New York Mets designated hitter Jesse Winker to meet him in the parking lot after Winker was chirping at him during Game 1 of the Wild Card matchup between the teams, but that he actually waited for him after the game.

"I was there (in the lot)," Adames told Jon Heyman of the New York Post, adding that Winker didn't show up.

Here's the context from that situation.

Winker hit a two-run triple in the second inning during New York's 8-4 win in Game 1 of the series on Tuesday. At third base, he began barking at the Brewers, and Adames had words in return.

"He just started yelling to me straight-up," Adames told Heyman. "In the heat of the moment, I'm not going to back down. So we were just chirping. I don't know what he was mad about."

Winker—who was a member of the Brewers last season—reportedly was mad that Frankie Montas had hit him with a pitch during a matchup between the teams last Friday, per Heyman, though he declined to discuss the situation after Game 1.

"I don't know what was going through his head, but he just started saying some stuff and I said something back," Adames told reporters after Game 1. "I don't know. I think that's the kind of player he is. ... I guess that's part of his personality. It was just a little bit of a surprise to me, but we don't back off."

Winker wasn't in the lineup for Game 2, but was for Thursday's decisive Game 3 and was greeted with boos when he stepped to the plate for the first time in the top of the second.

Brewers fans and Winker already had a salty relationship. He struggled for the team in 2023, hitting just .199 in 61 games while missing the majority of the second half of the season with a back injury. He was nonetheless selected for the postseason roster over the more popular Garrett Mitchell—who hit what ended up being a game-winning, two-run homer for the Brewers in the eighth inning of Game 2 on Wednesday night—and was booed several times by Milwaukee fans during the 2023 postseason.

He received a similar reception on Thursday.

Things got intense during the second inning of Tuesday's wild-card matchup between the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets.

Brewers shortstop Willy Adames had a heated exchange with Jesse Winker as he rounded the bases, though it's unclear what the two said to each other.

After the game, Adames addressed the situation, saying he was surprised by his former teammate.

"I don't know what was going through his head but he just started saying some stuff and I just said something back," he said. "I think that's the kind of player he is, it is what it is... That was surprising that he was saying so much stuff. But like I said, that's part of his personality. It was just a little bit of a surprise to me. But we don't back off."

Winker had less to say about the situation, instead turning his attention to Wednesday's matchup.

"I don't really want to speak on it," he said. "I just want to focus on the game tomorrow."

He did, however, clarify that he didn't say anything to Adames when he was rounding the bases.

"If y'all think I'm able to run and talk, you don't know my athletic abilities," Winker said.

On the play that sparked the altercation, Winker hit an RBI triple to right field to tie things up.

New York later took a 3-2 lead in the second after Starling Marte hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Winker.

The Brewers regained the lead in the fourth inning before the Mets tied things and ultimately pulled away in the top of the fifth, taking an 8-4 lead that held as the final score.

It took New York until the final day of the regular season to clinch a spot in the postseason, beating the Atlanta Braves on Monday to secure a playoff berth.

After their first game of the postseason, the Mets have a 1-0 lead on the Brewers and need just one more win to advance to the divisional series.

Winker, who was traded from the Washington Nationals to the Mets earlier this year, spent the 2023 season alongside Adames and the Brewers. His history with the team was certainly a factor coming into the series, and fans saw things heat up early on Tuesday.