MLB Trade Rumors: Brewers' Brandon Woodruff Discussed in Talks with 'Multiple Teams'
Nov 17, 2023
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 17: Brandon Woodruff #53 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at American Family Field on September 17, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
If the Milwaukee Brewers are going into a rebuilding phase, Brandon Woodruff seems like one of the first trade dominoes that could fall this offseason.
Per MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Brewers have had trade talks with "multiple teams" about the two-time All-Star pitcher.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported on Nov. 9 that Milwaukee is "open to moving virtually any player on its roster."
The front office got an early start during the hot-stove season by sending Mark Canha, who had an $11.5 million team option for next season, to the Detroit Tigers for pitching prospect Blake Holub.
Woodruff is a fascinating trade candidate because no one has any idea at this point if he will be able to pitch next season. He had surgery to repair the anterior capsule in his right shoulder on Oct. 13 that the Brewers said could keep him out for all of 2024.
Morosi did note teams see value in having Woodruff for the second half of next season, which would seem to indicate some level of confidence he will be able to return at some point.
The 2024 season will also be Woodruff's final year of arbitration. Anthony Franco and Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors projected him to make $11.6 million.
If Woodruff is able to pitch most of the second half, that salary could end up being a bargain based on his track record of success. The 30-year-old had a 2.28 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with 74 strikeouts over 67 innings in 11 starts last season.
Since moving to the starting rotation full-time in 2019, Woodruff has the third-best ERA in MLB (2.93), eighth-most strikeouts per nine innings (10.72) and is tied for 13th in FanGraphs wins above replacement (15.1) among all pitchers who have thrown at least 550 innings.
There is enormous upside for a team that might acquire Woodruff if he can return at full strength. Last season was the first time he suffered a significant injury since 2019 when an oblique strain kept him out for nearly two months.
Report: Brewers Promote Bench Coach Pat Murphy to Replace Craig Counsell as Manager
Nov 14, 2023
ATLANTA, GA OCTOBER 11: Milwaukee bench coach Pat Murphy (00) prior to the start of the NLDS game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Atlanta Braves on October 11th, 2021 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Brewers have found their next manager.
Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Brewers will replace Craig Counsell with bench coach Pat Murphy.
Counsell pulled off a stunning move to the Chicago Cubs on Nov. 6. There had been rumblings throughout the 2023 season about his future in Milwaukee, but it seemed like the New York Mets would be his next job if he left the Brewers.
Instead, the Cubs fired David Ross in order to make Counsell the highest-paid manager in MLB on a five-year, $40 million deal.
The 53-year-old Counsell had been managing in Milwaukee since May 2015 when he took over after Ron Roenicke was fired 25 games into the season. He led the team to five playoff appearances and three NL Central titles in the past six seasons.
Counsell's 707 wins are the most by a manager in Brewers history.
Given that track record of success for Counsell, Murphy is going to have a tough task ahead of them. Making the job potentially more difficult is what the roster will look like going into the 2024 season.
Trading Mark Canha, who had an $11.5 million option for 2024, to the Detroit Tigers for a prospect Blake Holub could be an indication that ownership wants to continue reducing payroll.
Christian Yelich, Freddy Peralta, Colin Rea and Aaron Ashby are the only players on the roster not in their arbitration or pre-arbitration years. Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Willy Adames are both entering their final year of arbitration before hitting free agency after next season.
Brewers general manager Matt Arnold told reporters on Oct. 10 the team would be "extremely comfortable" having Woodruff, Burnes and Adames back, but also acknowledged they can never "close the door on any conversations" specifically when asked about Burnes' future.
It's not unreasonable to assume that Milwaukee is getting close to rebuilding, even if a full teardown doesn't happen this offseason.
If the Brewers were looking for a seamless transition from Counsell, it's hard to find a better choice than Murphy. The 64-year-old spent the past eight seasons as Milwaukee's bench coach working with Counsell.
This will be the first MLB full-time managerial job for Murphy, but he was interim skipper with the San Diego Padres for the final 96 games of the 2015 season after Bud Black was fired.
Murphy also spent five seasons as a minor league manager for three different Padres affiliates from 2011 to '15.
Despite his lack of manager experience at the MLB level, Murphy knows the Brewers as well as any coach in the sport right now. He's got relationships with players already on the big-league roster and has worked with their prospects during spring training.
This could be critical for a Brewers team that has a loaded farm system, led by arguably the top prospect in the sport, Jackson Chourio.
There's a lot of help on the way for this team, with Chourio, Jeferson Quero and Jacob Misiorowski likely to make their MLB debut in 2024.
Even if the Brewers go into a rebuild phase this offseason, it shouldn't take too long before they are back contending in the NL Central.
MLB Rumors: Brewers Willing to Trade 'Virtually Any Player' After Counsell's Exit
Nov 9, 2023
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Craig Counsell #30 of the Milwaukee Brewers looks on before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Two of the Wild Card Series at American Family Field on October 04, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
First, the Milwaukee Brewers lost their manager to the Chicago Cubs.
Now, they may be entering a rebuild.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Milwaukee is "open to moving virtually any player on its roster" after former manager Craig Counsell joined the Cubs. "The process effectively has begun, with the Brewers sending outfielder Mark Canha to the Detroit Tigers for a pitching prospect. A continued teardown, considering the Brewers' current position, would not be without logic. It might even be the proper course."
Milwaukee acquired Canha from the New York Mets in a trade last season, and he slashed .287/.373/.427 with five home runs and 33 RBI in 50 games for the National League Central team.
He was an important contributor down the stretch and seemed to fit in nicely with the lineup, but this may be shaping up to be an offseason of transition for the club.
That might not have always been the plan, as general manager Matt Arnold told reporters he was "very shocked" when Counsell departed for the Cubs.
"We've been super supportive of him and his opportunity to assess the market," he added. "That was up to him."
One of the things that made Counsell so successful in Milwaukee was his ability to compete with payrolls that were much smaller than some of his primary competitors, including in Chicago. The Brewers were just 19th in payroll last season, nearly $40 million below the league average, yet they won the NL Central and made the playoffs for the fifth time in six years.
While they fell short of the World Series during that span, the run of success within the market constraints was notable. Those market constraints may be a factor this offseason if the Brewers do decide to trade some of their key players.
It remains to be seen whether that would mean players such as Christian Yelich or Corbin Burnes, but Rosenthal's report made it seem like nobody was off the table.
If Milwaukee is a seller this offseason and the Cubs are aggressive after adding Counsell, the balance of power in the division may be quite different in 2024.
Brewers Owner Doesn't Feel 'Betrayed' by Craig Counsell's Decision to Take Cubs Job
Nov 7, 2023
MILWAUKEE, WI - SEPTEMBER 26: Milwaukee Brewers president Mark Attanasio cheers during a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the St Louis Cardinals at American Family Field on September 26, 2023 in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Craig Counsell left Milwaukee this week to become manager of the Chicago Cubs, and while Brewers owner Mark Attanasio was left stunned by the decision, he acknowledged while speaking with reporters that he doesn't feel "betrayed."
"Definitely not betrayed," Attanasio said, per ESPN. "I'm so high on what we have that I can't imagine somebody wanting to be somewhere else. ... Our goal for our family is for me and my sons to be the stewards for the community for a long time, and then hopefully past 2050, someone else will have the same emotion for the team, the community that's very special.
"From the first day I got here, there's no place in the country like Milwaukee."
The Cubs fired manager David Ross on Monday and replaced him with Counsell, who agreed to a record-setting five-year, $40 million contract, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Counsell became a free agent on Oct. 31 when his contract with the Brewers expired, but the most likely outcome for his next move was either staying in Milwaukee or joining the New York Mets, Passan added.
Counsell had spent the last 17 years with the Brewers. He spent the final five seasons of his playing career in Milwaukee from 2007-11 before taking a job in the front office as special assistant to then-general manager Doug Melvin in 2012.
The 53-year-old was eventually hired as manager in 2015, replacing Ron Roenicke.
In his nine seasons as manager, Counsell led the Brewers to a 707-625 record, three National League Central titles and five playoff appearances, including a berth in the 2018 NL Championship Series, where they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Attanasio confirmed that the Brewers previously offered Counsell a contract that "would have made him the highest-paid manager in baseball, both per season and the total package."
"I felt very good about that, and he made a decision to go another direction," Attanasio said.
Counsell will now coach the rival Cubs, which haven't reached the playoffs since the 2020 campaign. However, after finishing the 2023 season with an 83-79 record—the club's first winning season since the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign—things are certainly looking up in Chicago.
MLB Rumors: Don Mattingly Among Brewers' Candidates to Replace Craig Counsell
Nov 7, 2023
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Toronto Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly (23) smiles as he returns to Miami where he was manager last season before the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Miami Marlins on Monday, June 19, 2023 at LoanDepot Part in Miami, Fla. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Following Craig Counsell's surprise move to the Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Brewers find themselves searching for a new manager going into the 2024 season.
Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the list of candidates being considered by the Brewers includes former Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins skipper Don Mattingly.
Among those Brewers considering to replace Craig Counsell, according to sources briefed on club’s thinking: Bench coaches Pat Murphy (MIL), Don Mattingly (TOR) and Joe Espada (HOU); Dodgers 1B coach Clayton McCullough; Astros hitting coach Troy Snitker; former Brewers 2B Rickie…
Counsell's decision to leave the Brewers wasn't totally unexpected. He met with the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians about their managerial vacancies, while also leaving the door open to remain in Milwaukee.
The surprise was that the Cubs seemed to come in at the 11th hour to land Counsell. There was no indication they were even looking for a new manager after team president Jed Hoyer previously said David Ross would be back next season.
Mattingly is the most famous name among the candidates cited by Rosenthal. A six-time All-Star as a player, he was named NL Manager of the Year with the Marlins 2020. He went 889-950 in 12 seasons between the Marlins and Dodgers.
After leaving the Marlins following the 2022 season, Mattingly joined the Toronto Blue Jays as a bench coach.
Pat Murphy and Rickie Weeks Jr. have direct connections to the Brewers franchise. Murphy spent the past eight seasons on Counsell's staff as a bench coach.
Weeks was the No. 2 pick in the 2003 MLB draft by the Brewers. He spent 11 of his 14 MLB seasons with Milwaukee and has worked on the team's player development staff since February 2022.
Joe Espada has been working as a coach since 2010, with the exception of the 2014 season when he was hired by New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman as a special assistant. Troy Snitker just wrapped up his fifth season as hitting coach for the Houston Astros.
Clayton McCullough has been first base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers since December 2020.
The Brewers went 707-625 with five playoff appearances and three NL Central titles in nine seasons with Counsell as their manager. They were swept in the NL Wild Card round by the Arizona Diamondbacks this season.
Brewers Owner: Craig Counsell 'Lost Us and Lost Our Community' After Joining Cubs
Nov 7, 2023
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 03: Manager Craig Counsell of the Milwaukee Brewers walks across the field in the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game One of the Wild Card Series at American Family Field on October 03, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Milwaukee Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio was far from thrilled about Craig Counsell's agreement to become the new manager of the Chicago Cubs.
"We've lost Craig (to Chicago), but I've reflected on this—Craig has lost us and lost our community," Attanasio said, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Counsell previously served as the Brewers' manager since 2015, leading the organization to a record of 707-625 in nine years.
His contract with Milwaukee expired on Oct. 31, although many predicted that he would simply sign a new deal to remain with the team or join the New York Mets. This was mainly due to the Mets hiring David Stearns to be their president of baseball operations, as Stearns had served as the general manager of Counsell's Brewers since 2015.
Instead, the Chicago Cubs swooped in with a monumental offer to bring in the revered skipper. Counsell signed a five-year contract worth more than $40 million that instantly makes him the highest-paid manager in baseball, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
In a corresponding move, the Cubs fired incumbent manager David Ross.
Chicago hasn't made the postseason since 2020, although the team's record has improved in each of the past three years. The Cubs also currently own the No. 1 farm system in MLB, according to FanGraphs.
MLB Rumors: Craig Counsell Wants to Reset Manager Market; Won't Give Brewers Discount
Nov 3, 2023
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell is seen prior to Game Two of the Wild Card Series at American Family Field on October 04, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Brewers may have been managed by Craig Counsell since 2015, but that doesn't necessarily mean the team will get a discount.
Counsell "will not be compelled to take a hometown discount" because of his motivation to reset the market for MLB managers, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg and Todd Rosiak.
Counsell will stay with the Brewers, Hogg and Rosiak reported— but only if Milwaukee matches the top offer he could get from another team.
That offer is most likely to come from New York, where Mets owner Steve Cohen assembled the most expensive team in MLB history last season.
Counsell has led the Brewers to five playoff appearances in the last six season and holds an all-time 707-625 record.
He holds the franchise record for the most wins in Brewers history and finished second in voting for NL Manager of the Year in 2019 and 2021.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, six MLB managers earned less than $1 million in 2023, while an additional nine earned $1.75 million or less.
At the beginning of October, just six MLB managers were set to make more than $3 million per year in 2024, per Nightengale.
Counsell will likely be added to that list. He made $3.5 million in 2023 and is "seeking to at least double" that amount next year, according to Hogg and Rosiak.
If Counsell finds a team willing to pay him upwards of $7 million, it will mark a new high for MLB managers. According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, former Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona's $4.5 million annual salary made him the highest-paid manager in the MLB last season.
It could be time for the market to shift. Some MLB managers could currently get a raise by managing a college baseball team instead. Ten college baseball managers earn an annual salary of $1.2 million or more, according to Nightengale.
In addition to the Mets, Guardians and Brewers, Hogg previously reported the Houston Astros have expressed interest in bidding for Counsell.
Hogg and Rosiak expect talks between the Brewers and their former manager to "ramp up" as annual GM meetings take place in Scottsdale, Arizona from November 7-9.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 22: Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Miami Marlins during the second inning of the game at loanDepot park on September 22, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The MLB playoff field continues to take shape, as both the Milwaukee Brewers and the Minnesota Twins secured postseason spots on Friday.
The Brewers had a chance to officially clinch a playoff berth Friday night against the Miami Marlins and it's safe to say they accomplished that goal early.
The Brewers utilized a 12-run second inning to take a commanding lead and eventually prevailed by a score of 16-1. Christian Yelich paced the offense, going 3-4 with two home runs and four RBIs. Josh Donaldson contributed three RBIs and Mark Canha and Carlos Santana each had two in the victory. Corbin Burnes earned the victory on the mound, bringing his total for the year up to 10.
The Brewers are still looking to clinch the division as the Chicago Cubs win tonight eliminated that chance at clinching both a berth and the division. However, the magic number to clinch that is now down to one.
Meanwhile, the Twins wrapped up the American League Central, thanks to 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels:
Here's a look at the current playoff picture as of Sept. 22 as well as the full division standings and a preview of some races to look out for the rest of the way.
The Brewers and Twins join the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves as teams to clinch a postseason berth.
The AL East appears poised to have three teams reach the playoffs but who grabs the division and the No. 1 overall seed will be determined by how both the Orioles and Rays finish the season. The Toronto Blue Jays will not be crashing that party but will look to hold off the AL West teams for a chance to play either the Orioles or Rays in the first round.
As of now, the Twins would face the final AL Wild Card team in the first round.
The AL West is completely up for grabs, with the Texas Rangers holding onto the lead by just a half-game. The Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners are both right in the mix as well.
The NL divisions are not as exciting as the Braves and Dodgers have already clinched and the Brewers are right on the cusp of doing so. The intrigue comes in the Wild Card race, however.
The Phillies should be pretty settled and the Diamondbacks are starting to build room but the Chicago Cubs are in a tight race with both the Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds closely behind.
Brewers' J.C. Mejía Suspended 162 Games for Positive PED Test
Sep 20, 2023
MARYVALE, AZ - MARCH 17: J.C. MejÌa #36 of the Milwaukee Brewers poses for a photo during the Milwaukee Brewers Photo Day at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Thursday, March 17, 2022 in Maryvale, Arizona. (Photo by Caitlin O'Hara/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Major League Baseball announced that Milwaukee Brewers pitcher J.C. Mejía has been suspended 162 games after testing positive for the banned performance-enhancing substance stanozolol.
Per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, this is the second time Mejía has been suspended for using stanozolol. MLB suspended Mejía 80 games after the first instance in May 2022.
Per the Associated Press, Stanozolol is a "synthetic steroid derived from testosterone."
"The Milwaukee Brewers fully support MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and share in the goal of eliminating performance-enhancing substances from our game," the team said in a statement.
Mejía, who is currently on the 60-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, posted a 5.56 ERA in nine relief appearances for Milwaukee this season.
MLB Rumors: Josh Donaldson, Brewers Reach Minor League Contract After Yankees Release
Aug 31, 2023
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 5: Josh Donaldson #28 of the New York Yankees tosses his bat after a home run during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on July 5, 2023, in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images)
After being released by the New York Yankees, Josh Donaldson is reportedly getting another shot elsewhere.
According to Robert Murray of FanSided, the Milwaukee Brewers signed the former American League MVP to a minor league contract on Thursday.
The Yankees announced Donaldson's release on Tuesday. He was hitting .142/.225/.434 with 10 homers in 106 at-bats in 33 games this season.
Donaldson was originally acquired by the Yankees in a March 2022 trade with the Minnesota Twins. He was their primary starting third baseman last season, though he struggled with a .222/.308/.374 slash line in 132 games.
The Brewers are desperate to find production at third base going into the final month of the season. Their third basemen have posted a collective .251/.311/.397 slash line.
Andruw Monasterio, who has been Milwaukee's primary third baseman for the past two months, has hit a wall. He's got a .206/.277/.284 slash line in 28 games since July 29.
Even though Donaldson isn't close to the player he was at his peak, he could have some value to a playoff contender as a bat off the bench. The 37-year-old isn't hitting for average against anyone, but he does have a .692 slugging percentage and four homers in 26 at-bats against lefties this season.
Milwaukee is in a fight to stay atop the NL Central with one month remaining in the regular season. It leads the division entering play on Thursday with a 74-59 record, three games ahead of the Chicago Cubs (71-62).
The Cincinnati Reds (69-66) are also hanging around at six games back.
The Brewers have led the division outright every day since Aug. 3. They made the playoffs in four consecutive years from 2018 to '21 and are looking for their third division title in the past six seasons.
