Milwaukee Brewers

Wade Miley is on the move again.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the left-handed starter has agreed to a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers that will pay him $4.5 million in the 2023 season. Rosenthal added that Miley can make up to $6 million with incentives.

Miley originally signed a two-year deal with the Reds in December 2019. The contract was worth $15 million for the first two seasons and included a club option for 2022.

As part of Cincinnati ownership's decision to slash payroll during the offseason, Miley was waived by the team. The Chicago Cubs claimed him on Nov. 5.

The pandemic-shortened 2020 season was rough for Miley. The 34-year-old had an 0-3 record with a 5.65 ERA in six appearances.

Things turned around drastically for Miley in 2021. He posted a 3.37 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 163 innings over 28 starts.

The crowning achievement of Miley's career came on May 7 against Cleveland. The left-hander tossed his first-ever no-hitter with one walk and eight strikeouts on 114 pitches in a 3-0 victory.

Start your morning with all 27 outs of Wade Miley's no-hitter. pic.twitter.com/DFJgmV39r7

— MLB (@MLB) May 8, 2021

Miley's brief tenure with the Cubs was more notable for how limited he was by injuries. The southpaw missed the first month of the season with inflammation in his pitching elbow. He made three starts in may before going back on the injured list with a left shoulder strain.

In those three starts between stints on the IL, Miley fared well with a 3.38 ERA in 16 innings. He returned for five appearances at the end of the season, allowing 16 hits with a 3.50 ERA in 18 innings.

Year-to-year consistency hasn't been a strength for Miley throughout his career. The former All-Star has had ERAs of 6.17, 5.61, 2.57, 3.98, 5.65 and 3.37 between 2016-21.

Injuries have made it difficult to gauge what kind of season Miley is going to have in 2023, but the upside is high enough for the Brewers to bet on him being a solid contributor as a starter or reliever.

The Milwaukee Brewers have made Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Willy Adames unavailable in trade discussions, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

The news comes after ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the Brewers have traded second baseman Kolten Wong to the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Jesse Winker and infielder Abraham Toro.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday that the Brewers had been receiving calls on the availability of Burnes, Woodruff and Adames. He added that Milwaukee would be more likely to move one or more of those players at the 2023 season's trade deadline.

Burnes, Woodruff and Adames are all under team control through the 2024 campaign.

After finishing the 2022 season with an 86-76 record and missing the playoffs, the Brewers may not be entering a rebuild, but they could be entering a reset, meaning that certain players will undoubtedly be made available for trade.

Burnes, who began his MLB career in 2018, has emerged as one of Milwaukee's best starters. During the 2022 season, he went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 243 strikeouts in 202 innings across 33 starts.

Woodruff began his major-league career in 2017, and he has also emerged as one of the team's top pitchers. He went 13-4 in 2022 with a 3.05 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 190 strikeouts in 153.1 innings across 27 starts.

Adames, while not one of baseball's premier shortstops, is still very good. Last season, he slashed .238/.298/.458 with 31 home runs, 98 RBI and eight stolen bases in 139 games. Further, the Brewers likely can't afford nor make a run at one of the league's top free-agent shortstops, such as Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson.

It's unclear if the Brewers have any intentions of trading other players. Wong was the team's top player made available in trade discussions.

The Milwaukee Brewers announced they have promoted Marti Wronski to chief operating officer (COO), making her the only female leader to hold that title for an MLB franchise, according to the organization.

Congratulations to Marti Wronski on her promotion to Chief Operating Officer and Jason Hartlund on his promotion to Executive Vice President – Chief Commercial Officer.

This promotion places Wronski as the only female executive leader to hold the COO title for an MLB Club. pic.twitter.com/Rt4jGjJCVR

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) December 2, 2022

Per the Brewers, Wronski is the highest-ranking female executive in the Brewers' organization since Wendy Selig-Prieb was president and chairman.

Wronski is entering her 20th season with the Brewers. She previously held titles as the team's general counsel and senior vice president (administration).

As noted by the Associated Press, Wronski's expanded role will include oversight of the business analytics and strategy team.

In her time with the Brewers, she has presided over legal, information technology and human resource departments as well as legal affairs, governmental relations and compliance.

Before her time with the Brewers, Wronski worked as a litigation associate for Foley and Lardner, LLP from 1997 to 2001.

Two other women serve as heads of business operations for MLB teams.

Catie Griggs is the president of business operations with the Seattle Mariners. The recently promoted Caroline O’Connor is the Miami Marlins' president of business operations. Kim Ng also runs baseball operations as the Marlins' general manager.

Two-time Gold Glove winner Kolten Wong will have a new home for the 2023 season, as the Milwaukee Brewers reportedly traded the second baseman to the Seattle Mariners on Friday.

According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Brewers received outfielder Jesse Winker and third baseman Abraham Toro in the deal.

ESPN's Jeff Passan added that the Brewers are also sending $1.75 million in cash to the Mariners. Seattle beat out "a number of suitors" to land Wong, per Passan, who also noted that there were talks of three-team deals before Milwaukee settled on the swap.

Wong is set to make $10 million in 2023 after the Brewers exercised a club option on his contract. The 32-year-old will hit free agency next offseason, giving him the chance to use the upcoming campaign as a one-year audition for the rest of the majors.

He spent the first eight years of his MLB career with the St. Louis Cardinals before signing with the Brewers prior to the 2021 season. While playing in Milwaukee for the past two years, Wong found consistency at the plate. He set a career high in 2021 with 14 home runs and surpassed it last season with 15 blasts. He notched over 100 hits in both of his years with the team.

A 2021 All-Star when he was a member of the Cincinnati Reds, Winker is coming off a disappointing 2022 campaign that saw him hit .219/.344/.344. Toro appeared in 109 games for Seattle last season and hit .185/.239/.324.

Like Wong, Winker will be a free agent next winter, so he will surely be motivated for a bounce-back performance in 2023.

Veteran outfielder Hunter Renfroe will have a new home for the 2023 season.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the 30-year-old was traded from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night. The Brewers received pitchers Janson Junk, Elvis Peguero and Adam Seminaris in return.

The Brewers had acquired Renfroe from the Boston Red Sox last year, making this the second straight offseason he's been traded. Passan noted that he is entering the final year of arbitration and will become a free agent next winter.

The right fielder is coming off a solid season, hitting 29 home runs with 72 RBI while slashing .255/.315/.492. However, he also struck out 121 times in 125 games.

The Angels will be Renfroe's fifth team in his seven-year major-league career. He spent his first four seasons with the San Diego Padres before playing one season each for the Tampa Bay Rays, Red Sox and Brewers.

Junk and Peguero are both right-handers, while Seminaris is a lefty. Junk made three appearances and two starts last season for the Angels, totaling six earned runs and 11 strikeouts. Peguero made 13 appearances out of the bullpen and recorded a 6.75 ERA with 12 strikeouts. Seminaris spent the 2022 season in the minors, reaching the Triple-A level.

The Angels are hoping Renfroe can help improve a team that went 73-89 last season and missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season.

Former MVP outfielder Andrew McCutchen is flying under the radar on the MLB free-agent market, but he could provide a depth boost for just about any team heading into the 2023 season.

McCutchen captured the NL MVP award in 2013 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he also earned five All-Star selections across his first nine MLB seasons.

He's since made stops with the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and, most recently, the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 36-year-old Florida native is coming off a 2022 campaign with the Brew Crew when he compiled a .237/.316/.384 slash line with 17 home runs and eight stolen bases in 134 games. His .700 OPS was a career-low mark.

While McCutchen has mostly played corner outfield or designated hitter in recent years, he has expressed confidence in his ability to still play center field, his longtime position with the Pirates where he won a Gold Glove in 2012.

"It's definitely a position I know I can still play," McCutchen said in July. "The outfield is the outfield, but it's something I've done for a lot of my career, so of course I'm the most comfortable out there at that position."

The continued positional versatility combined with a bat that still has some pop gives him value as he enters what's likely the twilight of his terrific career.

Here's a look at a few potential landing spots for the four-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

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Brewers

Sticking with the Brewers would give the club a little flexibility as it awaits the full-time arrival of their top outfield prospects, including Garrett Mitchell, Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer. It's a talented group, but re-signing McCutchen would remove some of the pressure on them to potentially make a high-end impact in 2023.

In terms of veterans, Christian Yelich and Hunter Renfroe are likely locked into starting jobs barring an offseason trade. It leaves center field as the one open spot in the club's outfield.

If a few of those aforementioned rising stars make Milwaukee's final roster, it would likely mean more sporadic playing time for McCutchen, who could see his most consistent work at DH. If the prospects start in the minors, the veteran will be more involved.

It's unclear whether the Brewers are interested in a reunion given his modest production last season, though.

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Pirates

Heading back to the Pirates may signal McCutchen's career is winding down. A veteran of his caliber typically joins a contender to chase a World Series ring. The Buccos aren't in that category right now, but he obviously has a long history in the Steel City.

The club legend would probably see a majority of his starts at designated hitter, but he could still garner some playing time in the outfield when Bryan Reynolds, Cal Mitchell or Jack Suwinski needs a day off.

Signing with Pittsburgh is something that may wait until later in the offseason to see whether McCutchen can attract interest from a club closer to contention.

He'd surely be welcomed back with open arms if the Pirates are his ultimate destination.

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Astros

McCutchen isn't the offensive force he was during his peak years with the Pirates, but he's a worthwhile depth addition for the reigning champion Astros. He can bring veteran leadership to the clubhouse even if he's not in the lineup every night.

Kyle Tucker and Chas McCormick are likely locked into starting jobs in the corner outfield spots for Houston. Jake Meyers is penciled in for center field, but there could be playing time available if he starts slowly in 2023.

McCutchen could back up all three outfield spots and also draw the occasional start at DH when Yordan Alvarez needs a breather.

Perhaps most importantly, it would represent a golden opportunity for him to add a World Series ring to an otherwise terrific career résumé.

MLB teams that hope to trade for a top-tier starting pitcher like the Cleveland Guardians' Shane Bieber or Milwaukee Brewers' Corbin Burnes reportedly face "astronomical" asking prices.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday neither the Guardians nor Brewers are showing an "intent to deal," which could restrict those pushing to land an ace to a free-agent class led by Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodón and Justin Verlander.

Bieber and Burnes are on the same contract track. They each have two years of arbitration remaining and can't become free agents until after the 2024 season. That puts little time pressure on their teams' front offices, so the lack of trade intent isn't a surprise.

Here's a look at how the standout right-handers performed in 2022:

• Bieber: 2.88 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 198 K in 200 IP
• Burnes: 2.94 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 243 K in 202 IP

Given those numbers, the contractual control and the fact that both Cleveland and Milwaukee are playoff contenders heading toward 2023, the chances of a blockbuster trade are remote.

In turn, the competition for the top starters on the free-agent market figures to become intense as World Series hopefuls attempt to bolster their rotations.

The good news for those clubs is plenty of talent is available in free agency, led by the trio of deGrom, Rodón and Verlander.

• DeGrom: 3.08 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 102 K in 64.1 IP (New York Mets)
• Rodón: 2.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 237 K in 178 IP (San Francisco Giants)
  
• Verlander: 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 185 K in 175 IP (Houston Astros)

Passan listed deGrom (34 years old) and Rodón (29) among the free agents expected to receive contracts with a total value over $100 million.

Verlander, 39, is a different case because of his age, but he could attract a lucrative one-year contract from a team on the cusp of World Series contention, or from the Astros as they attempt to defend their championship next season.

While it's never cheap to add an ace, that's particularly true this offseason because the demand for elite starters far outweighs the supply on both the trade and free-agent markets.

The dominoes will begin to fall when free agency opens at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich didn't waste any time Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies.

The 2018 National League MVP hit a 499-foot home run from the leadoff spot against Rockies starter Chad Kuhl.

499 FEET!

Yeli launches one to the stratosphere.@ChristianYelich | #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/awBqH0qWg6

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 7, 2022

It was the longest homer in MLB since the Texas Rangers' Nomar Mazara deposited the ball 505 feet from home plate in a 2019 game against the Chicago White Sox.

"That's kind of just one of those ones where everything kind of lines up for you and you catch it in a really good spot," Yelich told reporters after the game. "Oddly enough, my first homer here in nine or 10 times playing. So I guess if you're going to wait that long make it count."

Unfortunately for the Brewers, the Rockies had the last laugh. Milwaukee blew a 6-1 lead in the eighth inning, and a three-run homer by Randal Grichuk was the difference in a 10-7 victory for Colorado in 10 innings.

The loss was a costly one for the Brewers, who are now three games off the pace for the final NL wild-card spot.

The Milwaukee Brewers scored four runs in the final two innings to cap off a dramatic 7-5 comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday.

Turns out, they had some extra motivation.

During the game, there was a message on the scoreboard of American Family Field that read, "Mark—your friendship means the world to me—let's not wreck it."

Christian Yelich tweeted that the players said "let's win one for Mark" when they saw the message, and the team's official Twitter account also offered some support:

Mark, we’ve all been there. If you need someone to talk to, we’re here for you. pic.twitter.com/i3P1Lrn0p8

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 30, 2022

While Mark may have been "friendzoned" in quite the public manner, he at least got to celebrate a Brewers victory. Garrett Mitchell launched a two-run homer to tie the game in the eighth inning, and Keston Hiura's long ball in the bottom of the ninth served as the walk-off.

Milwaukee is still six games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central and 1.5 games behind the San Diego Padres for the final wild-card spot, but perhaps Mark can inspire a late run into the playoffs this season.

The San Diego Padres made a bold move to solidify their bullpen by acquiring closer Josh Hader from the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.

The Brewers received a return package featuring closer Taylor Rogers, pitching prospect Robert Gasser, outfielder Esteury Ruiz and reliever Dinelson Lamet in exchange for the All-Star pitcher.

ESPN's Jeff Passan initially reported the deal.

It's a surprise to see the Brewers move on from Hader given that he remains an elite closer and they are competing with the St. Louis Cardinals atop the National League Central. The left-hander also has one more year of team control before hitting free agency after 2023.

Since making his debut in 2017, Hader has established himself as one of the most dominant relievers in Major League Baseball. In 269 games, the 28-year-old has 541 strikeouts, with 161 hits allowed and a 2.48 ERA over 316.1 innings.

Per FanGraphs, Hader's 15.39 strikeouts per nine innings and 44.1 strikeout percentage over the previous six seasons leads all relievers with at least 150 innings pitched. His 9.4 wins above replacement ranks tied for second among relievers during that span.

Hader finished 2021 with a 1.23 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 58.2 innings. The Brewers managed him differently last season than they had in the past. He didn't throw more than one inning in a game all year, including the playoffs.

The Brewers won the NL Central with a 95-67 record but lost in the NLDS to the Atlanta Braves.

Sticking primarily to his one-inning role in 2022, Hader began the year as electric as ever to earn another All-Star selection, although he has been inconsistent as of late. He entered July with a 1.09 ERA but gave up 13 earned runs over the past month to drop his ERA to 4.24 for the season.

An argument for trading Hader now is, it's the best way for Milwaukee to maximize his value by bringing back multiple impact players who will be long-term assets for the organization. The team might be worse in the short term with a potential playoff spot in store this season.

Milwaukee will at least add the Padres' closer in Rogers, who has 28 saves and a 4.35 ERA this season. Gasser is also a quality prospect, rated the team's No. 7 player in the farm system, per MLB.com.

Devin Williams will likely replace Hader as the Brewers' closer. He has 30 consecutive scoreless appearances since May 10.

San Diego adds one of the most dominant relievers in MLB and has him under control for an additional season.

The Padres are doing everything in their power to stay in contention and keep the pressure on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

San Diego is 57-46 despite not having Fernando Tatis Jr. available yet due to a wrist injury.

After acquiring Yu Darvish from the Chicago Cubs and Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays to help their rotation last year, Hader gives the Padres a dominant late-inning reliever to partner with Luis Garcia and Nabil Crismatt.

The Padres have a roster capable of challenging anyone in MLB, and the group looks even more dangerous with Hader coming out of the bullpen late in games.