The Milwaukee Brewers have certainly had better weeks. Longtime manager Craig Counsell shockingly departed the organization for the arch-rival Chicago Cubs. However, what the Craig Counsell news overshadows is the state of the team going forward. Many key players are scheduled to be free agents and Milwaukee won’t keep them all. It’s safe to say the Brewers’ window to contend is basically closed. The team has already said that nobody is off-limits this offseason. With Counsell now gone and many key players with expiring contracts, the Brewers would be better off starting a rebuild right now.
The Brewers Have Already Been Slowly Dismantling the Team
Milwaukee has already been dismantling the team. In 2022 at the trade deadline, Milwaukee traded away star closer Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres. They also just recently traded away Mark Canha to the Detroit Tigers for a pitching prospect. Canha had been huge down the stretch for Milwaukee in 2023 and was a big reason why they won the NL Central.
It Wouldn’t Be a Long Rebuild
Embed from Getty ImagesThe good news for Brewers fans is that if Milwaukee were to rebuild it wouldn’t take a long time. Milwaukee doesn’t have to tank like the Astros or Orioles and they don’t have to trade many veterans for young talent. The Brewers farm system is ranked inside the top three in all of baseball. It currently has four players ranked on baseball’s top 100 prospect list. This includes generational talent Jackson Chourio who is rated as the second-best prospect just behind Orioles future star Jackson Holliday. Milwaukee also has many other future stars that could appear on the top 100 list before next season.
Various Top Brewers Prospects Have Already Been Brought Up
Embed from Getty ImagesMilwaukee has also spent the last two seasons bringing up their young talent to the big leagues. In 2022, Garrett Mitchell was called up in August for his first taste of the big leagues. Last season, Milwaukee had five different rookies make their debut. This makes it easier to evaluate whether those players are going to be a part of the team’s future. Most of the time in a rebuild, teams will be trying to figure that out while they struggle on the field.
Key Players with Expiring Contracts and a Willingness to Listen to Trade Offers
Embed from Getty ImagesNext year core players like Willy Adames, Brandon Woodruff, and Corbin Burnes are going to be free agents. Woodruff is already set to miss at least most of the 2024 season with a shoulder injury. Last offseason, Burnes hired Scott Boras as his agent, this essentially signals his days in Milwaukee are numbered. While Woodruff and Adames have both expressed interest in returning; it remains to be seen what the team decides to do with them. After Counsell departed, the team expressed that nobody on the roster was untouchable. This included the longtime face of the team Christian Yelich. While Milwaukee is said to not be actively shopping players around, they are at the very least willing to listen.
It Makes Too Much Sense to Start Now
Embed from Getty ImagesThere are too many reasons why the Milwaukee Brewers should start their rebuild now. They’ll have a new manager, core players are departing soon, a farm system ready to bloom, a closed contention window, and many young players already making their debut; Milwaukee would be better off starting to build their next winner now. If Milwaukee tries to maximize another inch of its window to contend, it will only prolong its impending rebuild.
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