The Milwaukee Brewers, fresh off a stunning wild card elimination, must now navigate an offseason that includes uncertain futures surrounding Craig Counsell, Corbin Burnes and Willy Adames.
After the Milwaukee Brewers were stunningly swept in the wild card round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, they now enter an offseason of uncertainty.
It starts with manager Craig Counsell, who is a free agent this offseason, and previously declined to discuss an extension with the organization. He declined to discuss his future after losing Game 2 on Wednesday, only further fueling speculation that this could be his final season in Milwaukee.
But this offseason becomes increasingly complicated for the Brewers considering that both star right-hander Corbin Burnes and shortstop Willy Adames are entering the final years of their contracts before becoming free agents after the 2024 season. There have been no signs of productive conversations with either player – Burnes is represented by Scott Boras, so he's surely headed for free agency – and it opens the door for potential trade discussions.
Let's dive right into the Brewers' options with both.
Craig Counsell
The future of Counsell is something that everyone in baseball is watching. Because no one knows what is going to happen here.
There are people close to Counsell that believe he will not return to the Brewers, but ultimately say that is more of a guess than a solid answer. But if he decides to leave Milwaukee and wants to continue managing, he will have options. Plenty of them, in fact. And surely one of them will be the New York Mets, who now are run by president of baseball operations David Stearns who worked alongside Counsell in Milwaukee.
"If David and (Steve) Cohen make him an offer of something like five years and $25 million, how does he turn that down?" one baseball source said. "He can't walk away from that."
It's something that Counsell will have to figure out. He grew up in Whitefish Bay, Wi. and was a Brewers fan growing up. He's Wisconsin, through and through. He's been the Brewers manager for nine seasons and is arguably the best manager in team history. But his unwillingness to negotiate a new deal prior to becoming a free agent could indicate that he's willing to move to a new organization or, quite possibly, take some time away from baseball to watch his sons play baseball and spend more time with his family.
Corbin Burnes, Willy Adames
The futures of Corbin Burnes and Willy Adames will surely be the topic of trade rumors this offseason, and it's something that the Brewers should absolutely consider if the right offer presents itself.
It's a similar situation to Josh Hader, who had 1.5 years left on his contract when the Brewers traded him. He was going to be far priced out of Milwaukee's budget and they looked to move him to add young, controllable assets to remain competitive for future seasons, and they accomplished that with the haul they received from the San Diego Padres (one part of that trade, Esteury Ruiz, was moved to acquire William Contreras last offseason).
Burnes, however, will be much more expensive than Hader. He has voiced his frustration with the organization after losing his arbitration hearing last offseason and was adamant that would impact his relationship with the team moving forward. Now, his agent is Scott Boras, who wants his players to establish their values on the open market, meaning that an extension is almost impossible. And it's unimaginable to expect the small-market Brewers to outbid any big-market team.
Adames, meanwhile, is in a unique position. He's one of the most talented shortstops in baseball, but is coming off a down season. Trading him would be selling low on a highly talented player and that is not something the Brewers typically like to do.
But could the Brewers potentially be open to moving both players in the same deal? That's unclear. It would take a massive haul to accomplish that. But the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves expressed interest in Adames last offseason, sources say, and both teams could use a frontline starter like Burnes.
The odds of such a deal are slim. But never say never.
