Every offseason offers opportunities for teams to add to their roster, but it also means some players head out for free agency.
The Brewers have a short list of players set to enter the free agent pool
this offseason. After that, they have a variety of players with options available.
RHP Shelby Miller
Shelby Miller didn’t get much of a chance to make an impact during his time in Milwaukee. Miller and Jordan Montgomery both arrived around the trade deadline, but Miller pitched just 9 2/3 innings before an injury that required UCL and flexor tendon surgery.
It’s always a frustrating development for a pitcher to suffer such a serious injury, but especially for the 35-year-old Miller. Before he arrived in Milwaukee, he had a 1.98 ERA with Arizona, recording 10 saves over 34 appearances.
His time in Milwaukee was solid, as well. His 5.59 ERA with the Brewers was mostly attributable to two outings in which he combined to give up five earned runs over 2/3 of an inning. Otherwise, he gave up just one run over nine appearances. Now likely to miss the entirety of the 2026 season, it will be a while before he sees any major league action.
LHP Jordan Montgomery
Montgomery, who arrived in the same trade as Miller, will also be headed for free agency. Recovering from Tommy John, he missed the entirety of the 2025 season. Coming off a career-worst year in 2024 and a serious elbow surgery, it will be interesting to follow the market’s interest in him this offseason.
After pitching to a solid 3.48 ERA over the 2021-23 seasons, Montgomery never found much consistency in his 2024 campaign. Across 117 innings, he gave up a 6.23 ERA while striking out a career-low 6.38 batters per nine innings. Will teams be willing to take the gamble that he can recover to his pre-2024 form? Montgomery had proven to be a reliable option for steady innings, pitching at least 150 in three straight years. If he bounces back well from Tommy John, he might be a surprisingly effective option for a team, but it’s unpredictable how he might perform.
C Danny Jansen
Another mid-season acquisition, Jansen has a $12 million mutual option and a $500,000 buyout. The Brewers have Jeferson Quero coming up through the minors, so Jansen might opt for a chance at a longer-term deal in free agency. But on a short-term basis, Jansen would be a solid backup behind William Contreras. He’s been an above-average hitter in four of the last five seasons, posting a .752 OPS from 2021-25.
1B Rhys Hoskins
Hoskins and the Brewers have a mutual option for $18 million and a $4 million buyout. After Hoskins’ struggles and Andrew Vaughn’s surprise season, it seems to make sense for the Brewers to move on from Hoskins. The 32-year-old has hovered just around league-average with the bat, but he didn’t find much success this season. From June 1 onward, Hoskins hit .163 with a 57 wRC+. Once he returned from injury in September, Milwaukee didn’t find many at-bats for him, showcasing their willingness to work without him as a regular feature in the lineup.
RHP Freddy Peralta
One of the most interesting names in the offseason discussion, Freddy Peralta’s $8 million club option will surely be picked up. Peralta was the defined ace for Milwaukee this year, putting together a career-best 2.70 ERA over 176 2/3 innings. For the third straight season, Peralta hit the 200-strikeout milestone. Depending on how the Brewers approach his impending free agency next year, they could move on from Peralta in a trade, but the club option is about as team-friendly a deal you’ll ever find for a pitcher fresh off such an incredible season.
LHP Jose Quintana
Quintana will be 37 years old by Opening Day, and the Brewers would have to exercise the $15 million mutual option to bring him back. His $2 million buyout is their other avenue. Although Quintana provided a 3.96 ERA over 131 2/3 innings, he might not be viewed as a solution for next year’s rotation. His performance dipped as the season progressed, struggling to a 4.66 from June 27 onward.
RHP Brandon Woodruff
The season came to a frustrating end for Woodruff, suffering another injury after just two months back on the field. There’s a hefty price tag on Woodruff’s return with a $20 million mutual option and a $10 million buyout, but it might be worth it if the Brewers deem him capable of performing at his best again. Woodruff had a 3.20 ERA this year over 64 2/3 innings, showing he is certainly capable of valuable performance. His season-ending lat injury shouldn’t impede his ability to return at full-go for spring training, so no matter where he ends up, he could be a piece in a team’s rotation for Opening Day.
