As the Brewers plan for next season, they have financial flexibility and control of players

As the Milwaukee Brewers make their personnel decisions between now and spring training in 2018, they will have two major factors in their favor – financial flexibility as well as control over the vast majority of the players on their roster.

The Brewers began the 2017 season with an actual player payroll of $57.6 million, lowest in the majors if you included money owed by San Diego to players no longer on their roster. And they have only two players signed for next season – leftfielder Ryan Braun and first baseman Eric Thames.

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Braun has a $19 million salary for 2018 as part of a five-year, $105 million extension that still has $57 million remaining, including a buyout of a club option for 2021. But $4 million is deferred next year, leaving an actual payout of $15 million for the Brewers. Add Thames’ $5 million salary for next season and the Brewers’ commitment for '18 currently is $20 million.

Right-hander Matt Garza’s $12.5 million salary comes off the books as his four-year, $50 million deal expires. Garza is one of only four upcoming free agents on the roster, including infielders Neil Walker and Eric Sogard and reliever Anthony Swarzak. Walker and Swarzak were in-season acquisitions, and Sogard signed a minor-league deal and was summoned from Class AAA Colorado Springs in mid-May.

As the Brewers’ season came to an end in St. Louis over the weekend, including being eliminated from the NL wild-card race in the next-to-last game, Swarzak and Sogard expressed a desire to return to the club if deals can be worked out. Swarzak was acquired from the Chicago White Sox before the trade deadline in a deal for minor-league outfielder Ryan Cordell.

Swarzak, 32, was the losing pitcher when the Brewers were eliminated from the wild-card race but performed quite well overall for the club, posting a 2.48 ERA over 29 appearances with 39 strikeouts in 29 innings. After that tough loss, Swarzak, who had a $900,000 salary, said he’d like to stay because “I love the group. Young, talented, passionate. That’s all you could ask for. I think the communication line is open.”

Told of Swarzak’s remarks, manager Craig Counsell said, “Players that are free agents have choices and opportunities. They’ve worked to get them, and they’ve earned them. I think Anthony has been a great addition here. He’s been an important player on the field for us.

“So, he’s certainly a guy we’re interested in having back. You’re always glad when players want to be back, and want to be part of it, and think it’s something special.”

Sogard made an impact after being called up as a replacement for slump-ridden Jonathan Villar, both at second base and in the leadoff spot in the batting order. He played in 94 games, batting .273 with a .393 on-base percentage and 37 runs scored.

Sogard, 31, also was a great fit in a tight-knit clubhouse, earning the moniker “Nerd Power” for wearing traditional eyeglasses on the field.

“I love this group of guys, and I think they have something special going on here,” Sogard said. “I’d love to be a part of the future, but we’ll see what happens.”

Walker, 32, was acquired from the New York Mets in August and had a $17.2 million salary in 2017 after accepting a qualifying offer instead of going into free agency following shoulder surgery. He said he is open to offers from the Brewers but also wants to see what’s out there on the market in what will be his first free-agent experience.

“This is the type of team I’m going to be looking at, one that’s ready to win now and one I can help,” Walker said of the Brewers. “At the same time, I feel like I slighted myself for playing for eight full years in the big leagues and not giving myself at least an opportunity, as far as free agency, to see what else is out there.”

The Brewers have no intention of trying to keep Garza, who was a disappointment (26-39, 4.65 ERA in 96 games) after signing his four-year, free-agent deal. It could be a moot point because Garza, 33, said he wasn’t sure he’d keep playing, and would go home and talk it over with his family.

The Brewers, who began the season with a whopping 17 players at or near minimum salary ($535,000), have nine eligible for arbitration this off-season, including closer Corey Knebel, who figures to be a “Super 2” player (in the top 22% of players with between two and three years of service). Some of those players might not be offered contracts, such as right-hander Wily Peralta and reliever Carlos Torres, so it remains to be seen how many actually make it to arbitration.

"We're always going to be heavy with players with zero to six years of service," general manager David Stearns said. "A lot of those players are going to be eligible for arbitration."

One way or the other, the Brewers still have control of most of the players on their roster with the financial flexibility to make outside moves on the market if so desired. That planning began in earnest Monday, the day after the season ended.

“The first thing is assessing our own team and understanding where we are, what we think we’ve done well, where we think we can improve, where we need additions,” Stearns said. “That’s Step 1. We’ve been going through that for a while and will continue to do so.

“Step 2 is beginning to look at what might be available outside of the organization, with free agency or trades, or just any external acquisitions. That begins now and then picks up steam once the World Series ends, and discussions among teams pick up.”

FREE AGENTS

RHP Matt Garza

INF Eric Sogard

RHP Anthony Swarzak

INF Neil Walker

ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

RHP Chase Anderson

RHP Jared Hughes

RHP Jeremy Jeffress

RHP Corey Knebel (Super 2)

RHP Jimmy Nelson

RHP Wily Peralta

UTIL Hernán Pérez

RHP Carlos Torres

INF Jonathan Villar

C Stephen Vogt