The Brewers announced on Sunday that they’ve signed left-handed pitcher Brent Suter to a two-year deal, avoiding arbitration. Per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, it’s a $2.5MM guarantee for the 30-year-old Suter: he’ll collect salaries of $900K in 2020 and $1.5MM in 2021, along with a $100K signing bonus. The contract also includes incentives that could bring Suter’s 2021 salary to $1.75MM based on innings pitched milestones.
Until the two sides reached an agreement, Suter was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing tomorrow; he had asked for $1.25MM while the Brewers offered $825K.
The two-year deal means that the Brewers have bought out Suter’s first two years of arbitration eligibility. However, since he’s a Super Two player, he’ll still have two years of eligibility remaining after the contract expires. Suter is due to reach free agency after the 2023 season.
Suter enjoyed a nice season—albeit a shortened one—in 2019, after spending the majority of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He proved a valuable multi-inning, change-of-pace option in the bullpen, tossing 18 1/3 innings and allowing just one run.
And while Suter seems likely to begin the 2020 season in the bullpen, it’s clear from the incentive clauses in his contract (Suter would max out the bonuses with 160 IP) that the Brewers still see potential for Suter to start games this year. With newcomers Josh Lindblom, Eric Lauer, and Brett Anderson rounding out the projected Opening Day rotation, Suter will likely have to cut his teeth as a multi-inning reliever and spot starter, but could get an opportunity to start in case of injuries.
This dude went to Harvard.
Yeah lol
He also was worth a full 1.0 WAR in just 18 IP last year!
Fascinating!
Right?!
He’s kind of a left-handed version of Chris Young, who’s also an Ivy League guy. They’re both tall soft-tossing swingmen that outpitch their peripherals. (Suter was incredible last year and Young was a little taller, but it’s close enough.)
A little taller? How tall is Suter?!
6’5
He also is pretty funny!
Every super-smart kid I went to school with had the exact same face as Bruce Suter’s, lol
So he’ll be 32 when this deal is done and still have 2 years of control left? Meaning he won’t be a free agent till age 34, maybe baseball needs to rethink how it’s free agency works
Free agency is based on the years he is on the major league roster, not on how old he is.
Yes that’s why I said it needs to change how it works and go by age and years of services
Then college players would be at a huge disadvantage in the draft. Teams would have 3-4 fewer years of control. So fewer players would get educations.
I’d prefer any changes sure t more young guys to college rather than away from it.
that only makes it harder for older players to make it in the league.
So you think if he was. Free agent right now he wouldn’t have a chance to make a bit more somewhere else?
I don’t see any problem with control years going away after a player turns 30. Definitely not past 32. Gotta give a guy a chance to reach the open market once in his prime.
Well he was a late bloomer for the Brewers. That being said this is a guy who is more important then what the numbers show because of what he brings to the clubhouse. I dont believe the CBA is the problem as much as the FO spends too much time in their offices and not enough time down on the fields. There is plenty of players that deserve to be up a lot sooner then they are.
Are there?
Kris Bryant agrees.
Can’t remember another deal offhand where a team bought out early arb years but not the later ones.
Makes sense for Suter, though. 2.5m is enough to retire to a comfortable middle class lifestyle.
This particular case might have something to do with his age and the recent TJ surgery. Brewers protecting themselves a bit in case he suffers another injury or isn’t real effective.
Except it’s not as he has to pay agent and other personnel plus taxes and union dues. Probably only makes 1.5 or so of that, which would obviously be awesome but he would have to find something else after baseball that’s forsure
32 mph fastball. Guy is lucky to have a job. Take what is offered and STFU.
Huh? Where did he complain? He agreed to the deal.
What in the world are you talking about
Yeah it amazes me that some of these lummoxes can manage to sign into their accounts without spraining an ankle