The Brewers continue to remain in touch with Ryan Braun, but GM David Stearns told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy (Twitter links) that there isn’t much new to report about the possibility of a reunion between the two sides. Braun hit free agency for the first time in his career after the Brew Crew declined their half of a $14MM option on his services for 2021, on the heels of an injury-hampered season that saw Braun hit .233/.281/.488 over 141 plate appearances.
After starting 15 games as a designated hitter last season, it’s quite possible Braun’s chances of a return to Milwaukee could hinge on whether or not the universal DH is a part of the 2021 season. Stearns gave no specifics on this front, other than to say that his team is making preparations to play either with or without a DH in the lineup. While Braun is entering his age-37 season and doesn’t exactly fit the Brewers’ preferred model of multi-positional players, his 14-year tenure as the face of the franchise could create some room for a return — perhaps for just a final season, as Braun has weighed the idea of retirement but also said he wants to play another year.
More on the free agent front…
- The Marlins have interest in left-hander Chasen Shreve, according to Barry Jackson and Craig Mish of the Miami Herald. The Mets non-tendered Shreve following a season that saw the lefty post a 3.96 ERA and a very impressive 33.3K% over 25 innings, but Shreve also had a below-average 11.8% walk rate and he allowed four homers over his 25 frames.
- Also from Jackson and Mish, there doesn’t appear to be any new progress between the Marlins and Brandon Kintzler, as the club still hasn’t made an offer to their former closer despite some ongoing interest in bringing Kintzler back. Kintzler posted a 2.22 ERA and a 57.3% grounder rate over 24 1/3 innings for Miami last season, with the groundball specialist also posting his usual small strikeout totals (13.9K%). The Marlins paid Kintzler a $225K buyout in October rather than exercise their $4MM club option on the veteran righty.
- Hector Rondon signed a minor league deal with the Phillies earlier today, and The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan reports (via Twitter) that the Diamondbacks didn’t have interest in re-signing the right-hander. Arizona signed Rondon last winter to a one-year contract worth $3MM in guaranteed money that included a club option for 2021, but after a disastrous 7.65 ERA over 20 innings, Rondon’s option wasn’t picked up.
Shreve is a left-hander FYI, looks like it says right-hander on the post
If Mark Polishuk wants to write about baseball he has to know that chasen shreve is lefthanded
Or what? You’ll cancel your paid subscription?
@Stan. Good catch.
There’s 30 40 man rosters and ten times that amount in minor leaguers. I think it’s ok that these guys make a mistake from time to time, it’s a lot of info to keep track of. I’m sure you can’t name every single bullpen piece of every single team off the top of your head
One question not answered is how many additional runs did Shreve allow with his four homers and other hits he gave up? ERA for a reliever has to be taken into context unless they just start off innings.
12 R, 11 ER. That wasn’t too hard to look up.
Not good enough! Every time an MLBTR writer makes a mistake I demand congressional hearings about it!
Screw that, let’s storm the MLBTR Capitol building. These mistakes are ruining lives and leading us all into a pit of moral bankruptcy, soon followed by financial bankruptcy it might be said. If you let the handedness of a bullpen guy be confused, what follows? A cabal of illiterate people who have given up on baseball to focus on esports.
You all are bashing the writer for getting the arm that he pitches with wrong. Did you not think about that Shreve could be amphibious?
too soon.
SMH righty in water lefty on land??
Yes I can. I will match my baseball Knowledge against yours any time for any amount of money you would like to wager.
@think it thru
Yes, he’s like a mermaid. Maybe he can choose which hand he uses on land or water?
I wonder what he throws with when he’s in space.
Mark tried to kill AOC with this post. That’s what she said, anyway
@sandy. Kind full of yourself. You made the kool aid and then you drank it too?
My guess is, you poke fun at it because you haven’t been anywhere near anyone or anything that would like to cause you harm.
And that cards traded Voit for him lololololol
Well him and Giovanny Gallegos…who is a great bullpen arm…but hey let’s not mention him
I don’t see Braun garnering much interest anywhere else so it may be time to hang ’em up if the Brewers don’t re-sign him. They could use a RH option at 1B, so even without the DH there may still be a possibility for Braun though its not looking good
He has all but come out and said the Dodgers or the Angels would be the only teams he would sign with other than the Brewers. I think he retires.
There’s no way he signs in LA after he took Kemp’s mvp then got busted for PED. He’s one of the loudest heckled opponents in LA
Dodgers nearly traded for him in 2016.
Dude that happened over ten years ago. If he were to put on Dodger blue pretty sure all would be forgotten.
@Lurking-Thank you for your insight.
Lurking Most fans will forget quick if he comes to LA and starts helping the Dodgers win. It’s been like 10 years now. There’s probably a bit of fans out there that still hold some big grudge over it, but I guarantee you the current Dodgers coaches and FO don’t feel the same about it.
If it was Kemp’s MVP, Kemp would have had the MVP in the first place.
You have shereve as a right hander
Author was going off his platoon splits.
Maybe.
Man, why the brilliant Yankees analytics dept kept insisting on using him against LH batters was flummoxing.
Lol
Red Sox should kick the tires on Kintzler.
Agreed.
Hope Braun retires. He can get a job with Fed ex.
Shreve continues to try to find a team in MLB. He always finds a way to make a roster as last man in Bullpen.
A lefty that can miss bats will always be given a chance somewhere and hope they can find lighting in the bottle.
Now that’s funny!
As much as I loathe cancel culture and all it stands for, I would be perfectly OK if it came after Braun.
Can’t imagine Braun with another team. 14 years is a long time to stick with one team. I didn’t realize he was 37. Unless the Crew wants to have him DH, it’s probably time to hang ’em up.
Curious to see Kintzler’s market. Phillies could certainly use him, but that’s just a bias Phillies fan being greedy.
Kinzler is good with a good infield defense behind him. Why not Philly?
Von: If Kintzler wasn’t worth $4M to the Marlins, maybe that means he’d sign for less? If so, the Phillies should be all over him. Kintzler, Bradley and Neris, and not necessarily in that order, handling the 7th, 8th and 9th innings would be a tough trio. If it only takes a few million to sign him, Fuld should do it.
I would bet Braun is done. He won’t make enough money on any new deals to justify the insane effort that goes into working out, training, traveling and playing. Sure, a lot of guys stick around because making $2-5M is still a nice gig even after making $15+M a season, but there’s also gotta be the overwhelming urge to continue going out there and competing.
I don’t get that sense of hungry competitiveness from Braun at this point.
He’s made $185M cash and he’s got $18M guaranteed coming to him over the next 10 years. He doesn’t need the money. He won’t produce like he used to. He won’t be given a spot on a club that is in a position to compete now.
I think he retires.
It’s a big assumption that Braun isn’t motivated. Ryan Zimmerman signed with the Nats for relative peanuts.
To be clear: I am not against the guy, I don’t think he’s lazy, this isn’t about his work ethic, at all. I think if he decides to keep playing he’ll be all in and work his butt off and he’ll produce decently.
He was pacing for like 33 HR’s, 108 RBI’s last year if it had been a full season. So I don’t think he wouldn’t make an effort, wouldn’t be productive.
I do think he’s at the point in his career where he will probably have diminishing returns, need more and more time at DH and he just won’t get the kind of salary and be signed by the kinds of teams that would offer a player of Braun’s caliber and history the chance to achieve career goals he’d stay in the game to go after.
He’d be Johnny Damon in Detroit or on the Rays or he’d be Tulowtiski with the Yankees, but probably on a club without that kind of pedigree or assumed playoff potential.
I see Braun going to like, the A’s, or the Red Sox. Teams that need a lot of fixing. Where he likely won’t contend for the post season in 2021. And I just don’t think it’ll be worth it for him at this point in his career.
If those are the choices, he’ll retire. Over the last couple of years, he’s given every indication that the southern California teams would be the only ones he would sign with, other than the Brewers. Dodgers, Angels, maybe Padres.
Last year, he seemed to have his healthiest season in a couple of years, and still missed a third of the games. Over a full season, I don’t think anyone can count on more than 100 games from him. Maybe 120 if he DHs full time.
The only way I see him coming back would be with the Brewers for a final season in front of the fans. And I see it as a mid-season signing. After it’s definite that there will be fans at the games.
Who knows though, maybe he gets a Roger Clemens kinda deal where he only plays home games and the series’ in nearby towns. Maybe he doesn’t even sign until July..
I kinda doubt it, but I think something like that is plausible.
When you are a pitcher taking the ball every 5 days you can do it. A bat that must be on standby every night? Not a chance Braun gets the Clemens treatment.
Hes essentially been a part time player for the last couple years, and been held out of 3-5 games in a row a number of times. Its not a totally new concept with him.
And as far as a starting pitcher, are you implying they don’t do any actual baseball activity between starts? Or just Clemens?
I don’t wish to speak for him, but what I get from what he’s saying is a rotation can be set up so that a certain pitcher doesn’t go on some road trips because they won’t pitch. Throwing on the side and their bullpen session can be done just as easily at the home park.
But a team being down a position player by choice is different. Most of the games Braun missed were because of his various injuries. A player getting a planned day off from starting is still available to pinch hit or play, if necessary.
I get that. But I seem to recall braun being kept completely out of a series at least a handful of times, and the announcers saying while he was “available” he would only be used as a last resort, which I don’t recall ever happening.
Seems like there was one instance where he wasn’t used for a full week, without being put on the injured list.
The A’s love guys with solid OBP numbers. Braun would fit nicely there as a DH and maybe part-time 1B.
Correction Chasen Shreve is a LHP and he was highly effective last season FWIW.
I’m not sure I would use the word “highly” but he certainly is a good LH piece for just about any pen.
Not sure why Miami hasn’t brought back Kintzler as of yet. My feeling is that someone else gets him on the cheap.
Braun is 37 hits away from 2000. Maybe he’s determined to hit that mark.
Nyuck Nuuk
Typo nyuck nyuck
RIP Grant “Buck” Jackson.
My Phillies traded him away at a young age for the very short career of Roger Freed only to see Jackson enjoy a 17-year career as one of the best LH relievers in the game. The baseball world has lost a lot of really good players over the past twelve months. Must be some team in Heaven.