The Brewers have signed free-agent outfielder David Dahl to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A, tweets Will Sammon of The Athletic. They’ve also released infielder Kevin Kramer from their Nashville roster.
The 27-year-old Dahl was a first-round pick and longtime top prospect with the Rockies. After debuting as a 21-year-old back in 2016 and hitting the ground running with a .315/.359/.500 slash in 237 plate appearances, Dahl looked like a potential building block for the Rox.
However, Dahl came to the Majors with an injury history of note. He suffered a lacerated spleen during an outfield collision in the minor leagues and had an emergency splenectomy, and since his big league debut he’s incurred a stress reaction in rib cage, a broken foot, a lower back strain, a high ankle sprain and a right shoulder strain — all over the course of about four years.
Dahl spent the 2017 season on the injured list but returned to enjoy productive 2018-19 campaigns. The 2020 season was a disaster, however, as he posted a .183/.222/.247 batting line in 99 plate appearances with the Rockies, who somewhat surprisingly non-tendered him in the offseason. The Rangers swooped in to add Dahl on a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $2.7MM, but he looked nowhere near the 2016-19 version of himself; in 220 plate appearances this season, Dahl has batted only .210/.247/.322.
Texas designated Dahl for assignment earlier this month, and no team saw fit to claim the remainder of his $2.7MM salary on outright waivers. Dahl rejected an outright assignment in favor of free agency, and he’ll now join the Brewers in hopes of finding another big league opportunity with a third organization. Milwaukee would only owe Dahl the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the MLB roster — if he’s called up at all before season’s end.
Kramer, 27, came to the Brewers via a July 4 swap that sent lefty Nathan Kirby to the Pirates. It was an intra-division swap of two formerly high-profile draft prospects who simply haven’t panned out as their organizations had hoped. Kramer improved upon the woeful numbers he’d posted with the Bucs’ top minor league affiliate in what will go down as a brief run with the Brewers’ Nashville affiliate, but his output was still below average overall. In 66 plate appearances with Triple-A Nashville, Kramer hit .245/.379/.321.
I was hoping the Braves would sign Dahl.
Based on your username I thought you liked the Braves.
It would be a no risk signing, and he was good once. He’s still pretty young, and might have a rebound in him. Plus, I watched him play in high school.
Would Dahl become a minor league free agent at seasons end if he’s still with Nashville? Or is he controllable ?
He’s controllable through 2023.
He’s controllable thru 2023 IF he is on the big league 40 man roster. He can become a minor league free agent if he is not.
Good luck. He just doesn’t possess the bat speed he once had after those injuries. Poor dude just isn’t the same player.
Seems like just a minor league depth signing…I can never remember if this is Cain’s last year or next..but with Yelich, Taylor and almost certainly being stuck with JBJ next year, I don’t think plan A involves penciling him in for a big league roster spot..unless he figures it out and/or the injury bug hits again.
Cain has one more year.
I think they can get out of the JBJ deal. Pretty sure it’s a team option for next year.
Ok, Scout
Looks like the Brew Crew are going Dahl in this year.
If I had a Dahler for every time I heard that one, I’d be a rich man!
Hope he regains his swing and can can Dahl it back up again
My guess is this signing pans out as more of a Dahl-iance than anything permanent with the Brewers
He was 21 in 2016 and is 27… time flies
Well, he was 21 when he signed in 2016 and in April turned 22, so he was 22 for most of that year.
So I can see your confusion that he’s now 27 at 5 years later because the math doesn’t seem to add up.
Wonder if he could learn to play firstbase? Then Huira could become our full-time DH when they put it in the National League. Or he could be an intriguing 4th outfielder option. I look for Taylor to take over in right next year when Garcia leaves in off-season. Hopefully if he can turn things around with some work in the off-season. Then if Cain retires or gets traded we could start doing some extensions with Burnes , Woodruff, Hader, Williams, Narvaez, Adames and Urias? Atleast maybe a couple of them
Burnes, Woodruff, Williams, Adames and Urias are all under control for 3+ more years. Not a great idea to give them long extensions at this point. I wouldn’t count on Hiura and especially Dahl in any future plans. Dahl was passed on by every ML team. Hiura could bounce back, but he’s more of a bench option until proven otherwise
It’s a great idea to give them extensions, as opposed to losing them in FA after their control years are up and we can’t afford them in a bidding war.
We’ve been there before with Yo Gallardo. Unless you’re sitting on the next DeGrom, Verlander or Sherzer, you’ve got to be extremely careful. It’s a gamble, no doubt, but odds are not good that all three continue to develop, escape injury, and enjoy continued success as they have this year. Best case for the Crew is to wait a few years and pick one they can hold onto. Then you probably have to trade one or both of the others for prospects before you lose them in free agency. But injuries will probably simplify things before they get to that point. Just enjoy the season for what it is – just a great season for each of the big 3 and nice showings from Hauser and Lauer. It doesn’t happen often for the Crew!
Yes, lets give them extensions when they have shown peak performance with 3 years left. Especially in the case of Peralta who signed a team friendly deal to avoid his arb years last year. A small market team cannot shell out 70-80 mil on 3 pitchers. Better off letting injuries and progression/regression decide with 1 year remaining you make the choice to trade or resign.
True but with some are going to start getting significant pay raises with arbitration starting and if you can buy one or two years of free agency with guaranteed money then it is worth the risk. I think this pitching rotation is special. if we can lock some up with Turang and Mitchell coming up
Wrong. This has been as dominant a staff as any in history, including the late 70s Orioles.
These guys are that good and getting better.
There will be no regression.
We can afford to spend that much annually on 3 pitchers when they are ALL in their primes and will be this good for the next 5-6 years.
And it’s paying them for past performance when they were underpaid, making them loyal and more wanting to perform.
Arb alone is going to cause all of their contracts to skyrocket as never seen before in arb. Records. Very high salaries.
The same salaries almost as paying each guy 23 million a year.
Wrong. EACH of these guys is getting better and they are in prime age.
Gallardo’s deal paid him for the first 3 years about what arb would have and essentially it didn’t kick in until his age 27 season (with 3 years remaining, the last a team option).
These guys are 24, 26, and 28 and ALL 3 are the next DeGrom. They are that good and getting better.
Sign them all to 5 year deals with progressive raises that are slightly better than arb for the first couple years and then a big bump in year 4 and a team option with a big bump in year 5.
Just like Yo’s contract.
It’s not that hard. It’s only math.
He’s a pretty good defensive OF. The only reason you might want to make him a 1B would be to try to protect him from injury. Which might be reasonable given his history.
David Dahl, Schlemiel, Schlimazel, Hasenpffefer Incorporated!
He’d probably get outhit by Arlene Dahl.
(Yes, I am 110)……
Wow. I am a big time old movie fan and even I didn’t remember that reference. Nicely done.
Although I did learn that she is the mother of Lorenzo Lamas star of the wonderfully bad TV show Renegade.
And in truth I only remember her from ‘What’s My Line’, which was a staple in my house (we were Neanderthals; only one TV, you watched what the parents wanted; in other words, child abuse).
I suppose I could have gone to my room and tweeted somebody from my tablet….
Oh, wait a minute…..
As for Lorenzo Lamas, who can forget his memorable role on the ’80s tv show Falcon Crest as hunky Lance Cumson?
Strangely enough, Falcon Crest was one of those shows that was a staple in my house growing up. I watched it only because it was the only way I was allowed to stay up until 11 on Fridays.
Check her out in Journey to the Center of the Earth. 1959 film. She was fantastic!
Was it her or Gertrude the duck who got eaten?
Arnie Sachnusen……..
…..James Mason…and a very confused Pat Boone…..
(musta watched it 100 times)….
Maybe even Steve Dahl
Bob Tillman out here bumping up the average MLBTR user age.
Nice reference.
So is Arlene Dahl………..or pretty close
Buy low, maybe he’ll figure something out
The Mets really chose Reddick over Dahl? Doesn’t make any sense whats so ever. Well both are a major upgrade over Conforto but this team just doesn’t know what they are doing
David Dahl at this point is a major upgrade over absolutely no one above AA. There are several pitchers that can outhit him.
Reddick over him is a very easy choice.
Conforto has been playing better of late.
I guess the rox had a valid reason for releasing Dahl