The Brewers announced that left-hander Brent Suter has been claimed off waivers by the Rockies.
Suter, 33, has been with the Brewers for over a decade now, since they drafted him back in June of 2012. He made his MLB debut in 2016, serving in a swing role over his first few seasons, making starts but also coming out of the bullpen. He’s gradually been moving towards more bullpen work, with 2022 being his first full season working exclusively in relief.
He made 54 appearances on the year and threw 66 2/3 innings in total with a 3.78 ERA. However, his rate stats indicate he was possibly lucky to keep runs off the board at that rate. His strikeout rate topped out at 29.5% in 2020 before dropping to 22% last year and 19.5% this year. His walk rate also trended in the wrong direction, going from 3.9% to 7.7% to 8.1% in that timeframe. His ground ball rate was just over 50% in the previous two seasons but fell to 45% in 2022.
His .265 batting average on balls in play was a 35-point drop from 2021, which likely helped him keep that ERA down. That might not be entirely luck, since he did limit the damage opposing hitters did against him. His hard hit rate was in the 96th percentile and his average exit velocity was in the 95th. That ability to keep batters in check is surely appealing for a Rockies club that plays in the most hitter-friendly park in the league.
The Brewers had a huge arbitration class going into this winter, with Suter one of 18 players to qualify. Given the club’s history of budget-conscious decisions, it seemed likely that at least some of those players would end up moving off the roster in one way or another. Suter was projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn a salary of $3.1MM in his final year of eligibility. The deadline to tender contracts for arbitration-eligible players is tonight, but it seems Milwaukee wasn’t planning on tendering Suter and put him on waivers instead. The Rockies, based on this claim, are presumably comfortable with paying Suter in that range.
With Suter gone, the Brewers have Hoby Milner as their sole lefty in the bullpen, though starters like Aaron Ashby or Ethan Small could theoretically end up working in relief if they get bumped from the rotation. For the Rockies, they now have two southpaws, with Suter joining Lucas Gilbreath.
Suter is a solid pitcher. Coors may not be a good spot for him however. Was this the Crew trying to pinch pennies in arbitration?
He was under contract but he’s just not very good anymore
Suter was the most unreliable arm in the pen. I am happy he’s gone
No he’s in arbitration. It’s his final arb year, free agent next year.
He ate innings, but wasn’t really that good to justify the $3.5 M he projected to get from the Brewers.
They brought him in during junk time. Usually bringing in Suter was Craig’s way of waving the white flag during a game
For sure. It isn’t that he was all bad, but just not worth the price tag for a team that needs to redirect funds. One of the longest tenured Brewer, but he is replaceable. Perhaps Ethan Small takes his role.
I vaguely recall him notching 6 outs over 2 innings (10th and 11th if memory serves) on like 12 pitches in a game this past season. I changed the channel when I saw he’d be coming in, and about a minute later flipped back expecting to see he’d given up a walkoff, to find he got 3 outs on like 4 pitches, then cruised through another inning almost as quickly.
Considering the radar gun occasionally didn’t even register a speed on half his pitches, overall his numbers weren’t nearly as bad as people insist he was.
Well while he can be replaced as far as stats. I think his clubhouse leadership is unreplaceable. Heck we still miss Sedar and Brauns clubhouse leadership.
Braun’s “leadership” is always something to needle the Brewers about.
Solid pickup for the Rockies. Surprised the Brewers let him go via waivees, unless they couldn’t find a trade to their liking
He should already know how to pitch in Colorado, Brewers AAA was in Colorado when he pitched at AAA. Will eat innings, might even be a swing man for the Rockies.
As a Cubs fan, he’s always had our number. Glad he’s gone
If he had your number, but didn’t call, is that still okay?
Because basically, you would never know right.
Is he the Calgary coach?
that’s Darryl Sutter if you’re referring to the Calgary Flames
Struggling to understand why they put him on waivers instead of nontendering him. Regardless of if it was outright or release waivers, if he clears he would become a free agent. So it does not benefit the Brewers to waive him vs just nontendering him.
From the perspective of helping out the player, I would assume letting him go into the free market is better than hoping a team claims him and goes through the arbitration system with him. It is just hard for me to believe he would get more money through arbitration than from being a free agent.
Maybe not. I don’t believe a free agent would necessarily earn more than he could through arbitration. There’s nothing stopping a team offering MLB minimum to a free agent. But a player under contract or under the arb system would get what they get in arbitration–it’s a tradeoff for player control. Want to control the player, tender him, and live with the arbitration award.
May be perfect for Rockies. Suter can quickly pitch 2-4 innings in a game that’s over by the 4th inning. He’ll probably carry a 5+ERA there.
Bruce still better
They already have Suter. His name is Austin Gomber. And it only cost them Arenado.
Gomber could be nicknamed Gomer Pyle!
Do you hear that? That’s the sound of the Brewers being cheap!
I think prudent!
Phillies in 8?
They kept him for a decade. His fastball was never great and last year it seemed to be around 86mph. Great guy, but can’t really fault MKE here for being cheap. It was just time.
The brewers got everything they could out of Suter. Time to move on and work some magic with other arms.
They’ll do it. Great organization at developing pitching.
My nickname for him is Liberal, based on majoring in environment at Harvard. Not engineering, just environmental studies. Wrote a children’s book. Good luck to you! Do not disagree with move, but should have kept in Boc I trust.
*Environmental science, which isn’t just a bunch of BS. Nearly studied it myself, it’s quite interesting and can actually pay quite well.
@uwp Always amazing how someone can show you their IQ with a simple statement?! What was your major, Status Quo 101, minoring in Do As You’re Told Studies?
While I also don’t disagree with moving Suter. Your perceived politics of him have nothing to do with his pitching. It’s a shame more people aren’t aware of their environmental impact like Suter is, and attempt to be part of the solution. Instead of being part of the problem!
Studying something that can be you well in the future makes you a liberal? Well I’ll be damned.
It makes you a liberal only if the degree doesn’t pay well and you complain about it while flipping burgers or pouring coffee in order to make a meager wage
Someone that went to Platteville looking down their nose at someone that went to Harvard. Your nickname must be “C average.”
The durability’s a feature, but Brent had a lucky ERA in each of the past two seasons. A below average reliever going on 33 just isn’t worth $3m. On his way out of the league. Hope he’s tucking most of that 3m away.