The Brewers and catcher William Contreras have avoided arbitration, reports Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He and the Brewers have signed a one-year deal with a club option for 2026. Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the backstop will make $6MM this year and there’s a $100K buyout on the $12MM option, so he’s guaranteed $6.1MM. He will still be under club control if that club option is eventually turned down.
January 15 was the deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to exchange filing figures. The majority of players agreed to terms with their respective clubs ahead of that deadline but Contreras was one of the 17 that did not. He filed at $6.5MM and the club at $5.6MM. This agreement puts him slightly beyond the midpoint of those two figures. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected the backstop for $7.6MM.
After the filing deadline, teams and players are free to continue negotiating. However, most clubs adopt a “file and trial” policy, meaning that they refuse to negotiate one-year deals after the deadline. It’s quite common to see deals emerge after the deadline but before a hearing, though a club or mutual option will be involved. That’s a technicality since the option means the deal can’t be used as a comparable for future arb cases. That has come to pass in this case.
This is the first of three arbitration chances for Contreras, who is under club control through 2027. His subsequent raises will be based off his base salary in 2025, making this a significant case for player and club. As mentioned, the option is mostly a technicality. Even if the club eventually turns it down, he will still be under club control by the Brewers via arbitration.
Contreras came to the Brewers from Atlanta prior to the 2023 campaign, part of the three-team deal that sent Sean Murphy to Atlanta. In his two seasons in Milwaukee, he has slashed .285/.366/.462 for a wRC+ of 128. His defensive metrics also greatly improved relative to his time in Atlanta. He’s been worth 11.2 wins above replacement over those two campaigns, in the eyes of FanGraphs.
Sweet
Hopefully the Brewers learned something when messing up with Burnes
They didn’t mess up. Burnes was just a cry baby attention boar and Milwaukee was trading him whether they agreed to a offer or went to arbitration. And they could not would not sign him as a free agent. And if they somehow could and wanted to he would have gladly signed with them for a significant amount of more money. And if they gave him his number in arbitration he wouldn’t give them any home team discount. These guys are mercenaries. Just like the teams. Obviously there are few exceptions different tiers of shrewdness.
You hit it on the head. The Brewers have changed the atmosphere and the clubhouse attitude, with guys who want to be part of this organization. Everybody who has left has always had big money in mind, and honestly didn’t do extra stuff to get to the next level or made enough sacrifices. They had the me first type attitude. Now I get they have to look out for themselves to a point. But none of them were like Sabathia, Yount, Molitor, Braun, Fielder, Hart, and numerous others. Keep it real Burnes, CC, Adames, Hader have all been overpaid.
Burnes didn’t do extra stuff to get to the next level??? You brewers fans are delusional. Burnes is known for a maniacal work ethic, which made him into one of the 5 best pitchers on the planet. Went from a so-so reliever starting only 13 games total the first 3 years to act Young winner. But, yeah he totally didn’t do the extra stuff he just woke up year 4 as a 5 WAR pitcher that won the CY Young.
Cry some more. Just b/c you owner chooses not to pay stars and cries broke doesn’t mean the mindless fans need to adopt said strategy.
@blueboy
You’re pretty high and far out. What kind of kick are you on, son?
Kind of suprised they didn’t go to hearing and see if they could save an extra 50 cents
Still love the fact that the Brewers were an afterthought in the Sean Murphy trade, yet they were able to acquire 3 players by giving up 1 prospect and so far, it seems they’ve won the trade by a landslide. Justin Yeager hasn’t shown much in the minors but both Joel Payamps and Contreras have been stars for the Brewers.
An afterthought? I don’t think so, Contreras was a highly regarded piece, it’s just that the A’s already had 2 great catching prospects and wanted a CF instead. The Brewers were always considered a winner on the trade just for getting Contreras. I don’t think anyone knew just how favorable the trade would end up being for them, but they were never an “afterthought”
Agree with this SoCal. Contreras was very highly rated block was young and inexperienced. Braves wanted a win now, manage a championship rotation catcher. The A’s are, well the A’s so there was no way they’d be getting the right prospects in this or any deal.
Attanasio is a penny pincher and that’ll never change.
Get a clue!! Try being an owner of the smallest media market in baseball
Will someone explain to me how the entire league essentially going with the “file & trial” policy isn’t collusion in the eyes of the MLBPA?
Attanasio is NOT a penny pincher. He got to where he is by carefully analyzing the whole picture and making a decision based on the facts. As much as it would be nice to have the financial resources of teams like the Dodgers and Yankees, the reality is we are not those two markets. We’ve been pretty successful under Attanasio’s ownership and there are plenty of other teams that wish they could be based on the results.