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Brewers re-sign Claudio to 1-year deal

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After non-tendering reliever Alex Claudio last week instead of going to arbitration, the Brewers signed the left-hander to a one-year deal worth a reported $1.75 million.

Claudio was projected to earn $2.2 million in arbitration, which means the Brewers saved around $450,000 by going the non-tender rout and then bringing him back for more of a club friendly deal.

Claudio was used mostly against lefties last season, appearing in 83 games but pitching just 62 innings.  He allowed 57 hits and 24 walks while striking out 44, finishing 2-2 with a 4.06 ERA and a 1.306 WHIP.

This coming season, a rule change goes into affect forcing relievers to face a minimum of three hitters if an inning is still in progress.  That would force Claudio to face right handed hitters as well.

The Brewers also claimed utility infielder Ronny Rodriguez off waivers from the Detroit Tigers.  He hit .221 in 84 games with 14 home runs and 43 RBI.

The moves leave the Brewers with 34 players on their 40-man roster as the Winter Baseball Meetings continue in San Diego.

Broxton returns to Brewers

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Milwaukee Brewers Hernan Perez, Keon Broxton and Domingo Santana celebrate a 7-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on May 1, 2017. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

The Milwaukee Brewers added to their outfield depth by signing Keon Broxton to a minor league deal with an invitation to major-league spring training.

Broxton played three seasons for the Brewers before being traded to the New York Mets in January 2019.  In 269 games with the Brewers, Broxton batted .222 with 33 homers, 79 RBI and 49 stolen bases.

Broxton played in 34 games with the Mets last season before trading him to the Baltimore Orioles.  He was waived in late July and signed and signed by the Seattle Mariners.

Broxton had 228 plate appearances for the three teams combined, hitting just .167 with six homers, 16 RBI and 104 strikeouts.

Guerra signs with Diamondbacks

Veteran right-handed pitcher Junior Guerra, who was non-tendered by the Brewers, agreed to a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks worth $2.55 million with a club option for 2021.

Guerra went 9-5 with a 3.55 ERA in a career-high 72 appearances for the Brewers last season.  Overall, Guerra went 25-21 with a 3.78 ERA in 144 appearances with the Brewers, including 60 starts.

Simmons elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

Former Milwaukee Brewers catcher Ted Simmons was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on Sunday.  He joins former union leader Marvin Miller.

Simmons was an eight-time all-star during a 21-year career.  He hit .285 with 248 homers and 1,389 RBI for St. Louis, Milwaukee and Atlanta.

 

Brewers deal for starting catcher

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After losing free agent Yasmani Grandal to the Chicago White Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers made a deal today to acquire his potential replacement.

The Brewers sent minor league pitching prospect Adam Hill and a Competitive Round B draft pick to the Seattle Mariners for left-handed hitting Omar Narvaez.

Hill was acquired from the Mets last year in the Keon Broxton trade.  He went 7-9 with a 3.92 ERA in 26 games at Class A Wisconsin.  The Competitive Round B selection comes after the second round in 2020 that the Brewers were assigned this week.  That pick is currently the 70th overall selection in the draft.

The 27-year-old Narvaez played in 132 games with Seattle last season, hitting .278 with 22 home runs and 55 RBI.  He had a .353 on-base percentage, a .813 OPS and a .516 slugging percentage.

Narvaez is considered to be an offensive catcher and hit .289 against right-handed pitching last season.  Against lefties, he his just .227.  Narvaez hit 20 of his 22 home runs against right-handers.  Those numbers would suggest a potential platoon at catcher with right-handed hitting Manny Pina under contract for next season.

Defensively, Narvaez threw out just 18% of runners attempting to steal.

Narvaez still has three more years of contractual control and is projected to make about $2.9 million in salary arbitration this offseason.

 

Brewers complete deal with Padres

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The Milwaukee Brewers attempt to improve their team from last season started on Wednesday, sending right-handed pitcher Zach Davies and outfielder Trent Grisham to the San Diego Padres for left-handed starter Eric Lauer, infielder Luis Urias and a player to be named or cash.

Urias is the key part of the deal.  The 22-year-old will be given every opportunity to win the starting shortstop job.  The Brewers haven’t been happy with the offensive numbers of shortstop Orlando Arcia, who hit .223 in 152 games last season with 15 homers and 59 RBI.

Urias is considered to be one of the top infield prospects in all of baseball.  He hit .315 with 19 homers and 50 RBI at Class AAA El Paso last season.  Urias also played in 71 games for the Padres last season, but hit just .223 with four homers and 24 RBI.

The 24-year-old Lauer was a first-round draft pick in 2016.  In 30 games, including 29 starts for the Padres last season, he went 8-10 with a 4.45 ERA in 149 2/3 innings pitched.

Zach Davies went 10-7 with a 3.55 ERA in 31 starts in 159 2/3 innings pitched last season.

Grisham hit .231 in 51 games with six homers and 24 RBI.

Hader, Yelich nominated for first-ever All-MLB Team

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Major League Baseball on Monday announced the introduction of the first-ever All-MLB Team, which will commemorate the top regular-season performances from 2019.  Two Milwaukee Brewers are represented on the ballot:  pitcher Josh Hader and outfielder Christian Yelich.

The selection of the All-MLB Team will be determined equally by an online fan vote on MLB.com as well as by a panel of baseball media, broadcasters, former players and other officials throughout the game.  A first and second team will be named with one player from each of the following positions:  first base, second base, third base, shortstop, catcher and designated hitter.  Each team will also feature three outfielders (not based on specific outfield positions), five starting pitchers and two relievers.

Fans may cast their ballots once daily beginning now until the polls close at 4 p.m. CT on Tuesday, December 3. [Read more…]

Grandal signs four year deal with the White Sox

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The Milwaukee Brewers will be looking for a new starting catcher after last seasons starter, Yasmani Grandal, agreed to a four-year deal with the Chicago White Sox worth $73 million.  It’s the largest deal in White Sox history.

Grandal signed a one-year deal with the Brewers last season, worth $18.25 million.  He gets the same figure with the White Sox per season, but a four-year deal instead of just one.

Grandal played in 153 games with 124 starts as a catcher.  He hit .246 with 28 home runs and 77 RBI.  His 109 walks were second in the National League.  Grandal finished with a .380 on-base percentage and .848 OPS.

The Brewers have Manny Pina but the 32-year-old is considered primarily as a backup.  It will likely leave them searching for catching help in free agency or through a trade.

 

Brewers unveil new logo and uniforms

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The Milwaukee Brewers unveiled a new logo and uniforms that will be worn beginning with the upcoming 50th anniversary season in 2020.

The teams new look is a modernized version of the iconic ball-in-glove which was first introduced in 1978.  The script “M” cap is gone.

“This is an exciting day for the Milwaukee Brewers and our fans as we usher in this next generation of Brewers baseball,” said Brewers Principal Owner Mark Attanasio.  “As we reflected back on fifty years of the Brewers in Milwaukee, we turned to the past to inform our future.  Our fans, our city and our state have been the fabric of our franchise since 1970, and they are the inspiration of our new look.”

 

Yelich finishes second in NL MVP balloting

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Christian Yelich File Photo

Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger is the 2019 National League Most Valuable Player.  Bellinger received 19 of the 30 first-place votes to beat out reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers and Anthony Rendon of the Washington Nationals.

Bellinger becomes the first Dodger to win the award since Clayton Kershaw in 2014, and first LA position player since Kirk Gibson in 1988.

The 24-year-old Bellinger hit .305 with 47 home runs and 115 RBI in 156 games.

Yelich finished with 10 first-place votes and a total of 317 points, second to the 362 total points accumulated by Bellinger.

Yelich captured his second straight batting title with a .329 average.  He led the National League with a .429 on base percentage, a .671 slugging percentage and a 1.110 OPS while clubbing 44 home runs and stealing 30 bases.

Yelich missed the final 18 games of the season due to injury.

 

Counsell finishes second in Manager of the Year balloting again

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Craig Counsell

Despite getting more first-place votes, Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell finished second in the National League Manager of the Year balloting.

Counsell received 13 first-place votes to 10 for St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt, but the Brewers skipper lost to Shildt by seven points in the balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Shildt received 14 second place votes, while Counsell received just six.  It’s the second straight year that Counsell finished second in the balloting, last year losing to Atlanta’s Brian Snitker.  Snitker finished third this year.

Minnesota’s first-year manager Rocco Baldelli won the American League Manager of the Year in a close outcome over New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone.

Counsell led the Brewers to a strong final month, overtaking the Chicago Cubs for second place in the division and the second wild card spot.  The Brewers lost that wild card game to eventual World Series Champion Washington.

Yelich wins Silver Slugger Award

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Christian Yelich File Photo

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich won his second straight Silver Slugger Award as one of the top three offensive outfielders in the National League this season.  The award is voted on by the league’s managers and coaches.

It’s the third Silver Slugger Award for Yelich.  He captured his first as a member of the Miami Marlins in 2016.

Yelich was the only member of the Brewers to win a 2019 Silver Slugger.  Brewers catcher Yasmani Grandal and rookie second baseman Keston Hiura were both finalists but finished short in the voting.

Yelich won his second straight batting title with a .329 average this season.  He topped the National League with a .429 on-base percentage, .671 slugging percentage and a 1.100 OPS.

Yelich also slugged a career-high 44 homes runs, stole a career-best 30 bases, scored 100 runs and drove in 97 runs.