Free Agent Starting Pitchers for 2019

[tmwiese55]

Just looking at that, they'd likely get their whole team season's starting pitching for less money than one top level starter gets (Kershaw, Scherzer, etc).

[Eye Black]

2019 internal options:

I like Pomeranz as a possible Miley type signing during the off season. I don't necessarily think they need a "depth" signing, but a mid rotation or better arm would be very nice. Getting a healthy and effective Nelson (big if) would be the biggest get.

I would be interested in Drew Pomeranz if they thought they had any answers to his sudden fall off a cliff over the past calendar year because he has admitted that he has tried just about everything. The velocity drop appears to be the most significant concern for Pomeranz this season. He is only 29-years old, so it’s not crazy to think he could still bounce back, but also wouldn’t count on it at this point.

[LouisEly]

Just looking at that, they'd likely get their whole season's starting pitching for less money than a top level starter gets (Kershaw, Scherzer, etc).

Just looking at that, they don't need a FA SP. Burnes and Woodruff were top 100 prospects for a reason - time to give them a shot.

 

They'll have plenty of depth, even if Nelson doesn't return - still will have Chacin, Davies, Anderson, Burnes, Woodruff, Peralta, Houser, Guerra, plus Zack Brown in AAA. That's nine starters, ten if Nelson is back. Houser is out of options and has to stay, Woodruff only has one left - would be nice to still have that option if he struggles.

 

I'd be for bringing back Miley on a reasonable deal, as they have no LH SP, and then trading one or both of Davies/Anderson for upgrades at other positions or for restocking the farm system.

[KeithStone53151]

2019 internal options:

Chacin: $6.75M

Anderson: $6.5M

Nelson: Arb 2

Davies: Arb 1

Guerra: Arb 1

Woodruff: Minimum

Peralta: Minimum

Burnes: Minimum

Suter: Minimum (likely out all of 2019, but possible late season option)

Lyles: $1M opt w/ $250k buyout

Houser: Minimum

Wilkerson: Minimum

 

I think the Brewers will add a SP whether it be through FA or trade. Whether they add one of the bigger FA SPs will likely depend on how high MA is willing to push the payroll during the off season. They've added a lot of salary mid-season and I assume they'll want to maintain that flexibility.

 

I like Pomeranz as a possible Miley type signing during the off season. I don't necessarily think they need a "depth" signing, but a mid rotation or better arm would be very nice. Getting a healthy and effective Nelson (big if) would be the biggest get.

 

You forgot Josh Hader...

[adambr2]

I'm 90% certain Josh Hader is a relief ace guy moving forward. Don't think that's changing.

[OnaBadger58]

I'm 90% certain Josh Hader is a relief ace guy moving forward. Don't think that's changing.

90% is low imo.

[coolhandluke121]

I think it will be the same as last year unless someone they can't pass up becomes available. However, there's no Yelich or Cain equivalent pitcher that's going to be on the market for a remotely reasonable price, so it's hard to imagine the Brewers paying a premium.

 

That means they'll do everything they can to preserve their depth, even if it means someone with a slightly higher expected value being in AAA because he still has options. Guerra was on the 25 most of the year, so I'm pretty sure Chacin is the only one who doesn't have options.

 

These guys all have options:

Nelson

Davies

Guerra

Peralta

Woodruff

Burnes

 

Not a single one of those guys is assured a spot in the rotation, but all of them are legit MLB talents. I think they'll go after a LHP, even if it's just Miley or Gonzalez, which means 3 of those guys will start the year in AAA. And I'm okay with that. Look how many different guys have started this year. You need depth.

 

Keuchel might be the one free agent to watch closely IMO. He might not get a huge offer after 2 somewhat disappointing seasons out of the last 3.

[HiAndTight]

1. Patrick Corbin

2. Nathan Eovaldi

 

Camp Invite: Chris Tillman

 

It seems like just about every option available would add to the depth, but it wouldn't make the rotation much better especially considering the price tag that some of these players will be asking for. I wanted Garrett Richards, but he won't be ready until 2020. At that point, a transition to the bullpen may be in his best interests.

 

 

This is exactly my thinking. Evolaldi as the low risk/high reward type pitcher...I've thought his movement was really good since he was a 22 year old(or however old) with the Marlins and could still be a guy who breaks out. Then again, I really wanted Tyler Chatwood last year and thought the same of him....

 

But what did Stearns say? He wanted to add someone better than anyone currently in their rotation. The Brewers have money and while they're gonna have to pay some guys, they have some time. Go after Corbin and run out Corbin, a healthy(hopefully) Nelson, Burnes, and then fill in with about a dozen potential options. We've got a helluva pen for the foreseeable future, good young arms to compliment those starters when we need someone to fill in...and not a lot of questions among our position players. Shaw, Arcia, Schoop-then Hiura and Aguilar around the horn. OF of Yelich/Cain/Santana/Braun...and then maybe make a run at Realmuto again. That's a legitimate, elite contender.

[3and2Fastball]

Not a starting pitcher, and relief pitchers are plenty unpredictable, but Blake Treinen is a player I would target in a trade. The A's tend to move players once they hit arbitration. Yes the Brewers' bullpen is already a strength, but I think MLB will continue to make bullpen usage a significant part of an overall pitching strategy (i.e. You can never have too many relief aces)

 

Adding Treinen to Hader, Knebel, Jeffress etc could potentially make the Brewers pitching staff better than most free agent starting pitcher acquisitions.

[JohnBriggs12]

Patrick Corbin hasn't really put it together before this season so that should nerf his demands a tad. Couple that with his age and maybe it is attractive enough for the Brewers to take the risk. Looking at his advanced stats I don't even know how he has an ERA over 3...he is incredible across the board.

 

Its a dream...probably nothing more. I expect the Brewers to be connected to him a ton similar to Darvish. I would love the Brewers to take the risk to be honest. By the time he ever gets old and declines we probably suck and won't care. The incredible improvement across the board this year is a little scary though...that is one big decline if he reverts back to his old self.

 

Corbin was an All Star at age 23 in 2013, and has really only had one bad year (2016). He's turned into a dominant guy this year but he's always had good upside. He'll command Darvish type money.

[JohnBriggs12]

I see Brewers looking for the next Chacin on that list. Miley is about as close to that guy as anyone one the list and he seems comfortable here.

[reillymcshane]

I see Eovaldi as a huge risk due to his injury history. The guy's arm could fall off any day. For him, it all comes down to price and years. I like him as a pitcher, but I don't think he'll hold up.

[Oxy]

I don't know anymore. I've always wanted big time SP in the past and had never liked veteran "depth" type signings, but my barometer is completely off after the years that Chacin and Miley have had this year.

 

We are going to have a lot of arms no matter what, and for probably the first time in my life as a Brewer fan I completely trust that the organization will end up doing the right thing to win both now AND for the future. It'll be a fun year.

[DHonks]

Depending on the market, I think Gio and Miley are targets. I also think woodruff, peralta, and Burnes could ahift back

[brewmann04]

I wonder if DS will pull off another Yelich type trade

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'm starting to waiver on my insistence that they need a TOR starter. They have a ton of starting pitching depth going into next season, and it will be even more if they hang onto guys like Miley and Gio. I think Burnes has the opportunity to be a front-end rotation guy already next year, and Peralta has that ability as well, even though I think he's a little more of a wild card. Chacin has pitched at close to an ace level most of the year, and I have no problem slotting him into next year's rotation as a workhorse. Nelson is another wild card, but all indications are that he'll be back at hopefully close to full strength next year. Then you have Anderson and Davies, who have shown flashes of their 2017 numbers at times this year, but have been inconsistent too.

 

This year's pitching staff helped win 96 games this year, and at least on paper, next year's staff is going to be better.

[reillymcshane]

Depending on the market, I think Gio and Miley are targets.

I agree with this because I think the club will want a left-hander in the rotation. I'm guessing they'll touch base with Corbin as well (another lefty), but his price may be $20M+ per year, which will be too much for us. So we'll look at cheaper options (meaning Gio and Miley).

 

Just a guess.

[FVBrewerFan]

Another area where Stearns is ahead of the curve. So called TOR starters are expensive, and injury risk is a much higher probability than a position player. They are also more difficult to forecast production, unless we're talking about the guys who are real studs.

 

So he's willing to pay a ton in salary and/or prospects for guys like Yelich and Cain, because he knows what he's getting. There were other position players who moved to other teams of course, and by and large they produced about what you would expect. Now look at the list of FA pitchers. Many of them under-performed the contracts they got.

 

I expect more of the same this off-season. I can see him spending fairly big money on a 2B or C, or swinging a big trade for one. But not for a starting pitcher. He will play the quantity game again. You have the young guys they already have (Woodruff, Burnes, Peralta) plus Chacin, Anderson, Davies, maybe one or more of Guerra, Nelson, Miley, Gonzalez.

 

That's not a bad list to start with at all, and I'm sure he'll add a couple buy low guys and roll the dice. Simple, yet brilliant. Spend money and prospects on position players where you can more accurately forecast production, and for the rotation just have plenty of solid options.

[igor67]

I think you are right, but I think to really appreciate Stearns' strategy you need to look at everything. They seem to have identified some definite characteristics in pitching prospects that signal dominant relievers, but maybe marginal starters. So in part they created a healthy part of the pen depth from internal prospects. At the same time recognizing that the free agent value for starters just isn't there, and you are better off making aggressive use of a truly deep pen to mask mid rotation starters. You still need a deep enough group of starters to cycle through guys with injury or performance issues. Finally I think a recognition that the prospect to player value is out of whack in certain cases means you can look at trading modest prospects for targeted bullpen depth (since bullpen guys are so volatile) to keep the strategy working over the course of a season.

[Jenkins5]

Good news is we already have 2 outstanding additions to 2019s rotation locked in that probably top or are close to FA options for way cheaper price in Nelson & Burnes. Both have TOR potential. Got Chacin, Anderson, Davies, Peralta, Woodruff sitting there. Gonzalez & Miley could be brought back at what you’d expect to be reasonable price.

 

Without doing anything at all this off-season we are already better. Burnes, Woodruff, Peralta all got quality meaningful innings & pitched well. Experience they got is huge for learning curve. Nelson should be 100% by spring & hopefully finds form quickly. Chacin has been brilliant. Anderson minus massive amounts of bombs has been fine. Davies is Davies.

[BrewCrewBlueDevil]

1. Chacin

2. Anderson

3. Miley or Gonzalez cheap

4. Burnes

5. Peralta

Woodruff- To the pen, he has been outstanding

Guerra- Swingman at best

Nelson- Minor league rehab

Davies- Does he have options?

Brown- Late season call up?

[TURBO]

Once again, I have zero faith that Nelson is a big factor in 2019 success. Until we see him take the mound, I don't think we can count on him, or pencil him in for anything.

 

If he contributes anything positively to the team, that is a bonus.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Once again, I have zero faith that Nelson is a big factor in 2019 success. Until we see him take the mound, I don't think we can count on him, or pencil him in for anything.

 

If he contributes anything positively to the team, that is a bonus.

 

I will tentatively pencil him in ... but I think getting the 2017 version of Nelson back is probably a stretch. But if there is one guy who has the work ethic to come back from an injury like that, it's Nelson. That guy is an extremely hard worker.

 

It sure is nice to have starting pitching depth for once in this organization, though. That way we don't have to put all our eggs in the Jimmy Nelson basket.

[pacopete4]

I don't know, the way Nelson slammed that tall boy has me thinking he might win the Cy Young next season.

[reillymcshane]

I don't know, the way Nelson slammed that tall boy has me thinking he might win the Cy Young next season.

He's doing his 24oz curls instead of 12oz curls. Progress. Next up is a 40oz can.