Justin Smoak to the Brewers

[JDBrewCrew]

Ken Rosenthal

@Ken_Rosenthal

4m

Free-agent first baseman Justin Smoak in agreement with #Brewers on one-year, $5M contract with a club option for 2021, source tells The Athletic. Pending physical.

@JonHeyman

on it.

 

Confirmation on the club option.

 

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

·

47s

Justin Smoak’s contract with Milwaukee includes a club option for $5.5 million in 2021. He’ll be paid $4 million this year, and the option has a $1 million buyout, guaranteeing him at least $5 million on the deal.

@JonHeyman

and

@Ken_Rosenthal

were on it.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

I think it's pretty clear Stearns is trying to get away from such a strikeout prone team. Urias, Garcia, Sogard, and Smoak do not strike out a ton compared to who they are replacing.

 

And thank goodness. Been hoping they'd go this route this entire offseason. The team still has plenty of pop. Now they'll be able to get an occasional runner in from third and the extra baserunners when a HR is hit won't hurt either.

 

Can't wait to see who Stearns adds at 3B to complete the lineup.

[Yellin4Yelich]

$5 million/1 year -

Not bad

[Jopal78]

Don’t lose sight of the fact that maybe Thames doesn’t want to come back. It’s not a given that he’s willing to come back to a place where they force him to take a pay cut.

[liveforoctober]

I'm not sure Smoak is a better defender than Thames.

 

Take it for what it's worth but Smoak was a Gold Glove finalist last year.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

·

1m

Replying to

@JeffPassan

Justin Smoak’s contract with Milwaukee includes a club option for $5.5 million in 2021. He’ll be paid $4 million this year, and the option has a $1 million buyout, guaranteeing him at least $5 million on the deal.

@JonHeyman

and

@Ken_Rosenthal

were on it.

 

So either a 1-year $5 million deal, or a 2-year, $9.5 million deal if Smoak is great in 2020.

[Eye Black]

With each of the recent moves the overall roster construction seems less appealing to me. I have been holding out hope that an above average bat was going to be added to one of the corner infield spots. This move makes that appear less likely to occur at 1B now, so it's seemingly now down to what else they do at 3B.

[tmwiese55]

More or less a wash on Thames. But, a couple mil less than Thames option was. Better at D. And is switch hitter. So, if Braun were to get hurt he can still play vs Lefties. If you have Thames and Braun gets hurt you're bringing up someone like Healy to play vs lefties. So, all in all I'd say it's a slight upgrade to Thames. Nothing drastic, but slight and at the very least I don't see how anyone can get too worked up about it.

[Jaylyn]

Your 2020 Brewers! Hader is going no where. Smoak is a good sign!

[mattyo]

With each of the recent moves the overall roster construction seems less appealing to me. I have been holding out hope that an above average bat was going to be added to one of the corner infield spots. This move makes that appear less likely to occur at 1B now, so it's seemingly now down to what else they do at 3B.

 

Don't hold your breath.

[tigerbrew]

if this deal and eric sogard's deal become official, the 40-man roster will be full.

 

Looks like Sogard is the Brewers new 3B starter.

[metzy25]

like this signing. He’s going to feast at Miller park. $4 mil with a $1 mil buyout isn’t bad.

[liveforoctober]

Smoak has commited 10 errors in the last 4 seasons combined.

 

It might be noted ... it was brought up with the addition of a ground ball pitcher or two and possible suspect defense up the middle being a bad combination - this move would counter that slightly.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I think this move sets them up for making 1 bigger contract FA/trade addition, either to their rotation (Keuchel? Ryu?) or 3B (Donaldson? Turner or Seager from the Dodgers via trade if they bring in Lindor?, Story from the Rox if they opt to punt on 2020 and try to retool around Arenado longterm?, Seager from the M's?)

 

Also, anyone faulting the Brewers for not being active in the 1st half of this offseason anymore is just mad they don't have the ability to field a $200M payroll consistently. This has been an incredibly active offseason for Stearns and company, and I highly doubt he's done...

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

if this deal and eric sogard's deal become official, the 40-man roster will be full.

 

Looks like Sogard is the Brewers new 3B starter.

 

No ... it simply means that someone will need to be jettisoned off the 40-man roster to make room for someone at 3B. It is December. The roster is FAR from set in stone.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

This team seems poised to put a lot more balls in play in 2020. If they can add a high avg, high opb bat at 3rd this offense could be quite dynamic.

[torts]

love it!

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

He doesn't have the batting average, but Smoak should be able to arguably replace Grandal as a selective switch-hitter with a gap-to-gap line drive bat and power to a favorable RF in Miller Park, along with a bunch of walks. With better protection in the lineup, I imagine we'll see a better average. He's likely a more complete hitter than Thames. That club option is totally Stearns being Stearns.

[Fear The Chorizo]

if this deal and eric sogard's deal become official, the 40-man roster will be full.

 

Looks like Sogard is the Brewers new 3B starter.

 

Or they decide to send one or more from the current 40 man roster elsewhere via a trade that brings in their 3B starter...it's 3.5 months from opening day still, and the Brewers could easily have their eyes on some quality options there. The Dodgers in particular have several players who might be squeezed out of everyday roles due to a combination of great young talent deserving of everyday playing time (Lux) and the rumors of them being interested in adding a player like Lindor. Players like Seager and Turner could become available...

[xisxisxis]

Don’t lose sight of the fact that maybe Thames doesn’t want to come back. It’s not a given that he’s willing to come back to a place where they force him to take a pay cut.

I agree it's highly unlikely Thames was going to entertain a return at lower money. It was just a poor decision in the first place to let him go, but hey we can always make up the 1.5 WAR drop we are likely to see with Smoak from Sogard...

[homer]

If Smoak does a soft platoon with Braun/. This might be ok. At the very least you don't have to pinch hit for him late and he gets on base. With a little luck and a shorter porch in right he may reach 800 OPS again. And it's a one year deal. I'm still not enamored with it but it could work out ok.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

Turner could become available...

 

Would make the Brewers lineup ridiculous.

[SRB]

With each of the recent moves the overall roster construction seems less appealing to me. I have been holding out hope that an above average bat was going to be added to one of the corner infield spots. This move makes that appear less likely to occur at 1B now, so it's seemingly now down to what else they do at 3B.

 

Smoak is projected for a .342 wOBA. He had a .371 wOBA in 637 PA two years ago. His numbers will go up because we have the luxury of soft platooning him with Braun.

 

Not sure what you consider an above average bat?

 

I think Stearns's roster construction is brilliant. All we need now is to trade Arcia and find a quality 3B (in a dream would Donaldson) for in all honest the deepest positional roster in recent memory.

[brewerhuman]

Immediate disclaimer: I know the roster is not complete. There's no way this is their 40-man come opening day.

 

However!

 

Could someone smarter than me detail the lineup/depth chart as it currently stands and how much money is still available, just for the sake of having a visual only?

[liveforoctober]

Smoak isn't just a defensive replacement 1B obviously ... but returning to the 'load management' conversation with our outfield, I can see many games against a LHP starter where Braun starts and plays through the starter leaving with Smoak taking the last 3-4 innings. That might be a common double switch CC employs.