Brewers sign RP Brad Boxberger to minor league deal

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Plenty of sources indicating the veteran reliever had signed a minor league deal. Numbers from last year look good on the surface. I imagine he stands a very good chance of making the MLB pen.

[sveumrules]

Always preferred my burgers in a wrapper, much less environmental impact than a box, but whatever.

[Eye Black]

Those walk rates certainly aren’t pretty, but I am assuming he’s more bullpen insurance than anything else.

[brewmann04]

Yes adding a veteran is not a bad idea. But I would still have liked to add a starter arm to this team before spring training.

[RollieTime]

Not a bad addition. He will certainly get some appearances for us this season.

[KeithStone53151]

No risk camp competition and depth. Always good to have. There's still time to add a starter before and/or during camp.

[Eye Black]

[JohnBriggs12]

Solid pickup. He figures to make roster. Brewers love guys with closer experience. Got to believe Brewers will add starter. Brett Anderson is still out there. My guess is Brewers have minor league offer to him and he's trying to get a major league deal.

[djoctagone]

brad boxberger has burned all of his options.

 

there are 20 non-roster invitees coming to spring camp.

[DR28]

I like Boxberger, Williams, Hader! That could be a nice 7-8-9 combo.

[mtrebs]

I like Boxberger, Williams, Hader! That could be a nice 7-8-9 combo.

 

Yes, now hopefully we can still fill some holes in the offense so we have more than two runs when we get to the seventh inning.

[JosephC]

Brewers are pretty deep in the pen. I don't like Boxberger's chances. Last year he had a 3.00 ERA, but also had a 4.86 FIP and 4.73 xFIP. In 2019 the ERA/FIP/xFIP were 5.40/4.68/5.45, some pretty ugly numbers there. Average projection (THE BAT, ATC, Steamer, ZiPS) for 2021 has him at a 4.82 ERA and a 5.13 FIP. I'll think he'll have to look pretty great in spring training to get a 26-man spot.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I liken Boxberger to the Phelps signing from last season. Veteran pen arm with several quality seasons on his resume. He doesn't have near the ceiling as most of the other prospective pen pitchers, but is a guy on what would be a very cheap deal that can be easily flipped at the deadline should he be pitching well and the Brewers are out of it, or other young pitchers in the pen step up. It's pretty cool that they were able to grab a pitcher with his credentials who is actually coming off a decent year, despite an elevated walk rate.

[wildcat2237]

Any chance this additional depth is a sign that a Hader trade may be forthcoming?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Any chance this additional depth is a sign that a Hader trade may be forthcoming?

 

I don't think a veteran righty middle reliever signed to a minor league deal has any correlation. I think this is more insurance against negative regression from guys like Rasmussen and Topa.

[brewerfan82]

Any chance this additional depth is a sign that a Hader trade may be forthcoming?

I doubt signing Boxberger is a sign of anything, he's basically a lottery ticket at this point.

[MVP2110]

Yea. He might make the pen as the last guy or something but I wouldn't count on anything from him. His advanced numbers aren't great and we have good young arms like Rasmussen, Topa, Yardley to go with our established guys like Hader, Williams, & Suter. Plus the possibility of Freddy being in the pen. It's nice to add depth though and maybe he can turn into a David Phelps, Zach Duke, Blaine Boyer type of signing

[DR28]

I can easily see Boxberger making the OD roster... Black can be DFA'd... Feyereisen, Rasmussen can be optioned to minors.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I can easily see Boxberger making the OD roster... Black can be DFA'd... Feyereisen, Rasmussen can be optioned to minors.

 

They'll give Black another shot simply because he's quite possibly the hardest thrower in the system. The team will likely keep eight or nine relievers, and barring injury, five of those spots are likely spoken for with Hader, Williams, Suter, Peralta and Yardley. You have to think that Rasmussen and Topa are solid bets with good springs. Boxberger is going to be in competition with Black, Feyereisen, Wahl and Bickford. That will change even more if they decide that they need a 3rd lefty in the pen. Then Perdomo, Blaine Hardy, Hoby Milner, and Lauer (if he fails to make the rotation) come into play. And there's a complete wildcard in Jordan Zimmermann, who fits either as a back-end rotation guy or a long man if he shows enough in spring training. File and Bettinger are also on the 40-man roster, and will be given plenty of opportunity to see if they can contribute to the 2021 major league team at some point.

 

Boxberger probably does stand a solid shot of making the MLB pen, but he's got a lot of competition, and is going to need to show well in spring training.

[MVP2110]

I can easily see Boxberger making the OD roster... Black can be DFA'd... Feyereisen, Rasmussen can be optioned to minors.

 

They'll give Black another shot simply because he's quite possibly the hardest thrower in the system. The team will likely keep eight or nine relievers, and barring injury, five of those spots are likely spoken for with Hader, Williams, Suter, Peralta and Yardley. You have to think that Rasmussen and Topa are solid bets with good springs. Boxberger is going to be in competition with Black, Feyereisen, Wahl and Bickford. That will change even more if they decide that they need a 3rd lefty in the pen. Then Perdomo, Blaine Hardy, Hoby Milner, and Lauer (if he fails to make the rotation) come into play. And there's a complete wildcard in Jordan Zimmermann, who fits either as a back-end rotation guy or a long man if he shows enough in spring training. File and Bettinger are also on the 40-man roster, and will be given plenty of opportunity to see if they can contribute to the 2021 major league team at some point.

 

Boxberger probably does stand a solid shot of making the MLB pen, but he's got a lot of competition, and is going to need to show well in spring training.

 

The Bullpen battle is going to be really fun to watch this spring. Alot of good pitchers and then a couple really intruiging arms too

[KeithStone53151]

I can easily see Boxberger making the OD roster... Black can be DFA'd... Feyereisen, Rasmussen can be optioned to minors.

 

Certainly possible, most bullpens have a couple spots at the bottom that can be won by someone that really impresses in camp. Boxberger is one of probably close to a dozen or so dudes that have a real shot at winning a spot with a good camp.

 

And this move in my opinion doesn't really signal anything regarding Hader or anyone else in the bullpen.

[DR28]

I can easily see Boxberger making the OD roster... Black can be DFA'd... Feyereisen, Rasmussen can be optioned to minors.

 

They'll give Black another shot simply because he's quite possibly the hardest thrower in the system. The team will likely keep eight or nine relievers, and barring injury, five of those spots are likely spoken for with Hader, Williams, Suter, Peralta and Yardley. You have to think that Rasmussen and Topa are solid bets with good springs. Boxberger is going to be in competition with Black, Feyereisen, Wahl and Bickford. That will change even more if they decide that they need a 3rd lefty in the pen. Then Perdomo, Blaine Hardy, Hoby Milner, and Lauer (if he fails to make the rotation) come into play. And there's a complete wildcard in Jordan Zimmermann, who fits either as a back-end rotation guy or a long man if he shows enough in spring training. File and Bettinger are also on the 40-man roster, and will be given plenty of opportunity to see if they can contribute to the 2021 major league team at some point.

 

Boxberger probably does stand a solid shot of making the MLB pen, but he's got a lot of competition, and is going to need to show well in spring training.

 

Agreed, although I would rather have Boxberger's experience... Rasmussen, Bickford, Feyereisen, Wahl all could use more AAA seasoning.

 

Doesnt mean anything to me if Black is the hardest thrower in the system, won't be in the bullpen if he doesnt know where its gonna end up... We have plenty of hard throwers in the minors.

 

I see the OD bullpen as such:

 

Hader

Williams

Boxberger

Peralta

Topa

Yardley

Hardy

Suter

 

That's a very solid pen.

[djoctagone]

this deal was officially announced by the club today.

[djoctagone]

it should be noted that because boxberger is a player with at least six years of service time who finished the 2020 season on a major league roster or major league injured list, his minor league contract requires an opt-out clause or a retention bonus if he isn't added to the major league roster before opening day.

[djoctagone]

it should be noted that because boxberger is a player with at least six years of service time who finished the 2020 season on a major league roster or major league injured list, his minor league contract requires an opt-out clause or a retention bonus if he isn't added to the major league roster before opening day.

boxberger's opt-out is 27 march.