Pitchers the Milwaukee Brewers could retain, extend or trade

Fresh off their fifth postseason appearance in six years, the Milwaukee Brewers face what could be a tumultuous offseason.

Craig Counsell, their manager since 2015, has agreed to interview for vacant managerial openings with the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff may miss the entire 2024 season. Toss in Corbin Burnes' dismay following his arbitration hearing last offseason, and it's difficult to see where this team stands.

And that's before even discussing the offense.

Yet of their healthy pending free-agent and contracted out-getters, who might the Brewers think about retaining or extending before pitchers and catchers report in February? On the other hand, who could find themselves on the trade block?

Keeping in mind that the Brewers finished 2023 with a payroll of $118,761,987, only the 20th highest, let's take a closer look.

LHP Wade Miley: Mutual option for 2024 ($10M)

Miley turns 37 years old in November and it's hard to see him opting against his $10M option for 2024. Banking on that feeling being mutual is another matter entirely, of course. Miley made $3.5M in 2023, per Spotrac, meaning the Brewers will have to pay $6.5M more to keep him around. Pitching to a 3.14 ERA across 23 starts over 120.1 innings, it might not be as farfetched as one might've originally thought.

After all, Aaron Ashby is still working his way back from April shoulder surgery. Eric Lauer is coming off a disastrous campaign, which saw him limited to only 46.2 big-league innings. Then there's Woodruff's injury and Burnes' long-term future to consider.

If the Brewers are looking to maintain any sort of pitching depth, Miley may just have a shot at returning in 2024. Milwaukee could always decline the option and attempt to work out a less expensive deal, however.

RHP Brandon Woodruff: Free agent in 2025

If not for his injury, would the Brewers have entertained trade offers for the 30-year-old? We cannot say for sure, but it's safe to say he's staying put for the time being.

In his 11 starts in 2023, Woodruff was excellent. Across 67 innings, he pitched to a 2.28 ERA while striking out 29.2% (74) of the batters he faced and walking just 5.9% of them (15).

RHP Corbin Burnes: Free agent in 2025

There's no denying who Milwaukee's best starter is, at least with Woodruff out of the equation, and that's Burnes. Yet there's also no denying that his numbers have noticeably dipped in key areas over the past two seasons.

2021: 167 IP, 2.43 ERA; 35.6% K rate, 5.2% BB rate, 0.38 HR/9 2022: 202 IP, 2.94 ERA; 30.5% K rate, 6.4% BB rate, 1.02 HR/9 2023: 193.2 IP, 3.39 ERA; 25.5% K rate, 8.4% BB rate, 1.02 HR/9

Could some of that be down to his increased overall workload?

Since 2021, when he took home Cy Young honors, Burnes has seen his ERA and innings as well as walk and home run rates increase while strikeouts have gone the other way. He followed 2021 up with a stellar 2022 despite those shifts, but those same trends couldn't be ignored this season.

Burnes never really reclaimed that "ace" status in 2023, and in his only postseason start – at a time when Milwaukee needed him most – he faltered. He lasted just four innings, giving up five runs on four hits (including three home runs) to go along with two walks in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card series.

Regarding Burnes' status, GM Matt Arnold has said he expects him to be a Brewer. But we're going to chalk that up to classic GM-speak for the time being.