Getty Willy Adames
The Milwaukee Brewers made waves when they traded ace Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles on February 1, and they may not be finished making moves this winter.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Brewers “are letting teams know that shortstop Willy Adames is available now that they have acquired defensive whiz Joey Ortiz from the Orioles,” implying the star shortstop could be leaving Milwaukee in the coming weeks.
Adames made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Tampa Bay Rays, before being traded to the Brewers on May 21, 2021. In the 2023 regular season, the 28-year-old batted .217 with an OPS of .717, marking a career-worst year for the shortstop, though he still led the team in home runs (24) and RBIs (80). He improved his stats in the postseason, slashing .571/.625/.714 in the Brewers’ two-game playoff berth against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In January, Adames and the Brewers avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $12.25-million contract for this season. This is Adames’ last year of club control, so if the Brewers aren’t planning to resign him long-term, it’s not unusual that they’d consider trading him before he walks away in free agency.
When asked about the possibility of Adames moving in the coming weeks, general manager Matt Arnold was clear that he’s open to discussion, according to Todd Rosiak and Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“It’s hard to say,” Arnold told Rosiak and Hogg. “As we’ve discussed in the past, sometimes these deals come together very quickly and in other cases, they take a long time. I’m certainly open to more conversations. I certainly wouldn’t shut any conversations down at this point in the offseason.”
Potential Trade Interest for Willy Adames
With the Brewers now open about Adames being available, they’re unlikely to have much trouble finding potential suitors.
The Rays may be interested in adding Adames, and with Wander Franco now out of the picture, the team could use an everyday shortstop. Tampa Bay has a few in-house options if they decide to stick with their current roster, but none with as much experience or proven reliability as Adames.
Another team who could pursue Adames is the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels are expected to rely on Zach Neto in shortstop this season, but considering he only made his MLB debut in 2023 and there is very little depth in the infield to support him, the team is likely to be interested in signing a more experienced player for the role.
Trades, Trades & More MLB Trades
While the Brewers’ decision to trade Burnes to the Orioles seemed to happen very quickly, it’s not particularly shocking.
The 2024 season is Burnes’ last under club control, getting his $15.6 million salary off the books leaves room for the team to add another batter this winter, and rumors of an ongoing rift between the star pitcher and Milwaukee have swirled since last offseason’s ruthless arbitration hearing.
After losing manager Craig Counsell to the Chicago Cubs this offseason, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported on November 9, 2023, that the Brewers were “open to moving virtually any player on (their) roster.” This offseason, the team has traded away Burnes, pitcher Adrian Houser, and outfielder Mark Canha, so it’s clear the process has already begun.
Rosenthal continued, “A continued teardown, considering the Brewers’ current position, would not be without logic. It might even be the proper course.”
The Brewers are a roster in transition, and trading top players for prospects before they walk away in free agency seems to be their game plan. With Adames in his final year of club control, a move is very likely in the next few weeks.