The Brewers just finished a season that broke through in the biggest way possible, but the work for 2027 is already underway. Milwaukee’s 2026 title run was built on a long list of moves and calls that landed exactly right, from Matt Arnold’s February trade that brought in David Hamilton, Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison, to the addition of Gary Sánchez as the backup catcher, to the deadline pickups of Dustin May, JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela. The decision not to move Logan Henderson for Tarik Skubal also paid off, giving the Brewers a championship and keeping Henderson in the fold for the next half decade.
Pat Murphy’s hand mattered just as much. He gave Jake Bauers the everyday first-base job early, stayed with Hamilton at third base through the playoffs even with Joey Ortiz hitting well after the All-Star break, and leaned on Aaron Ashby’s left arm all the way to an MLB-best 18.0 scoreless postseason innings.
That kind of everything-clicks season doesn’t come around often, and Milwaukee knows it. So as the modified 2026-27 offseason gets rolling, three roster questions stand out above the rest.
The first is first base. Andrew Vaughn looked like the likely answer after his strong second half with the Brewers in 2025, but Bauers won the job instead and put himself in position for a deserved payday.
Vaughn still has one year of team control left, while Bauers is headed toward a qualifying offer he’s likely to turn down. That leaves Milwaukee searching for a left-handed partner for Vaughn in 2027.
The free-agent pool offers a few names if the Brewers want to go outside the organization. Nathaniel Lowe, Rowdy Tellez and Dominic Smith all fit the left-handed bat profile.
But Milwaukee could also stay in-house. Blake Burke, the club’s 2024 first-round pick, hit 34 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last season.
Andrew Fischer, taken in the first round in 2025 as a corner infielder, hit 48 home runs in High-A and Double-A. Either one could be eased into a part-time role next to Vaughn.
Catcher is the other major call. After his World Series MVP performance, William Contreras is exactly the kind of player the Brewers would love to keep behind the plate in 2027. But with only one year of team control left and baseball’s payroll realities always looming, Milwaukee has a real decision to make: trade him now for a return, keep him through 2027 and extend a qualifying offer next winter, or - if CBA talks and a possible salary floor change the landscape - try to lock him up with an extension.
Gary Sánchez is also on track for free agency, which could open the door for Jeferson Quero to get his first real extended major-league look. A year learning behind Contreras would help Quero, but it would also cut into his playing time.
The Brewers also added left-handed hitting catcher Bo Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians at the deadline, and while he has upside, he’s still far from a sure thing. However this shakes out, catcher sits near the top of Milwaukee’s offseason to-do list.
Then there’s the bullpen, where the Brewers need right-handed help. Brandon Woodruff, Antonio Senzatela, Dustin May and Bryse Wilson are all leaving the pitching staff, and that leaves Milwaukee with just nine right-handers among the 18 pitchers on its 40-man roster.
Quinn Priester is part of that group, but he missed the entire 2026 season with thoracic outlet syndrome and had surgery in July. Trevor Megill is there too, though the All-Star closer may or may not be traded this offseason.
That makes it easy to see why Milwaukee should be shopping for right-handed relief depth. The free-agent market is stronger on the mound than it is in the position-player pool, so the Brewers have options.
A reunion with Senzatela, a swing at a higher-upside arm like Jonathan Loáisiga, or another under-the-radar pickup would all fit the way this organization likes to operate. One way or another, expect at least one addition there.
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Misiorowski is not the only one positioned to benefit, either. Jackson Chourio, Joey Ortiz, Logan Henderson and Abner Uribe are also part of the group drawing meaningful bonus-pool money, giving the Brewers a rare kind of return on their investment: a young core that can be paid a little better now, while also adding a measure of security and goodwill inside the clubhouse. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Yelichs Latest Offseason Move Could Mean A Lot For Milwaukee
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Yelich plans to relocate his family to Wisconsin, bringing them closer to where he plays during the season. For a player who has spent years as one of the most recognizable faces in the organization, that kind of commitment carries weight beyond real estate, even if the next step in the process is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Face A William Contreras Debate Fans Wont Ignore
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Still, the chatter around him has not disappeared entirely, even if the noise has been pushed back for now. Trade speculation surfaced, then was shot down by ESPNs Jeff Passan, who made clear Contreras is not on the move at the moment, but the offseason is long and front offices have a way of revisiting ideas as the winter unfolds. [Read more 🡒]