The Milwaukee Brewers wasted little time shifting from championship celebration to roster business, and Monday’s moves put two of their biggest names front and center.
William Contreras is coming back, while Jake Bauers now has a major decision to make.
Milwaukee exercised its club option on Contreras, locking in the catcher for $15.5 million. With 2027 set to be his final season of club control, the move also points toward the Brewers trying to work out a longer extension with him down the line.
Contreras delivered a huge 2026 season from start to finish. He was an All-Star, then finished as the World Series MVP after hitting .270/.341/.417 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI in the regular season. He was even better in October, batting .373/.448/.588 with three home runs and nine RBI in the postseason.
Bauers, meanwhile, got a qualifying offer worth $23.15 million. That gives him a clear fork in the road: accept it and stay in Milwaukee for 2027, or decline and head to free agency, with the Brewers getting a compensatory draft pick in return.
He put together a strong regular season, hitting .266/.389/.484 with 26 home runs and 86 RBI. His postseason line was much quieter, as he hit .191/.345/.277 with a home run and six RBI.
Monday’s roster work also brought several other decisions. The Brewers declined the mutual option on Gary Sánchez, declined the club option on Antonio Senzatela, and saw Dustin May decline his mutual option as well. Senzatela’s option was worth $14 million, a number that made the decision unsurprising for a small-market club.
Elsewhere, Bryse Wilson cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Nashville, where he becomes a minor league free agent today. Jared Koenig also cleared waivers, was outrighted to Triple-A Nashville, and elected free agency. Akil Baddoo was claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh.
The move on Sánchez also suggests Milwaukee may be looking at Jeferson Quero or Bo Naylor as Contreras’ backup next season.
In Other News...
Brewers Young Core Just Added Another Reason For Championship Buzz
The Brewers young core picked up another layer of credibility when Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio were named 2026 National League Gold Glove Award winners. Turang added a second career Gold Glove at second base, while Chourio earned his first in left field, a fitting nod for two players who spent the season setting the tone for Milwaukee with their gloves as much as their bats.
For a club built around run prevention and athleticism, the recognition matters well beyond the trophy case. Both players led the Brewers in defensive metrics during the season, reinforcing the idea that Milwaukees best teams can be anchored by impact defense up the middle and in the outfield, even as the roster continues to mature around them. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Just Reached A Defensive Milestone Few Teams Ever See
The Rawlings Gold Glove announcements gave the Brewers a rare defensive double, with Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio both taking home honors in the same season. For a club that has long valued run prevention as much as run production, it was a fitting nod to two players who made their marks in different corners of the field, with Turang standing out at second base and Chourio emerging in left.
Turang picked up the second Gold Glove of his career after leading MLB in defensive runs saved at his position, while Chourio earned his first after pacing the National League in fielding run value. Both now move into Platinum Glove consideration, with the winners set to be revealed at a ceremony in New York City on Nov. 6. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Get A Huge William Contreras Offseason Signal
There had been some offseason chatter around William Contreras and whether a catcher with his profile might draw trade interest, especially with free agency approaching. But the latest read from ESPN insider Jeff Passan points in a different direction, and for Milwaukee that is the kind of early winter signal that matters, because Contreras has become one of the most important pieces on the roster and just added a World Series MVP to his resume.
For a Brewers team trying to keep its core intact while sorting through the rest of the roster, keeping Contreras in place would be a major stabilizing move. His value goes well beyond the numbers, and the front office now appears to have at least one foundational decision made, even if other parts of the bullpen picture are still very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]