Here are the moves involving the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2024-2025 offseason

Keep track of all the offseason moves the Milwaukee Brewers have made leading into the 2025 Major League Baseball season. As of Nov. 4, free agents were eligible to sign with new teams.

Upcoming dates to know

• Nov. 5-7: General manager meetings in San Antonio.
• Nov. 19: Deadline for free-agent players to accept a qualifying offer (3 p.m. CT) and deadline to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft (5 p.m.). Players to watch at this stage include Willy Adames, who was given a $21.05 million qualifying offer for one year from the Brewers, and minor-league pitcher Logan Henderson as a potential add to the 40-man. Adames will almost certainly decline the offer, in line to make far more on the open market.
• Nov. 22: Deadline to tender contracts for players on the 40-man roster; those not tendered a contract by this date become free agents. Players to watch at this stage include Hoby Milner.
• Dec. 9-11: Winter meetings in Dallas, which includes the MLB draft lottery on Dec. 10 and the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 11.
• Jan. 10: Deadline for salary arbitration-eligible players and teams to exchange monetary figures.
• Feb. 12: Pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Brewers essentially cut ties with Jake Bauers and Bryse Wilson

Nov. 4: First baseman Jake Bauers and pitcher Bryse Wilson were placed on waivers over the weekend, indicating the Brewers were going to non-tender both later this month. They cleared waivers and became free agents.

Wilson pitched in a variety of roles for the Brewers over the past two seasons and was named the club’s Unsung Hero of the Year in 2023 after pitching to a 2.58 earned run average in 76⅔ innings. Wilson had a 4.04 ERA this season, giving him a mark of 3.42 in 181⅓ innings with Milwaukee.

Bauers largely scuffled at the plate during his one season with the Brewers (he had a .662 OPS) but did provide some power (12 homers), played great defense at first base and delivered one of the biggest hits of the year with a pinch-hit, go-ahead homer in the seventh inning of Game 3 of the wild-card series.

Frankie Montas declines his option

Nov. 4: In an unsurprising move, Frankie Montas will hit free agency after declining his $20 million mutual option. Montas’ contract comes with a $2 million buyout.

Montas may not get that same value on the open market as a free agent, but it was an inevitability that the Brewers were going to decline the mutual option, so the right-hander ultimately opted out.

Montas was acquired by the Brewers at the trade deadline from the Cincinnati Reds for Jakob Junis and Joey Wiemer. He pitched Game 2 of the playoff series against New York.

Kevin Herget, Rob Zastryzny claimed off waivers

Nov. 4: The Brewers waived relievers Kevin Herget and Rob Zastryzny, and both were claimed by the Mets and Cubs, respectively.

Herget pitched to a 1.59 ERA in 11⅓ innings, showing a changeup that was at times devastating.

Zastryzny, a left-hander, appeared in nine games and threw 7⅔ innings, allowing just one run. He started three games as an opener, but left elbow tendinitis landed him on the injured list in late July and he never returned to the majors.

Brewers decline options on Devin Williams and Eric Haase, but they remain with organization

Nov. 3: The Brewers declined options for both closer Devin Williams and backup catcher Eric Haase, but both remained under club control.

Williams, instead of earning the $10.5 million on the deal he signed before the 2024 season, will enter his third and final offseason of arbitration, en route to becoming a free agent in advance of the 2026 season. He was expected to earn just less than $8 million in arbitration.

Haase, likewise, will go through the arbitration process for the first time.

Brewers waive starting pitcher Colin Rea and pick up option on Freddy Peralta

Nov. 2: With no intent to pick up starting pitcher Colin Rea’s $5.5 million club option for 2025, the Brewers informed the 34-year-old of their intent to place him on waivers.

It counted as the biggest surprise of the early offseason after Rea threw 167⅔ innings in 2024. It essentially meant the team was moving on, whether he was claimed on waivers or if he wasn’t, at which point the team would simply pay a $1 million buyout. He cleared waivers shortly thereafter.

In a no-brainer move, the Brewers also picked up the $8 million option on the contract of starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, the team’s No. 1 starter in 2024.

Brewers trade Wisconsin native Owen Miller to Colorado Rockies

Nov. 2: Owen Miller, the Ozaukee High School alumnus who had spent time with the Brewers each of the last two seasons, was traded to Colorado for cash considerations.

Miller had a big month of May in 2023 but wasn’t able to cement an everyday roster spot with the Brewers over the next 1½ seasons. Miller was designated for assignment in July 2024 and he spent the remainder of the season with Class AAA Nashville.

Brewers part ways with catcher Gary Sánchez

Nov. 2: Backup catcher Gary Sánchez hit the open market after the Brewers declined the team option for 2025 and paid a $4 million buyout.

Sánchez batted .220 with a .699 OPS and hit 11 home runs in 89 games and 280 plate appearances in his first and only season with Milwaukee, serving primarily as the backup to William Contreras and facing left-handed pitching.

Brewers decline option on pitcher Wade Miley

Oct. 31: Left-handed starter Wade Miley could still be back in some capacity, but it won’t be on the $12.5 million club option for 2025. The Brewers declined that and paid a $1.5 million buyout instead. Miley missed the vast majority of the 2024 season with injury.