With 18 gamers eligible for wage arbitration, it is going to be a really busy winter for Matt Arnold, the Milwaukee Brewers’ new president of baseball operations.

Amongst that group are key items of the Brewers core, who the staff — and followers — would little question wish to maintain round for years to come back.

Listed here are Milwaukee’s prime three candidates for a contract extension:

RHP Corbin Burnes

2023 Opening Day Age: 28

Projected 2023 Wage: $11.4 million

Free Agent Eligibility: 2025

After profitable the NL Cy Younger Award in 2021, Burnes grew to become the primary pitcher in franchise historical past to steer the league in strikeouts final season when he fanned 243 batters whereas going 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA in an MLB-best 33 begins.

But, for no matter motive, the Brewers had not but reached out to Burnes and his agent a couple of potential contract extension, in line with an interview he gave Adam McCalvy of MLB.com in September.

“You’ll assume possibly there would have been some preliminary talks final offseason, however nothing,” Burnes advised McCalvy.

Burnes nonetheless has two years of staff management remaining so there’s no urgency from a time standpoint however then again, it stands to motive that Burnes will solely proceed to get higher through which case, his price ticket — each now and when it comes to a multi-year deal — will solely go up.

What stays to be seen is whether or not or not the Brewers, who’ve been burned many occasions prior to now by long-term offers for pitchers, are prepared to make the form of monetary dedication essential to maintain their homegrown ace round for just a few extra years.

RHP Brandon Woodruff

2023 Opening Day Age: 30

Projected 2023 Wage: $11 million

Free Agent Eligibility: 2025

Like Burnes, Woodruff is a homegrown expertise who the Brewers have developed into one of many prime pitchers in baseball.

He went 13-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 27 begins in 2022 together with an 8-1 mark and a pair of.38 ERA in his remaining 18 begins following a month-long stint on the injured listing for a proper ankle sprain and a bout of Reynaud’s Syndrome.

Although he doesn’t have the awards and accolades of Burnes, Woodruff is each bit as gifted and dominant as his fellow right-hander but, the shortage of a Cy Younger on his resume may make it barely extra inexpensive for Milwaukee to work out an extension.

The draw back, in fact, is Woodruff’s age. He’ll flip 30 simply earlier than reporting to Phoenix for spring coaching. Although he reveals no indicators of dropping his contact any time quickly, there’s at all times a threat concerned in the case of signing pitchers over 30 — particularly on the again finish of offers.

SS Willy Adames

Opening Day 2023 Age: 27

Projected 2023 Wage: $9.2 million

Free Agent Eligibility: 2025

Named the Brewers’ Most Worthwhile Participant for a second consecutive season by the Milwaukee Chapter of the Baseball Writers of America, Adames put collectively one other strong season in 2021 when be slashed .238/.298/.458 with 31 dwelling runs, 98 RBIs an a .756 OPS.

He’s been a cornerstone of Milwaukee’s clubhouse chemistry, too; a well-liked and revered teammate who’s identified for his power and optimistic angle.

Adames would not hit free company till 2025, so there’s nonetheless time to get a deal finished however like Burnes, Adames’ value will solely go up as he continues to carry out so it will behoove Milwaukee to lock him in if just for the advantage of some value certainty.