The Milwaukee Brewers have not, and probably never will be, big spenders in MLB free agency. Instead, they rely on their own homegrown talent and bargain-bin free agents to field their roster, a practice that has, in recent years, resulted in a great deal of regular season success.
Indeed, the Brewers have won the National League Central Division in each of the past three years and last season set a franchise record by winning 97 games (which was the most in baseball).
This all being said, it was clear that Milwaukee, for all of its success in the 2025 MLB regular season, was not built to compete with the high-powered Los Angeles Dodgers, who out-slugged and swept the Brewers out of the National League Championship Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers outspend the Milwaukee Brewers
Last year, the Dodgers had the second-highest payroll in baseball with $321,287,291. Only the New York Mets (headed up by former Brewers executive David Stearns) had a higher payroll with $323,099,999.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee had the 23rd-highest Opening Day payroll in the league at $115,136.227.
As one can see, last season, the Dodgers’ payroll more than doubled the Brewers’. Indeed, the need for a salary cap or salary floor is one thing that many fans in Milwaukee would love to see added to the collective bargaining agreement between the league and players’ union.
That, however, seems like a non-starter in negotiations between the league’s owners and players. While many owners want there to be a salary cap to help ensure more balanced competition, the players’ union does not.
And it could lead to a lockout or strike in 2027.
Milwaukee Brewers fans fear the 2027 season will be lost after Kyle Tucker signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last night, it was reported that former Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker signed a four-year $240 million contract, fully guaranteed, with the Dodgers. He is coming off of a season in which he hit .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI for Chicago (he also stole 25 bases).
Adding Tucker’s salary to the big contracts they already have, and in addition to the other spending that Los Angeles did this offseason, they now have a 2026 payroll of $413,517,413, nearly $100 million more than the Mets, who have the second-highest payroll in baseball now.
This development has led many Brewers fans to fear even more that the 2027 MLB season will not happen as the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the players and owners will expire after 2026:
Lockout confirmed https://t.co/LHtfuZKooy
— Dario Melendez (@Dario_Melendez) January 16, 2026
Lockout 2027 🔜 https://t.co/f6hvdlWd2j
— billie bones (@billienotjeane) January 16, 2026
Good job everyone, we aren’t having baseball in 2027 https://t.co/8VRKjxWMju
— John Egan (@BrewersRaptor) January 16, 2026
And baseball is officially broken. Welcome to the lockout 1 year from now https://t.co/0Y8OSetqxY
— Jack Bevo (@Dawkblitz) January 16, 2026
As one can see, Brewers fans are not optimistic about there being a season in 2027 given the free-spending Dodgers and the rest of baseball’s unwillingness to match their spending.
That being said, hopefully the small market Brewers can pull off even more magic in 2026 and fans enjoy it because it could be the last season of baseball in Milwaukee until 2028.
More Milwaukee Brewers news from Wisconsin Sports Heroics
- Ranking the NL Central teams in January 2026
- Brewers’ projected 2026 lineup gets boost from bounceback year from projected starter
- Brewers offered sketchy 3-year TV deal from Fan Duel Sports Network
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