The Milwaukee Brewers have quite a few questions to answer in regards to their roster before the 2025 MLB season. Of course, the biggest question in regards to media coverage is how they will replace the offense of free agent shortstop Willy Adames. In 2024, Adames hit .251/.331/.462 with 32 home runs, 112 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. While Joey Ortiz will move from third base to his natural position at shortstop, there is still work to do in replacing Adames’ run production.
Another big question Milwaukee needs to answer is how they will fill out their starting rotation and bullpen. Brandon Woodruff will be back after missing most of 2023 and all of 2024 with injuries, which will provide a major boost. However, as they have over the last few seasons, the Brewers need to find cost-effective ways to fill out their starting rotation and find pitchers who can fill middle relief roles.
The Milwaukee Brewers Lost Starting Pitcher Frankie Montas in Free Agency
Over the weekend, it was reported that former Brewers starting pitcher Frankie Montas had signed with the New York Mets in free agency. Milwaukee had acquired Montas in a mid-season trade with the Cincinnati Reds.
In 11 games (all starts) for the Brewers, Montas went 3-3 with a 4.55 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. While not impressive numbers, they sure were better than his performance with the Reds before the trade. Prior to his arrival in Milwaukee, Montas was 4-8 with a 5.01 ERA and 1.44 WHIP.
Montas, as fans will recall, was acquired after Milwaukee’s starting rotation suffered a plethora of injuries. While the Brewers did not want him back for $20 million (which is what his club option was worth), there is no denying that his departure leaves them thinner at an already thin spot.
With so many injuries to their pitching staff last season, Milwaukee turned to “out-getters” from the bullpen to start games, even though they would only pitch an inning or two. Jared Koenig was the best example of this. He went 9-4 with a 2.47 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 55 games, six of which were starts.
Since the Brewers expect to have Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Tobias Myers, and Robert Gasser healthy in 2025, starting pitching is not necessarily a top-tier need. However, having insurance in case something happens to them is.
The Milwaukee Brewers Are Urged to Sign Former Atlanta Braves All-Star Michael Soroka
In a recent article published by The Athletic, MLB insider Andy McCollough suggests that Milwaukee could pull off one of their now-famous reclamation projects by signing Michael Soroka, who has spent last season with the Chicago White Sox:
“Soroka put together an excellent rookie campaign with Atlanta in 2019 before injuries derailed his career. He flopped as a starter for the White Sox last season. But after entering the bullpen in the middle of May, he became an effective, multi-inning weapon. Sounds perfect for the Brewers, one of the sport’s best utilizers of “out getters” like Soroka.”
In 2024, Soroka was 0-10 (the White Sox were the worst team in MLB) with a 4.74 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 25 games (nine starts). While these numbers are not impressive by any means, Milwaukee may be enticed by his 2019 season and their possible belief that they can unlock that in him again.
That year, his rookie season, Soroka went 13-9 with a 2.68 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 29 starts for the Atlanta Braves. He was named to his only career All-Star team, finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting, and sixth in NL Cy Young Award voting.
As McCollough notes, injuries have derailed Soroka’s career up to this point. He missed all of 2021 and 2022 with injuries, and only made six starts in 2023 (he was 2-2 with a 6.40 ERA and 1.49 WHIP).
It is worth noting, though, that as a reliever in his career (17 games), Soroka has a 3.00 ERA and 63 strikeouts in just 39.0 innings pitched.
Honestly, he sounds exactly like the kind of pitcher the Brewers would pursue.
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