The Milwaukee Brewers have already traded one of the biggest stars so far this offseason. Corbin Burnes, the 2021 National League Cy Young winner, was shipped off to the Baltimore Orioles for infielder Joey Ortiz, left-handed pitcher DL Hall, and and 2024 compensation draft pick. The trade, of course, was made due to the fact that Burnes will be a free agent after the season and will be far outside of the Brewers’ price range to re-sign.
The fact the Ortiz was included in the return led many to believe that shortstop Willy Adames would soon be traded too. After all, Ortiz is a Major League ready infielder who hit .321/.378/.507 for the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate last season. It was pretty clear that the move was made to shed salary and get Milwaukee’s shortstop of the future.
However, Ortiz did not hit well in 33 games with the Orioles last season, slashing .212/.206/.242 with four RBI. While he may make the Brewers’ Opening Day roster, Ortiz still has some growing to do at the plate.
Related: Milwaukee Brewers: 2 Massive Trade Pieces No Longer on the Table for Other MLB Teams
Still, with many national pundits believing that the Brewers will not be serious contenders in 2024, trade rumors involving Adames abounded. However, Milwaukee general manager Matt Arnold and manager Pat Murphy put those rumors to rest on Wednesday.
Matt Arnold and Pat Murphy Say Willy Adames Will Be the Milwaukee Brewers 2024 Opening Day Shortstop
According to MLB insider Robert Murray:
“Entering the offseason, there was rampant trade speculation surrounding Corbin Burnes and Willy Adames. Both players were in contract years and could prove difficult to retain long-term for the small-market Brewers.
“After Burnes was traded to the Baltimore Orioles, the speculation surrounding an Adames trade only grew. Teams have inquired about Adames, but Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said: ‘We value and love Willy as much as anyone since I’ve been in Milwaukee. I love that guy and anticipate him being our Opening Day shortstop.’
‘“Definitely,’ Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.”
While Arnold and Murphy do not rule out the possibility of trading Adames at some point in 2024, it is apparent that if a deal is going to happen before Opening Day, whatever team acquires him is going to have to overpay.
The Milwaukee Brewers May Not Trade Willy Adames At All
When the Brewers traded former closer Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres in 2022, the move destroyed the team’s confidence and clubhouse. At the time of the trade, Milwaukee was in first place in the National League Central. They ended up missing the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.
As many Brewers fans know, there is no one more important or beloved in the Brewers’ clubhouse than Adames. If Milwaukee is in contention of the postseason again this season, which they fully expect to be, they would do well not to move Adames ahead of the trade deadline. Such a move would have a far more negative affect on the team than it would a positive one.
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1 Comment
Needed Burnes to stick around much more than Adames.
Low contact, low OBP with an occasional HR doen’t cut it.
As entertaining as some find him, he has looked uninspired the last two summers. If he can put the September focus and hustle in for the whole season, we sense he could be great.
But his consistency of effort hasn’t been there since his 1st season with the Crew. He needs to put the clown makeup away and be a player again if he wants serious money in the future.