2020 brought us a lot of uncertainties, and it sure looks like that’s going to continue moving into 2021. For the Milwaukee Brewers and their fans, the question we’re hoping to get answers for is, “What’s going on with Ryan Braun?”
What Happened?
The Milwaukee Brewers had declined the veteran’s $15 million club option for 2021. This means that Ryan Braun is a free agent and Brewers fans have still to find out if he will ever wear a Brewers uniform again. Braun is due a nice $4 million buyout from the baseball club, but that doesn’t mean that the Brewers won’t try and sign him back at a lower offer than his $15 million club option.
Ryan Braun had hinted at possibly making 2020 his last year back at the annual Brewers on Deck. The pandemic really put the retirement discussion on hold as the world of baseball tried to figure out what the 2020 season would look like. Fans weren’t even sure if Braun was going to play the 2020 season due to the ongoing health concerns that came with COVID-19 and sports. We already had to deal with the pain of not having Lorenzo Cain on the field; I don’t think having Ryan Braun opt out of the season was going to be something our hearts could take.
As we near closer and closer to the beginning of Spring Training, thoughts of Ryan Braun coming back are starting to look slim. The lineup is starting to be rebuilt, Brewers are making new acquisitions and making adjustments according to those acquisitions. If the DH comes back to the National League, there’s a probable chance that we could get Braun in the lineup playing a couple of games. While the DH seemed more of a favorable position for Braun, the Brewers also have Daniel Vogelbach to consider for that role as well. Though, there is no official decision on whether or not the DH will stay in the National League this season.
Struggles
But the other issue the team has to deal with is Braun’s battle with several injuries. The vet played a total of 39 games last season due to these hindering injuries, mainly issues with his back. Braun was even on the bench for the Wild Card Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It’s really hard to tell with Braun if he’ll be 100% one day and then down the next. It was a roller coaster last season figuring out if he would be in the lineup for that day’s game or not. He would be entering his age-37 season, so the age is really starting to catch up with him. He’s spent his entire career with Milwaukee, and he’s surely seen his hits and misses.
Final Thoughts
Should 2020 be the last season of Ryan Braun, we got a lot of good times with the veteran. Time can only really tell what he’ll decide to do. He does have a wife and three kids at home, one being less than a year old. Any time he has available is most definitely spent with family. We have seen some clips here and there on social media of Braun getting a couple of work outs in with Christian Yelich, so maybe that’s a positive sign towards him coming back. It won’t be official until pen is put to paper and a deal has been sealed.
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