The Brewers outfield is crowded, but could they still find an upgrade this offseason?
The outfield for the Brewers is currently in a very strong position. They are entering the 2025 season with five regular players to cover three outfield spots: Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and Blake Perkins. Even mixing in some time at DH for the good players on offense (Yelich, Chourio, and Mitchell), it’s going to be a struggle to get them all a good amount of playing time.
However, the outfield isn’t entering the 2025 season without some questions behind it. Yelich will be returning from back surgery, and his performance will be a concern until he shows results in live action again. Chourio will be entering his second season and other teams will have a season’s worth of footage to analyze. Mitchell still has not put together a complete season in the majors to date. Frelick and Perkins are great defenders but are also a little lacking on offense. There’s also the possibility of moving Frelick to the infield in 2025, should the Brewers choose to revisit that in spring training.
With all of that considered, bringing in a free agent for the outfield isn’t out of the question. If we take a look at the market, what outfielders would make sense for the Brewers to take a look at?
Austin Hays (.255/.303/.396, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 98 wRC+) (free agent)
After three straight seasons with 16-plus home runs and a wRC+ over 100, Hays had a down year in 2024. A few IL stints limited him to 85 games, with only 22 of those coming after a trade to the Phillies. Hays ended up being non-tendered after he was projected to make $6 million in his final year of arbitration. At 29 years old, Hays is a good candidate for a bounce-back year before taking another shot in free agency. He’ll get an MLB job somewhere, and for an offense and outfield that needs more punch, the Brewers could take a shot on him.
Dylan Carlson (.209/.287/.277, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 67 wRC+) (free agent)
Carlson also received a non-tender after the 2024 season in what was a really rough year. He started the year with the Cardinals before being traded to the Rays at the deadline. Carlson did see a bump in his numbers after the deadline, as he batted .219/.299/.316 with all three of his home runs coming with the Rays. While he has been trending downwards, there are some factors in his favor. He’s just 26 years old and is a switch hitter (though has done better in his career as a left-handed hitter). He’s under five years of service time (four years and 104 days) and has options available. He has shown success in the majors before, posting fWARs of 2.4 and 1.9 in 2021 and 2022, respectively. While he may be more of a candidate on a minor league deal, that’s a possibility for him this offseason.
Edward Olivares (.224/.291/.333, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 73 wRC+) (free agent)
After a couple of good years in Kansas City, Olivares was traded to Pittsburgh before the 2024 season. He struggled there and ended up being outrighted to Triple-A before electing free agency after the season. While he did show a turnaround in Triple-A (.253/.343/.379, 92 wRC+), it wasn’t enough for the Pirates to give him another chance. Olivares is hitting the market at just under four years of service time. He doesn’t have any options left but is projected to bounce back in 2025 with a .252/.313/.407 batting line, according to Steamer. He could also be a candidate on a minor league deal, though the option status and Brewers’ status in the outfield could make it tough for him to stick around if he doesn’t perform well.
Patrick Wisdom (.171/.237/.392, 8 HR, 23 RBI, 75 wRC+) (free agent)
Though he fits more into the utility player role than the outfield role, Wisdom is a candidate for the outfield. While his numbers were down in 2024, getting away from Wrigley Field could be a boost for him. Over his career at Wrigley Field, he’s hit just .194/.282/.440 with a 100 wRC+. Compare that to his road stats, which are .222/.299/.377 with a 110 wRC+. He’s also a power hitter, posting three 20-plus home run seasons between 2021 and 2023. His numbers at American Family Field aren’t too much better (.234/.296/.484 in 22 games and 71 PA), but the potential power is the attractive part of his profile. A switch to Milwaukee could bring that back.