Several players were non-tendered on Friday. Who should the Brewers take a look at?
On Friday, several players joined the free-agency pool after they were non-tendered. While some of these players were cut for performance reasons, there are also players that were only cut due to cost. Let’s take a look at some of the non-tendered players that the Brewers could take a look at, now that they are available.
Josh Rojas, IF
When it comes to infielders, Josh Rojas is the type of player that the Brewers seem to like. He primarily played third base last season for the Mariners but has also spent time at second and shortstop in past seasons. His offense has been down the last few seasons, with him posting a .225/.304/.336 batting line last season. However, he does provide plus defense, with nine defensive runs saved between second and third last season. He also has an option available per FanGraphs, though he will reach five years of MLB service time next season (meaning he can’t be optioned without his consent after that).
Kyle Finnegan, RP
One of the bigger names that was non-tendered on Friday was the Nationals All-Star reliever Kyle Finnegan. He had a strong start to 2024, posting a 2.16 ERA and 37:12 K/BB in 33 1⁄3 innings through the end of June. He struggled from there, posting a 5.34 ERA and 23:12 K/BB over 30 1⁄3 innings in the final three months. He finished the season with a 3.68 ERA. Over his career, his ERA+ (ERA adjusted to ballparks) has been consistently at 110 or higher. It would be a one-year deal overall since he is at five years of MLB service, so he would be a free agent again after 2025 (barring a multi-year deal).
Jacob Webb, RP
In terms of a non-tender, Jacob Webb was one of the stranger decisions on Friday. He had a good season in 2024, posting a 3.02 ERA and 3.52 FIP. He had a good 9.21 K/9 strikeout rate, but his walk rate was a little high at 4.29 BB/9. He was only projected to make $1.7 million in arbitration, so he could be an affordable name on the market.
Griffin Canning, SP
Griffin Canning is one of the starting pitchers that hit the market. He’s dealt with injuries during his career but still has some potential. In 2023 he had a 9.9 K/9 rate before it dropped to 6.8 K/9 last season. His velocity did drop, but he still has a four-pitch arsenal and can top out around 96 mph. If the Brewers’ pitching coaches think they can work on him, he would be worth a shot on a one-year deal.
Gavin Sheets, 1B/OF
It’s been a rough few years for Gavin Sheets. After starting his career off with a good partial season in 2021, he hasn’t been able to live up to the early expectations. He’s had a negative WAR in each of his last three seasons and his wRC+ hasn’t been over 100. Even with the reduced stats, he could be worth a flier on a minor league deal. He still hit 10-plus HR in each of his major league seasons and has a decent career 98 wRC+ against RHP.