Milwaukee Brewers additions and subtractions
Key additions: Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich, Yovani Gallardo, Jhoulys Chacin
Newcomer to watch: Christian Yelich. Part of the Miami Marlins fire sale, Yelich is not only a key part of the Milwaukee Brewers present, but the future as well.
He is just starting to emerge as a star. Over his time in the majors, Yelich has displayed an intriguing blend of power and speed, while playing Gold Glove caliber defense in left. He has put together a .290/.369/.432 batting line in his 2812 plate appearances, hitting 59 homers and stealing 72 bases. He should fit nicely in the Brewers lineup in front of Ryan Braun and Eric Thames.
Yelich is not a rental player either. At just 26 years old, he is still to reach his prime. The Marlins locked him in to a team friendly extension, keeping him under team control through 2021, with a team option for 2022. As the Brewers are building towards sustainable success, Yelich will be a key part of that journey.
Key losses: Jared Hughes, Lewis Brinson, Neil Walker
Biggest loss: Jared Hughes. For all of the improvements that the Brewers made on offense, their pitching staff is still suspect.
While teams can overcome a weaker rotation with a strong bullpen, the loss of Hughes is a major blow there as well. In his only year in Pittsburgh, the righty posted a solid 3.02 ERA and a 1.223 WHiP, striking out 48 batters in 59.2 innings. Righties produced a meager .210/.310/.314 batting line against Hughes, as he fulfilled his purpose for Milwaukee.
Now, the Brewers will have to rely upon a bevy of talented, but relatively unproven, arms. Josh Hader is the primary setup man last year, a job that he may well thrive in given his impressive arsenal. However, Jacob Barnes and Oliver Drake are still question marks. Jeremy Jeffries was solid upon his return from the Rangers, but is not a dominant force. Junior Guerra is being transitioned to the bullpen after a disastrous 2017 campaign. Is that enough?
If not, the Milwaukee Brewers may find the loss of Jared Hughes to be more than they could have expected.