MLB: Five teams still stuck in no man’s land this offseason

Milwaukee Brewers

Payroll

$64,901,626 – (20th in MLB)

Contracts

Christian Yelich: 7 years, $188.5 million – signed in March 2020

Lorenzo Cain: 5 years, $80 million – expires after 2022 season

Dilemma: The Brewers are playoff capable; however, they’re far off the pace of NL powerhouses such as the Dodgers and Padres. They also have a farm system in desperate need of resuscitation.

Unlike their divisional foes from St. Louis, the Milwaukee Brewers have reason to pause and assess this offseason. They’re good enough to keep pushing for the playoffs, but do they have the personnel to make a run at a title? This question marks the fine line between buying and selling.

Milwaukee has laid low to this point. They’ve chosen to hold on to closer Josh Hader and center fielder Lorenzo Cain, plausibly their top two trade assets. At the same time, they haven’t dabbled in the free-agent market.

Truthfully, no man’s land is a justifiable environment for the Brew Crew. There is no reason for their front office to rush any decisions regarding their present or future.

The Brewers can let the first half of the 2021 season play its course, then determine whether it’s best to buy or sell come July. They won’t commit to a full rebuild with Yelich in his prime, though they could tentatively reset by dealing Josh Hader at the trade deadline for a pair of major league-ready prospects.