The jersey hung from the front row of an empty section in the loge level of Miller Park between third base and left field on Sept. 20 with its back facing the infield.
No. 8.
Braun.
In the final home game of the Brewers’ 2020 season, the jersey was affixed over a railing — just in case. Few names and numbers have been as intimately intertwined with the Brewers. It may not have been the end of Ryan Braun’s 14-year career with the Brewers. But it could have been. The sheer possibility spawned recognition and reflection.
Six weeks later, it remains unknown whether Braun has played his final game.
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 27, 2020
Last Thursday, Braun, 37 this month, became a free agent for the first time in his career after the Brewers declined their end of a mutual option for $15 million for the 2021 season. The move seemed more of a formality than the product of any mental writhing from the Brewers’ front office.
In a winter with budgetary restrictions due to a considerable loss of revenue without fans at games, and after injuries limited Braun’s availability even in a 60-game season, the Brewers were never going to pay such a figure for a part-time player. The mutual option includes a $4 million buyout.
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As long as Braun remained noncommittal — which he has — about his plans, the declining of his option was always going to be the next step. Nothing has changed much since that day in September when Braun’s jersey hung from the stands, the team posted a tribute video for him on Twitter and his words sounded sentimental during a postgame interview. He continued to leave the door open regarding a possible return or retirement, which was a topic he brought up as early as January during the Brewers’ Fan Fest event.
In January, he acknowledged the possibility of 2020 being his final season. When he reported to summer camp in June, however, he seemed more open to the idea of playing beyond this season and was excited about the addition of the designated hitter to the National League (it’s still unclear whether there will be a DH in the NL next season). Then at the end of the season, Braun said he needed time to reflect with his family (Braun and his wife Larisa have three children) before making a decision.
“I don’t know,” Braun said on Sept. 20 when asked if that was his final home game with the Brewers. “I really want to take the time to get away from it and reflect on the season and see what the sport itself and the world looks like. This has been such a unique and challenging year in so many ways that I just want to take my time making that decision.
“Being a parent and being a husband, my family are my top priorities in my life. As my kids get older, I don’t enjoy being away from them at all. One of the biggest challenges of this game is we’re on the road a lot and miss out on a lot of things.”
If Braun’s words are inspected, it’s easy to understand why a decision hasn’t been made or at least not yet revealed. The world hasn’t changed much. There isn’t much clarity regarding what to expect from a scene and routine at a major-league baseball game in 2021. Meanwhile, COVID-19 has raged on.
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One reason why Braun may be tempted to return is to play in front of his fans one more time after not being able to do so in 2020, but there are no guarantees regarding crowd sizes for 2021. As Brewers president of baseball operations and general manager David Stearns aptly put it, the club doesn’t yet even know when it is reporting for spring training or what those weeks will even look like.
“All of these decisions, especially a big decision like this one for Ryan, it deserves time,” Stearns said. “This is a very unusual year and he deserves time to decompress and spend time with his family, to see what the world looks like as we get into January, February, March. So the answer is we don’t know and we might not know the answer for a while. And that’s OK.
“I think as a society right now, we’re all learning to be more comfortable with the unknown and this is just another example of that.”
Would a return make sense for both parties? It certainly could for the Brewers if Braun is willing to accept something like an inexpensive one-year deal, especially if the DH remains. But even if it doesn’t, Braun proved in September that he can still hit velocity and produce in critical spots. He just had trouble staying on the field and even missed the Brewers’ elimination game against the Dodgers, so the value of production and skill versus availability and cost would have to be weighed.
As the team’s fourth outfielder, the burden on his body would be lessened, but he would still face the rigorous 162-game schedule.
Stearns said it’s up to Braun to decide if he wants to play beyond 2020 before any talks would take place about a possible return on a smaller deal. Braun and Stearns have maintained a dialogue, and Stearns said the Brewers don’t need a timetable yet for a decision from the franchise’s all-time leader in home runs.
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Across baseball, it’s expected to be an unusual offseason. Already, several teams decided not to pick up what were thought to be affordable options under normal circumstances. In addition to Braun, the Brewers declined club options on three other players: infielders Jedd Gyorko and Eric Sogard, and outfielder Ben Gamel.
Jedd Gyorko
Why the Brewers declined: Gyorko’s option was worth $4.5 million, and on the surface, the figure seemed like a fair price to pay, given his production in 2020 and versatility. Instead, the Brewers paid a $1 million buyout to Gyorko. Stearns said the Brewers did this to remain flexible.
Stearns’ stance made sense; what does $4.5 million look like in this market? With teams’ spending expected to be down based on the number of options that were declined, projected free-agency figures likely must be adjusted while the list of free agents has grown. From the Brewers’ perspective, it is perhaps better to wait than pay a few million at the outset of the offseason to a 32-year-old best suited for a platoon role.
Outlook on a possible return: Gyorko proved he was healthy after injuries compromised his 2019 season. He played 42 games and began the year in a platoon at third base appearing against left-handed starting pitchers before becoming the regular at first base. Both positions remain significant holes for the Brewers and places they need offensive production from. Gyorko was one of the only Brewers to post relatively solid offensive numbers in 2020. He had a .838 OPS with nine home runs. For a team that values versatility, Gyorko also can play second base and shortstop, if needed.
It’s also worth noting that there aren’t many attractive free-agent options at the corner infield spots. First baseman Carlos Santana, who has played for the Indians and Phillies, is an on-base machine with power, but his price tag may be too high, especially given he will turn 35 in April.
Jedd Gyorko played multiple positions and hit nine home runs for the Brewers this season. (Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
Eric Sogard
Why the Brewers declined: Sogard’s option also was valued at $4.5 million for 2021. The Brewers paid a $500,000 buyout to Sogard. It was not surprising to see the Brewers decline Sogard’s option. While he started decently at the plate and racked up walks, he suddenly went ice cold and finished with a .209/.281/.278 slash line. His playing time was significantly reduced in September. Much like the decision regarding Gyorko, passing on (at least for now) Sogard, 34, also afforded the Brewers additional flexibility.
Outlook on a possible return: While Sogard may not be able to duplicate his 2019 season, it’s unfair to completely write him off based on his first 100 plate appearances of a shortened 2020. For an inexpensive price, he still has some value off the bench as a quality defensive player who can play multiple infield positions. He is not going to help solve the Brewers’ slugging issue, however, and therefore profiles as a lower priority, depending on how the offseason goes.
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The remaining infielders currently on the Brewers’ 40-man roster are Keston Hiura, Orlando Arcia, Luis Urias, Jace Peterson, Mark Mathias and Daniel Vogelbach. Infielder Ryon Healy, who saw action in only four games, was formerly on the 40-man roster but also became a free agent over the weekend after he was outrighted to San Antonio.
“Both of them were complete professionals and contributed a great deal to our culture this year,” Stearns said of Gyorko and Sogard. “Eric probably didn’t have the year he was hoping for. Jedd performed very well for us. And we all agreed to keep the lines of communication open and see how the offseason goes.
“I do think depending on how the offseason plays out, there could be interest in either or both returning.”
Ben Gamel
Why the Brewers declined: Gamel’s option was for $2.55 million with no buyout. Gamel saw increased playing time in right field after Lorenzo Cain opted out. With new changes to his batting stance, the 28-year-old experienced a fast start offensively, particularly with some newfound power, but then slumped. He finished with a .718 OPS and three home runs in 40 games. He finished the regular season on the injured list with a quadriceps strain. Gamel is a solid option as a reserve outfielder because he is a quality defender and bats from the left side, but this could have been another case of the Brewers wanting to assess options before committing more dollars.
Outlook on a possible return:: Despite the Brewers declining his option, Gamel is not a free agent. He is under team control but is eligible for arbitration. A return would make some sense, but Stearns was noncommittal when asked about Gamel. Also of note, the Brewers claimed outfielder Billy McKinney off waivers from Toronto on Sept. 14 and sent him to Appleton, where he spent the rest of 2020. McKinney is a left-handed bat, but unlike Gamel, also can play first base.
“Those questions, along with all of our arbitration-eligible questions, we’re going to work through in the coming month,” Stearns said regarding offering Gamel a contract.
“The tender deadline for our arbitration-eligible players is Dec. 2, so we’ve got time to continue to work through our process and also evaluate what else could be out there and what the market could potentially look like of available players as we head into the winter.”
(Photo of Braun and Eric Sogard: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)