The Opener: Brewers, Diamondbacks, Survey

As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things worth keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. What’s next for the Brewers?

Yesterday saw the Brewers and Mets get together on a trade that sent right-hander Adrian Houser and outfielder Tyrone Taylor to Queens in exchange for pitching prospect Coleman Crow. The sell-side move from Milwaukee subtracts from a rotation the club had deepened earlier in the offseason by signing right-hander Joe Ross and reuniting with veteran southpaw Wade Miley. Taylor’s departure clears one piece from what had become a crowded outfield mix following the club’s decision to sign top prospect Jackson Chourio to a pre-debut extension earlier this month.

The departure of Houser makes any deal involving right-hander Corbin Burnes more complicated. With likely sixth starter Aaron Ashby’s timeline uncertain as he looks to work his way back from shoulder surgery, trading Burnes could leave Milwaukee short on viable starting options headed into 2024. Of course, it’s worth noting that the club may be more hesitant to deal Burnes to begin with than once believed. The outfield, by contrast, is an area from which the Brewers should have little issue sacrificing some depth. Aside from Chourio and Christian Yelich, Milwaukee’s outfield mix also features Garrett Mitchell, Joey Wiemer, Sal Frelick, and Blake Perkins. That’s plenty of talent the club could trade use to improve their infield situation, which offers little certainty outside of shortstop Willy Adames.

2. D-backs, Gurriel deal not yet official:

Over the weekend, the Diamondbacks reportedly brought back left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on a deal worth $43MM guaranteed over three years that features both an opt-out after 2025 and a club option for 2027. That deal has yet to be made official, meaning Gurriel does not yet count against the club’s 40-man roster. At the time of the signing, that wasn’t particularly meaningful as Arizona had an open spot on its 40-man. That changed earlier this week, however, when the club claimed right-hander Collin Snider off waivers from the Royals. With the addition of Snider filling the club’s roster, Arizona will now have to clear a spot for Gurriel when his deal eventually becomes official, something they could accomplish by working out a minor trade involving one of the players towards the back of their roster or by simply designating a player for assignment.

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