Brewers' Pat Murphy has brutally honest Willy Adames admission before free agency

11/10/2024 10:23 PM

The Milwaukee Brewers surprised everyone by winning the National League Central in 2024. After trading Corbin Burnes, few expected them to be in the playoff race. They ran away with the division because of some incredible performances. One was from shortstop Willy Adames, who had a 118 OPS+ and played solid defense. Brewers manager Pat Murphy unveiled his expectations for Adames’ free agency and what comes next at shortstop to Jack Stern of Brewer Fanatic.

“Unsurprisingly, Pat Murphy said this afternoon that he doesn’t expect the Brewers to retain Willy Adames,” Stern posted. “Murphy indicated moving Brice Turang to shortstop is a possibility, but his inclination is to keep him at second base, where Turang just won the NL Platinum Glove Award.”

It is no secret that Adames will no longer be on the Brewers. Shortstops of his caliber rarely hit the free-agent market and teams are always trying to fill that lineup hole. The Dodgers just won the World Series without a traditional shortstop and continue to spend more money than any other team. Even with reports surfacing that Mookie Betts could return to the infield, Adames will help at short.

Back in Milwaukee, Murphy and the Brewers must figure out how to replace Adames’ production. While it will not be easy, they have a history that shows they can.

Brewers can replace Willy Adames internally

The Milwaukee Brewers have a reputation for building a team through scouting and excellent young players. They have been unable to keep all of them, like Burnes, but find ways to replace them. Tobias Meyers is the example from the 2024 season, as the unheralded 25-year-old posted a 3.00 ERA in 25 starts.

Brice Turang was the best defensive player in the National League in 2024, winning the Platinum Glove. That proves that he is a defender capable of playing shortstop but it might not be worth moving him off of second. If Turang does move to short, Andruw Monasterio can fill in the gap at second. He played 17 games at second and 22 at third as a utility man last season.

The one thing fans know that the Brewers won’t be doing this offseason is picking up a big-name free agent. While they could use an ace-caliber pitcher, Burnes is not coming back and Max Fried is not going to be a Brewer. They will need to replace Willy Adames with an internal candidate and Turang is the best option.

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