MILWAUKEE — David Stearns is stepping away from his role as the
Arnold now takes over a team with plenty of offseason questions.
The Brewers have 18 players eligible for arbitration, including 2021 Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes and pitcher Brandon Woodruff.
Outfielder Andrew McCutchen, catcher Omar Narváez, utilityman Jace Peterson and relievers Taylor Rogers and Trevor Rosenthal are free agents. The Brewers have to decide whether to pick up a $10 million option on second baseman Kolten Wong and a $3 million option on reliever Brad Boxberger.
Adding to the complications is the large contract of Yelich, whose performance has tailed off markedly since his 2018 and 2019 seasons. Yelich will make $26 million each of the next six seasons, though $4 million of that will be deferred each year.
“I think a lot of what Mark and David and I have talked about is the stability that we have here,” said Arnold, who joined the Brewers organization in October 2015. “We do have a great foundation in place, so I don’t envision any major changes there.”
How long Stearns is part of that foundation — and his level of involvement — is uncertain.
“I love baseball,” Stearns said. “Baseball has been an enormous part of my life, and I anticipate that it will continue to be an enormous part of my life. In what capacity, I think remains to be seen. I think that could be anything from being a fan — a really passionate fan — to one day working again in a senior leadership position. I’m not really going to close any doors, but I know this is the right time to exhale a little bit.”
