Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers have made Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Willy Adames unavailable in trade discussions, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

The news comes after ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the Brewers have traded second baseman Kolten Wong to the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Jesse Winker and infielder Abraham Toro.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Thursday that the Brewers had been receiving calls on the availability of Burnes, Woodruff and Adames. He added that Milwaukee would be more likely to move one or more of those players at the 2023 season's trade deadline.

Burnes, Woodruff and Adames are all under team control through the 2024 campaign.

After finishing the 2022 season with an 86-76 record and missing the playoffs, the Brewers may not be entering a rebuild, but they could be entering a reset, meaning that certain players will undoubtedly be made available for trade.

Burnes, who began his MLB career in 2018, has emerged as one of Milwaukee's best starters. During the 2022 season, he went 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 243 strikeouts in 202 innings across 33 starts.

Woodruff began his major-league career in 2017, and he has also emerged as one of the team's top pitchers. He went 13-4 in 2022 with a 3.05 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 190 strikeouts in 153.1 innings across 27 starts.

Adames, while not one of baseball's premier shortstops, is still very good. Last season, he slashed .238/.298/.458 with 31 home runs, 98 RBI and eight stolen bases in 139 games. Further, the Brewers likely can't afford nor make a run at one of the league's top free-agent shortstops, such as Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson.

It's unclear if the Brewers have any intentions of trading other players. Wong was the team's top player made available in trade discussions.

The Milwaukee Brewers announced they have promoted Marti Wronski to chief operating officer (COO), making her the only female leader to hold that title for an MLB franchise, according to the organization.

Per the Brewers, Wronski is the highest-ranking female executive in the Brewers' organization since Wendy Selig-Prieb was president and chairman.

Wronski is entering her 20th season with the Brewers. She previously held titles as the team's general counsel and senior vice president (administration).

As noted by the Associated Press, Wronski's expanded role will include oversight of the business analytics and strategy team.

In her time with the Brewers, she has presided over legal, information technology and human resource departments as well as legal affairs, governmental relations and compliance.

Before her time with the Brewers, Wronski worked as a litigation associate for Foley and Lardner, LLP from 1997 to 2001.

Two other women serve as heads of business operations for MLB teams.

Catie Griggs is the president of business operations with the Seattle Mariners. The recently promoted Caroline O’Connor is the Miami Marlins' president of business operations. Kim Ng also runs baseball operations as the Marlins' general manager.

Former MVP outfielder Andrew McCutchen is flying under the radar on the MLB free-agent market, but he could provide a depth boost for just about any team heading into the 2023 season.

McCutchen captured the NL MVP award in 2013 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he also earned five All-Star selections across his first nine MLB seasons.

He's since made stops with the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and, most recently, the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 36-year-old Florida native is coming off a 2022 campaign with the Brew Crew when he compiled a .237/.316/.384 slash line with 17 home runs and eight stolen bases in 134 games. His .700 OPS was a career-low mark.

While McCutchen has mostly played corner outfield or designated hitter in recent years, he has expressed confidence in his ability to still play center field, his longtime position with the Pirates where he won a Gold Glove in 2012.

"It's definitely a position I know I can still play," McCutchen said in July. "The outfield is the outfield, but it's something I've done for a lot of my career, so of course I'm the most comfortable out there at that position."

The continued positional versatility combined with a bat that still has some pop gives him value as he enters what's likely the twilight of his terrific career.

Here's a look at a few potential landing spots for the four-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

Brewers

Sticking with the Brewers would give the club a little flexibility as it awaits the full-time arrival of their top outfield prospects, including Garrett Mitchell, Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer. It's a talented group, but re-signing McCutchen would remove some of the pressure on them to potentially make a high-end impact in 2023.

In terms of veterans, Christian Yelich and Hunter Renfroe are likely locked into starting jobs barring an offseason trade. It leaves center field as the one open spot in the club's outfield.

If a few of those aforementioned rising stars make Milwaukee's final roster, it would likely mean more sporadic playing time for McCutchen, who could see his most consistent work at DH. If the prospects start in the minors, the veteran will be more involved.

It's unclear whether the Brewers are interested in a reunion given his modest production last season, though.

Pirates

Heading back to the Pirates may signal McCutchen's career is winding down. A veteran of his caliber typically joins a contender to chase a World Series ring. The Buccos aren't in that category right now, but he obviously has a long history in the Steel City.

The club legend would probably see a majority of his starts at designated hitter, but he could still garner some playing time in the outfield when Bryan Reynolds, Cal Mitchell or Jack Suwinski needs a day off.

Signing with Pittsburgh is something that may wait until later in the offseason to see whether McCutchen can attract interest from a club closer to contention.

He'd surely be welcomed back with open arms if the Pirates are his ultimate destination.

Astros

McCutchen isn't the offensive force he was during his peak years with the Pirates, but he's a worthwhile depth addition for the reigning champion Astros. He can bring veteran leadership to the clubhouse even if he's not in the lineup every night.

Kyle Tucker and Chas McCormick are likely locked into starting jobs in the corner outfield spots for Houston. Jake Meyers is penciled in for center field, but there could be playing time available if he starts slowly in 2023.

McCutchen could back up all three outfield spots and also draw the occasional start at DH when Yordan Alvarez needs a breather.

Perhaps most importantly, it would represent a golden opportunity for him to add a World Series ring to an otherwise terrific career résumé.

The San Diego Padres made a bold move to solidify their bullpen by acquiring closer Josh Hader from the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday.

The Brewers received a return package featuring closer Taylor Rogers, pitching prospect Robert Gasser, outfielder Esteury Ruiz and reliever Dinelson Lamet in exchange for the All-Star pitcher.

ESPN's Jeff Passan initially reported the deal.

It's a surprise to see the Brewers move on from Hader given that he remains an elite closer and they are competing with the St. Louis Cardinals atop the National League Central. The left-hander also has one more year of team control before hitting free agency after 2023.

Since making his debut in 2017, Hader has established himself as one of the most dominant relievers in Major League Baseball. In 269 games, the 28-year-old has 541 strikeouts, with 161 hits allowed and a 2.48 ERA over 316.1 innings.

Per FanGraphs, Hader's 15.39 strikeouts per nine innings and 44.1 strikeout percentage over the previous six seasons leads all relievers with at least 150 innings pitched. His 9.4 wins above replacement ranks tied for second among relievers during that span.

Hader finished 2021 with a 1.23 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 102 strikeouts in 58.2 innings. The Brewers managed him differently last season than they had in the past. He didn't throw more than one inning in a game all year, including the playoffs.

The Brewers won the NL Central with a 95-67 record but lost in the NLDS to the Atlanta Braves.

Sticking primarily to his one-inning role in 2022, Hader began the year as electric as ever to earn another All-Star selection, although he has been inconsistent as of late. He entered July with a 1.09 ERA but gave up 13 earned runs over the past month to drop his ERA to 4.24 for the season.

An argument for trading Hader now is, it's the best way for Milwaukee to maximize his value by bringing back multiple impact players who will be long-term assets for the organization. The team might be worse in the short term with a potential playoff spot in store this season.

Milwaukee will at least add the Padres' closer in Rogers, who has 28 saves and a 4.35 ERA this season. Gasser is also a quality prospect, rated the team's No. 7 player in the farm system, per MLB.com.

Devin Williams will likely replace Hader as the Brewers' closer. He has 30 consecutive scoreless appearances since May 10.

San Diego adds one of the most dominant relievers in MLB and has him under control for an additional season.

The Padres are doing everything in their power to stay in contention and keep the pressure on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

San Diego is 57-46 despite not having Fernando Tatis Jr. available yet due to a wrist injury.

After acquiring Yu Darvish from the Chicago Cubs and Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays to help their rotation last year, Hader gives the Padres a dominant late-inning reliever to partner with Luis Garcia and Nabil Crismatt.

The Padres have a roster capable of challenging anyone in MLB, and the group looks even more dangerous with Hader coming out of the bullpen late in games.

As the MLB trade deadline approaches, teams around the league are reportedly checking in on the availability of one of the best relievers in the majors.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Milwaukee Brewers are receiving calls from teams interested in trading for closer Josh Hader. Heyman added that there's "no indication" Hader is actually available, but the Brewers "seem willing to listen" to offers.

Hader leads MLB with 29 saves entering Sunday. He got off to an incredible start to the 2022 season in which he didn't allow an earned run in the first two months, putting together a run of 40 straight scoreless appearances dating back to last year. However, he hasn't been his usual dominant self in his most recent outings.

In the month of July, Hader has an ERA of 12.54. He gave up three homers and six runs in a blown save against the San Francisco Giants on July 15. His season ERA has ballooned to 4.24 to go with a 1-4 record and 59 strikeouts in 34 innings.

A three-time NL Reliever of the Year, Hader has been a star out of the bullpen since his major league debut in 2017. The 28-year-old has a career ERA of 2.48 with 541 strikeouts in 316.1 innings.

Milwaukee is in first place in the NL Central with a 57-44 record, four games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers are seeking their fifth consecutive win in Sunday's series finale against the Boston Red Sox. It would be a massive surprise to see the team part with its four-time All-Star closer in the midst of a pennant race.

The New York Yankees are trying to move on from outfielder Joey Gallo and have reportedly received interest from the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (h/t Mark Polishuk of MLBTradeRumors).

Gallo is hitting just .159 with a .282 on-base percentage and 12 home runs in 82 games this season with the Yankees.

The 28-year-old joined New York in a July trade from the Texas Rangers last season but now appears to be on his way out before becoming a free agent this offseason.

Gallo did hit 13 home runs in just 58 games last year with the Yankees, but his .160 batting average left a lot to be desired. Even he acknowledged his shortcomings after continued struggles in 2022.

"I feel bad," Gallo told Lindsey Adler of The Athletic. "It's something I'm gonna have to really live with for the rest of my life. It's going to be tough. I didn't play well, I didn't live up to expectations. And that's a tough pill to swallow."

New York acquired outfielder Andrew Benintendi to effectively replace Gallo's spot in the lineup.

Despite his struggles with the Yankees, the slugger clearly has some value around the league. He had two All-Star selections and two Gold Glove Awards with the Rangers and is averaging 39 home runs per 162 games over his career. He hit at least 40 home runs in consecutive seasons in 2017-18.

The Rays and Padres–currently ranked 22nd and 25th, respectively, in the majors in total home runs this season–could especially use this production.

The Brewers do have quality power hitters in Rowdy Tellez, Willy Adames and others, but they could use more outfield depth with the aging Christian Yelich and Andrew McCutchen rotating at designated hitter.

Gallo could represent a high-upside, buy-low option for any of these playoff contenders.