5 Brewers Who Won't Be Back in 2025 After Heartbreaking Wild Card Loss

The NL Central champion, Milwaukee Brewers were three outs away from punching their ticket to the National League Division Series on Thursday night. 

However, the New York Mets had other plans as they put up four earned runs on Brewers closer Devin Williams in the top of the ninth inning, which included a colossal three-run home run from Pete Alonso. 

The Brewers had one more chance to make a valiant attempt at a comeback in the bottom of the ninth but saw their season end on a double-play. It was a frustrating end for a squad that was one of the best in the National League in 2024 but couldn’t finish the job when it mattered the most.

That said, with the season over, the Brewers and their fans will start looking ahead to the 2025 season. This offseason will be pivotal for Milwaukee as they might have to make some changes to their roster and could lose a fan-favorite in the process in free agency. There was a lot to love about this Brewers team as they saw the emergence of rookie Jackson Chourio in the outfield and veteran William Contreras at the plate.

However, a few notable players from this season’s team will not be playing at American Family Field in 2025.

1. Willy Adames

The Brewers are likely expecting the 29-year-old shortstop to get a huge payday in free agency this offseason after a tremendous 2024 season. Adames led the team in home runs (32) and RBI (115) despite hitting .251 at the plate.

It was only the second time the veteran shortstop hit 30 or more home runs in a season. The first time was in 2022 when Adames slashed .238/.298/.458 with 31 home runs and 98 RBI.

Adames signed a one-year, $12.25 million contract last offseason to avoid arbitration with the big league club. There was a thought that the team could part ways with Adames, given they shockingly traded ace Corbin Burnes before the 2024 season.

However, the Brew Crew kept him and he rewarded them with an excellent season and will be highly coveted in free agency due to his bat and defense. Spotrac already calculates Adames’ market value at a six-year, $152 million deal.

The Brewers will have a hard time replacing Adames’ production in the lineup, but they have a fine defensive replacement in Joey Ortiz. The Brewers acquired Ortiz in the Burnes trade earlier this year.

The 26-year-old played third base for the Brewers in his first full major league season. But he might be better off at shortstop, where he played 69 games in Triple-A in 2023. Ortiz doesn’t have the same pop as Adames but hit .239 with 11 home runs and 60 RBI.