Jonathan Lucroy has long been linked to trade rumors this offseason, but actual discussions for the Milwaukee Brewers All-Star catcher have furthered among interested suitors.
Continue for updates.
Lucroy Comments on Trade Rumors
Tuesday, Jan. 19
Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel provided Lucroy’s take on his standing with the Brewers’ organization:
“I’m not going to sit here and say we’re going to compete for the playoffs this year. If I did that, you’d call me a liar. I’d lose credibility and respect.
I want to win and I don’t see us winning in the foreseeable future. I want to go to a World Series. That’s what all players want. Rebuilding is not a lot of fun for any veteran guy.”
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“If I stay with the Brewers, I’m not going to go out and dog it,” he said. “I’m not going to be a bad teammate. I’m not going to be a bad clubhouse guy. I’m not going to be bitter. It’s just part of the game.
Right now, I’m planning on being with the Brewers. I’m not going to think anything different until something happens. It might and it might not. No one knows. I’m going to go out every day and compete with whatever team I’m with.
It’s a unique situation. I try to look at it objectively and without bias. As players, we can’t help but play GM at times. It’s definitely a hard thing, and I get that. There are injury concerns, which is fine. There are performance concerns, which is fine. That comes with the territory.”
Brewers’ Asking Price ‘Too High’ for Lucroy
Monday, Jan. 18
The Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics have all recently been involved in trade talks with the Brewers over Lucroy, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
However, Rosenthal added that no deal has been struck because the Brewers’ asking price is reportedly “too high.”
That could be in light of Lucroy’s incredibly affordable contract, which has one year and $4.35 million left with a $5.25 million option for 2017, per Spotrac.
The veteran is coming off a production decline and an injury-ridden season, but despite one outlying year, he’s still an everyday backstop with a bat better than most at his position as a career .282 hitter.
Teams are well aware of his production and cost value but want to act quickly if they’re going to strike a deal, per Mike Axisa of CBS Sports:
Teams right now want to buy low on Lucroy and acquire him for two full seasons. If the Brewers wait until the deadline, they’re only selling one and a half seasons of Lucroy. Teams won’t be willing to pay as much. Those first few months of the season have real value. Waiting until next offseason means the price would be even lower.
The Brewers are in the midst of a massive rebuild that’s involved trades of key contributors such as Carlos Gomez, Mike Fiers, Francisco Rodriguez, Adam Lind, Gerardo Parra and Jonathan Broxton since last year’s non-waiver trade deadline.
After finishing 68-94, tied for fourth-worst in the majors a year after leading the National League Central for 152 days before a September meltdown, Milwaukee has conceded it needs to focus on long-term scope.
When Lucroy hits free agency, he’ll likely command at least twice what he’s making, and stockpiling young yet cheap talent and/or draft picks would be in the Brewers’ best interest.
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