The Milwaukee Brewers’ magical season ended in disappointment. After finishing the regular season with the best record in baseball, the Brewers were swept in the NLCS by the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Now Milwaukee faces several option decisions that will shape the team’s roster in 2026.
The Brewers made the obvious choice and exercised Freddy Peralta’s $8 million team option. Meanwhile Brandon Woodruff declined his end of a $20 million mutual option. The two-time All-Star will receive a $10 million buyout and become a free agent, per Milwaukee’s official X account.
The Brewers also made a decision on Danny Jansen. The team declined the veteran catcher’s mutual $12 million option, resulting in a $500,000 buyout.
Option decisions shape Brewers’ future after NLCS run
Milwaukee had six players with pending options for 2026. Peralta, Woodruff and Jansen have been decided but the futures of Rhys Hoskins, Jose Quintana and Williams Contreras are still up in the air.
Retaining Peralta’s services for 2026 was likely the Brewers’ easiest decision. The eight-year veteran is coming off his best season as a pro. He led the NL with 17 wins while posting a 2.70 ERA, 154 ERA+ and 5.5 bWAR in 33 starts – all career-high marks. Peralta had the second-longest scoreless inning streak in franchise history in 2025 as he emerged as Milwaukee’s ace.
Despite his success, some insiders believe the Brewers will trade Peralta after picking up his $8 million option. Although he’ll be entering the final year of his contract, Peralta would draw plenty of interest if placed on the trade block.
Woodruff returned to the mound after missing the entire 2024 season. The former Cy Young candidate looked good in his first action since 2023, finishing with a 3.20 ERA and 0.912 WHIP. However, he only made 12 starts for Milwaukee. Woodruff landed on the IL with a lat strain just before the playoffs and missed the entire postseason.
The Brewers acquired Jansen in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline. The veteran backstop was brought in to back up William Contreras. Jansen hit .254 with a .779 OPS in 25 games for Milwaukee. The team decided to move on, opting for a $500K buyout rather than bringing Jansen back for $12 million in 2026.
