On Monday, the Milwaukee Brewers got it right with All-Star backstop William Contreras.
Contreras had a $15.5 million club option for the 2027 season and Milwaukee opted to pick it up , rather than declining it and going to arbitration. The Brewers didn't get cute and took care of their World Series Most Valuable Player right away . It's important to note that he has just one season of team control left. As of this moment, he's scheduled to enter free agency after the 2027 season. But could that change? USA Today's Bob Nightengale gave Brewers fans some hope for that matter.
"The Milwaukee Brewers, who would love to sign World Series MVP William Contreras to a contract extension this winter, pick up his $15.5 million club option for 2027," Nightengale wrote. "They also declined mutual options with veteran catcher Gary Sanchez and pitchers Antonio Senzatela and Dustin May."
The fact that Nightengale said that the Brewers would "love" to get an extension done is certainly a positive sign, although it doesn't guarantee that anything will get done. The Athletic's Jim Bowden dropped some information on what a potential extension would look like.
Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) takes a photo with Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, right, and his wife Debbie Attanasio, left, after winning the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on in St.Petersburg, Florida on Oct. 28, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"They need to find a way to sign him long-term. And, yes, he will become the highest-paid catcher in baseball history when the deal is completed," Bowden wrote.
Right now, Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the highest-paid catcher in Major League Baseball by total value. He got a 10-year, $140 million deal from the Dodgers. On the other hand, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners is the highest-paid catcher in baseball from an annual value standpoint. Raleigh got a six-year, $105 million deal from Seattle, which is good for an annual value of $17.5 million per year.
Right now, Spotrac has Contreras' projected market value set at just over $86 million across six seasons. That wouldn't make him the highest-paid catcher in baseball history. That would be an annual value just above $14.3 million, but it would fall behind both Raleigh and Smith in total value.
Contreras is just 28 years old and is a three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a World Series MVP. In 2026, he slashed .270/.341/.417 with a .758 OPS, 18 home runs, 94 RBIs, 27 doubles and 82 runs scored. Smith got his big deal ahead of the 2024 season. In 2023, he slashed .261/.359/.438 with 19 home runs, 76 RBIs, 21 doubles and 80 runs scored. Contreras compares favorably to him at roughly the same age. If Milwaukee wants to keep its star catcher in town, it's going to cost a pretty penny, likely even in the nine-figure range.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/brewers/onsi as Hope Emerges for William Contreras' Long-Term Future With Brewers .
