Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy indicated last month to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he would like to be traded at some point soon, saying, “I want to win and I don’t see us winning in the foreseeable future.”
Lucroy is only under contract through 2016 (with an inexpensive club option for 2017) and the Brewers are undergoing a full-on rebuild, so it’s likely that his trade request will eventually be met. But there is nothing to suggest anything is close on that front.
Brewers general manager David Stearns caught up Tuesday with Haudricourt ...
#Brewers GM David Stearns reiterated today there are no budding trades in the works for C Jonathan Lucroy.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) February 2, 2016
Stearns said he knows Lucroy will come to spring training "and be a good teammate and give it his all. He's done it throughout his career."
— Tom (@Haudricourt) February 2, 2016
Lucroy struggled with injuries in 2015 and wound up batting just .264/.326/.391 with seven home runs and 43 RBI in 103 games. But he finished fourth in the National League MVP voting in 2014 with a .301/.373/.465 slash line, 53 doubles, 13 home runs, and 69 RBI. The 29-year-old backstop will make just $4 million in 2016 and his option for 2017 is only $5.25 million (with a $25,000 buyout). There should be trade offers pouring in. For now, the Nationals, Rangers, and Astros are the teams that have been connected.
FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Monday that the Nationals are one of eight clubs on Lucroy’s no-trade list, but Lucroy could simply use that as leverage toward a new contract if he is close to being dealt to Washington. As he said, he wants to win. And the Nats look like one of the best teams in baseball on paper.
