Brewers Predicted To Add Former White Sox $70 Million Star To Opening Day Lineup

Should Milwaukee roll the dice on this up-and-down talent?

Mar 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada (10) scores against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Don't expect any blockbuster signings, but the Milwaukee Brewers can still improve their roster before Opening Day arrives.

The biggest loss for the Brewers to grapple with this season will be shortstop Willy Adames. The four-year Brewers standout took a $182 million deal to join the San Francisco Giants, and the Brewers have to replace his 32 home runs and excellent clubhouse leadership all in one go.

It looks as though second-year standout Joey Ortiz will move from third base to shortstop, which leaves the hot corner as an open competition. And so far, the contestants aren't particularly exciting, with no one who's ever been a full-time major league starter in the mix.

Could the Brewers take a swing at a former number-one overall prospect whose career to this point hasn't quite panned out as most would have hoped?

On Monday, Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter predicted that the Brewers would sign former Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada, whose five-year, $70 million arbitration extension proved to be something of a disaster for his former club.

"It should not take much more than a one-year, $1 million deal to buy low on Yoán Moncada following an injury-plagued season with the White Sox," Reuter wrote.

"Still only 29 years old, the former top prospect could compete with Caleb Durbin, Oliver Dunn and Andruw Monasterio for the third base job during spring training."

Moncada looked to be on his way to superstardom in 2019, when he put up a .915 OPS and 5.2 bWAR in his age-23 season. Sadly, injuries have hampered him ever since, with his 2021 season (4.0 bWAR in 144 games) standing out as the outlier in his limited availability.

The Brewers are known for getting the best from their players, though, be they rookies, veteran reclamation projects, or aging stars. If Moncada is going to have a career resurgence, Milwaukee would be the ideal place to bet on him doing it.

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