Brewers Lose 8-Year Veteran Backstop to Opt-Out

At one point, it looked like this vet had a job...

Feb 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Umpire Brian Walsh (60) makes the call behind Milwaukee Brewers catcher Reese McGuire (33) against the Cleveland Guardians at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It's a big week for roster turnover across Major League Baseball, and the Milwaukee Brewers just saw one of their most experienced spring training pickups depart.

Reese McGuire signed a unique minor-league contract with the Brewers in January that contained a release clause, enabling him to opt out and test the open market if he didn't win a job on the major league roster at the end of camp.

On Saturday, McGuire triggered that clause, as was first reported by Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Per Hogg, McGuire had 72 hours from the time of the release to sign with a new team,

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McGuire's Brewers situation, start to finish

Sep 20, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Reese McGuire (20) hits an RBI double against the Cincinnati Reds in the eighth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

An eight-year veteran who had some unexpected highlights for the Chicago Cubs last season, McGuire is doing all he can at this point to cling to a shot at the majors. He appeared in just 44 major league games last year, his fewest since 2020, and the Cubs were his fourth team.

McGuire had just 16 home runs in his first seven major league seasons, but he unexpectedly clubbed nine for the Cubs. However, his .688 OPS still graded out as a below-average figure when adjusted for park factor, and he's long been a guaranteed stolen base for opposing runners.

The Brewers didn't have an obvious backup to All-Star William Contreras to start the offseason, so for a brief while after he signed, McGuire seemed to be in a good spot to break camp in Milwaukee. Then, the Brewers signed Gary Sánchez to a guaranteed contract in February and seemingly guaranteed that the current situation with McGuire would come to pass.

McGuire got just three hits in 29 at-bats this spring, though one was a home run. There aren't a lot of obvious fits out there, so there's a chance he could be with Triple-A Nashville in a week's time.

Sometimes, it's hard to know whether a player will wear a uniform in the regular season even after he signs with a certain team, and McGuire's deal with the Brewers has landed in that uncertain territory.