Sal Frelick Tells Brutally Honest Truth About Brewers' Offseason

The players are ordinary people, too

Oct 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick (10) reacts after striking out in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game three of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

We've gotten comfortable with the Milwaukee Brewers' strategy of trading away stars at the right time in terms of on-field impact, but we probably don't talk enough about the mental effect it has on the players.

In Freddy Peralta, Isaac Collins, and Caleb Durbin, the Brewers traded away three very impactful pieces of their roster. Those three also formed a large part of the clubhouse culture, as the former was the leader of the pitching staff, while the latter two were rookies who earned a ton of respect with their work ethic and improvement as the year went along.

Now that all three are gone, Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick is here to talk about how those who were left behind were impacted.

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Sal Frelick had "close relationships" with traded players

Sep 20, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin (21) is congratulated by right fielder Sal Frelick (10) after scoring against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

During an appearance on "Foul Territory" on Monday, Frelick said he completely understands why the Brewers wind up subtracting from their roster during the offseason to help bolster their future outlook. It was a stiff shot of realism.

"We know we're not going to go out and sign these big guys every offseason, right?" Frelick said. "We know we're not going to enter that free agency pool and start offering these guys money. But we also take a lot of pride in drafting guys, our homegrown guys."

However, from a human perspective, Frelick was also honest about the fact that losing those three players in particular hit home for him.

"You grow close to these guys. I understand it's a business; guys are going to get traded," Frelick said. "I think this was my first real time, though, the guys that did, I had really close relationships with. So I wish nothing but the best for them, but again, I get the business side of it."

By midseason, the Brewers will have a whole new clubhouse culture, and recent history has shown us that they'll probably keep up their winning ways. But it takes a toll over time, as more players have to say goodbye to close friends and teammates, and one day, Frelick will have to wonder if he's next.

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