What William Contreras' Declined $12M Option Means For Brewers Star In 2026

Most would likely agree that William Contreras is among the very best catchers in Major League Baseball, but he's not going to be paid like it in 2026.

Contreras played through pain for most of this season, catching 128 games despite a fractured finger that dated back to sometime last year. His offensive stats took a bit of a hit, and the Brewers decided it would be best for business to try and save some money on his contract.

On Tuesday, the Brewers declined Contreras' $12 million club option for next season, according to a report from Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

Contreras remains under team control through 2027

Oct 6, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the third inning against the Chicago Cubs during game two of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Contreras, 27, is already a two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, and fifth-place Most Valuable Player finisher last year. He also has a World Series ring from his time with the Atlanta Braves. This decision doesn't change the fact that he's under contract through the end of 2027.

But it's a "business decision," as McCalvy put it. The Brewers are essentially betting that taking Contreras to arbitration will result in a lower guaranteed than $12 million, and goodness knows this front office will save anything it can on payroll while it tries to compete for championships on a limited budget.

The Brewers will owe Contreras a $100,000 buyout. They'll probably still save seven figures, as Contreras, even as decorated as he is, should make considerably less than that $12 million price point based on the way arbitration numbers typically play out. Those numbers are not typically as high as the figures players of equal value earn on the open market.

MLB Trade Rumors projects Contreras to be worth $11.1 million in arbitration. If that's the case, the Brewers saved themselves $800,000, which may not sound like much, but it's more than one full rookie salary. Every dollar counts.

Long-term, could Contreras now become more of a trade candidate than he was before? That's up for interpretation, but the very fact that he hasn't been extended past his age-29 season certainly suggests that his future as a Brewer could be in jeopardy within the next couple of years.

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