For years, the Milwaukee Brewers have operated with a strict formula when it comes to free agency, trades and extensions.
They know that if a star player plays for them and hits free agency, they are unlikely to be able to retain them. That has resulted in them trading players a year before they hit the open market, signing young players to lengthy extensions before they prove themselves and even, in rare instances, simply letting great players walk for no return.
Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, Devin Williams and Freddy Peralta were all traded before hitting the open market. Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara and Jackson Chourio were recipients of long extensions before ever playing in a big league game. Willy Adames reportedly did not even receive an offer in free agency.
Knowing how the Brewers operate, the star to keep an eye on is Brice Turang. Unlike other young stars in the organization, he has not signed an extension, and his rise to stardom has priced him out of Milwaukee. He was Team USA's starting second baseman and is arguably the best second baseman in baseball.
He has won a Platinum Glove and hit 21 home runs this year. It's a shock he has not made an All-Star Game, and the reality is that if he were playing in Los Angeles or New York, he would have.
The Brewers may have more financial flexibility after their World Series run, and perhaps more incentive to keep their core of stars together. However, they likely won't change the formula that allows them to compete year in and year out.
On top of that, Turang's replacement won't be hard to find. The top prospect in baseball, Jesús Made, could debut as soon as next year, and is an extension candidate already, like Chourio was. Made is a shortstop, just like Turang was, but he could easily move to second base.
If the Brewers like him at shortstop long-term, Pratt could move to second. If the Brewers want to hold on to Turang until the very last moment before trading him, Made can play third base. Luis Peña and Andrew Fischer are also top prospects in the organization and will need spots to play if they are as good as the team projects they will be.
In reality, the Brewers probably should have inked Turang to an extension earlier, but his first year in the big leagues was not great. His second year was better, and that should have been when the Brewers pulled the trigger, knowing that his ascension was not about to stop. Over the last two seasons, he has quickly turned into a name all baseball fans know, and soon, he could be the center of many trade rumors.