Jonathan Lucroy knows the Brewers aren’t going anywhere this season, and hopes the team does something about it. Like, trade him.
Milwaukee’s star catcher requested the team deal him this offseason coming off a dispiriting 68-94 season.
“Yeah, absolutely. I want to win,” when asked if he would like to be traded.
“It’s not guaranteed that I’m going to win if I am traded. But I’m going to be a 30-year-old catcher (in June). I can’t put numbers on how much longer I’m going to play, but as players, we want to win. I don’t care about the money; I just want to win. That’s the bottom line.”
The Brewers appear to be in rebuilding mode and are well behind the Cardinals, Cubs and Pirates — three of the top teams in baseball, who happen to also reside in the NL Central. The Brewers have fielded offers for the 29-year-old Lucroy, but have not been close to making a deal. Lucroy has been one of the top offensive catchers in baseball the past four seasons, but took a step back in 2015 dealing with a broken toe and a concussion.
Lucroy has two years and a very affordable $9.25 million left on his contract (including a $5.25 million option for 2017) left on his contract, making him a very valuable asset.
“I’m not going to sit here and say we’re going to compete for the playoffs this year,” Lucroy told the paper Tuesday. “If I did that, you’d call me a liar. I’d lose credibility and respect.
“I want to win, and I don’t see us winning in the foreseeable future. I want to go to a World Series. That’s what all players want. Rebuilding is not a lot of fun for any veteran guy.”