Report: Brewers sign Jedd Gyorko to major league deal

David Stearns told reporters a couple days ago he wasn’t done adding this offseason, and while the moves haven’t been major, that’s at least held true.

After signing 1B/OF Logan Morrison to a minor league contract yesterday, Stearns has reportedly adding another piece on a major league contract, signing former San Diego Padre and St. Louis Cardinal Jedd Gyorko, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Brewers fans should be familiar with Gyorko as someone who has consistently been a thorn in Milwaukee’s side, spending three and a half years in St. Louis before being traded to the Dodgers at the trade deadline last season.

Gyorko provides someone else in the infield mix for the Brewers, most likely at third base, where he spent a lot of his time with the Cardinals. He’s been a solid defender there over the years, and can also play some second and first base.

He’s also capable of providing some pop, hitting 30 home runs in 2016, but seeing his power decline since then, falling to 11 home runs and a .762 OPS in 2018 before seeing his production crater in 2019 due to a variety of injuries. Due to that, it seems unlikely the Brewers had to spend much to get him. Still, he averaged about 2 wins per year during his three full seasons with the Cardinals before his injury-riddled 2019.

Gyorko will be 31 in 2020 and his slashed .245/.309/.421 in his 7-year career. He could end up being a platoon player, considering his much stronger career .267/.341/.455 line against left-handed pitchers.

Statistics courtesy of Fangraphs