The reasoning behind Brewers’ surprise DFA of Lamet

Lamet, who has a 9.49 ERA this season but is just two years removed from contending for the National League Cy Young Award in the shortened 2020 season, was one of four players acquired from the Padres for Hader, with left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers and prospects Robert Gasser and Esteury Ruiz. It was thought that Lamet would join the Brewers’ bullpen to get guidance from a Milwaukee coaching and analytics staff that has had success with similar projects. Instead, Lamet is not part of Milwaukee’s plans.

Within seven days, the Brewers must place him on outright waivers. Any claiming team would be on the hook for the $1.6 million or so due to Lamet for the remainder of the season. If he clears waivers, the Brewers are on the hook for that salary and they can outright him to Triple-A Nashville. But because Lamet has more than three years of Major League service, he would have the right to decline the assignment, collect the remainder of his salary and become a free agent.

“Dinelson has a good arm and was included in the trade to help balance out the deal,” Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “As subsequent transactions played out, the roster fit became a little tougher. We are hopeful we will be able to keep him in our system.”

By “balancing” the deal, Stearns may have been referring to the finances of the players involved. Hader is earning $11 million this season and Rogers $7.73 million. Teams sometimes include cash in trades to balance these matters; in this case, it appears they accomplished the same by adding Lamet to the deal.