Jonathan Lucroy podcast clip on strange 2016 Brewers trade goes viral

Yahoo Sports3h ago14 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Jonathan Lucroy's recent podcast appearance discussing his 2016 trade from the Brewers has gone viral. He revealed that former GM David Stearns initially withheld the identity of the team he was traded to, despite claiming it was a World Series contender.

Key points

Jonathan Lucroy discussed his 2016 trade on a podcast
He was traded by the Brewers to a World Series-contending team
David Stearns was the general manager at the time
Lucroy had an 18-team no-trade clause in his contract
The Brewers finished the 2016 season with a 73-89 record

Mentioned in this story

Jonathan LucroyMilwaukee BrewersDavid StearnsKevin PillarCody Allen

A dreadful first month of the season for the New York Mets has put a spotlight on former Milwaukee Brewers general manager David Stearns, the Mets' president of baseball operations.

Former Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy has poured some fuel on that fire.

Lucroy, speaking five days ago on the To The Majors podcast with former big-leaguers Kevin Pillar and Cody Allen, brought up a strange situation with the Brewers that has gone viral as a potential data point in Stearns' executive style.

Lucroy conveyed details about the time he was dealt by Milwaukee at the trade deadline in 2016, saying Stearns explained that he had been traded "to a World Series-contending team" but wouldn't initially reveal which club. Lucroy at the time had an 18-team no-trade clause in his contract.

Lucroy was in his second all-star season for a team that was on its way to a 73-89 season, making him an attractive trade prospect.

The Brewers initially announced a package with Cleveland, but Lucroy vetoed the trade, making him a villain in Ohio. Milwaukee scrambled for a new trade and sent Lucroy to the Texas Rangers instead.

"We told [Stearns] if there's a team on that no-trade list that you want to trade us to because you desire that package, come to us before you disclose it publicly," Lucroy said. "Come to us before you have that idea, and if it's something that works out good in my favor ... we'll consider that."

Lucroy said he figured it would be the Rangers or the Los Angeles Dodgers, because those were the only playoff-caliber teams on his approved-teams list, and his agent hadn't been contacted about the trade beforehand. But when the Brewers wouldn't reveal which team, citing the need to tie up loose ends on the medical front, Lucroy said, "You know I'm going to walk out of this room and I'm going to find out who it is in about three minutes."

Q&A

What did Jonathan Lucroy say about his 2016 trade from the Brewers?

Jonathan Lucroy shared that he was traded by the Brewers without initially knowing the identity of the team, despite being told it was a World Series contender.

Why did Jonathan Lucroy have a no-trade clause in his contract?

Lucroy had an 18-team no-trade clause in his contract, which allowed him to control where he could be traded.

Who was the general manager of the Brewers during Lucroy's trade?

David Stearns was the general manager of the Brewers when Jonathan Lucroy was traded in 2016.

What impact did Lucroy's trade have on the Brewers' 2016 season?

Lucroy's trade occurred during a disappointing season for the Brewers, who finished with a record of 73-89.