DALLAS -- The 2025 Brewers won¡¯t have the popular and productive Willy Adames at shortstop, and they might not have Devin Williams if the All-Star closer is traded heading into a contract year. But before Milwaukee fans get down reading the news from the MLB Winter Meetings, where Adames¡¯ $182 million deal with the Giants was nearing completion and Juan Soto¡¯s record-setting, $765 million agreement with the Mets sent a jolt through the industry, there was a glimmer of good news:

Christian Yelich is full speed ahead in his comeback from back surgery.

¡°He's on track,¡± Brewers manager Pat Murphy said on Monday. ¡°Not doing baseball [activities] yet, but he's on track.¡±

Yelich, the 2018 NL MVP Award winner and ¡¯19 runner-up, was in the midst of a renaissance last season, with a spot in the All-Star Game starting lineup to go with a .910 OPS, when he was sidelined by a painful back injury that required surgery in August. Yelich and the Brewers hope the procedure -- a microdiscectomy -- can relieve the symptoms that have bothered him for years.

Yelich has yet to swing a bat, and that will offer a significant test for a wiry hitter whose extreme torque is at the heart of his success, but Yelich is well underway with what GM Matt Arnold referred to as functional baseball movements.

¡°I think that was a big part of why he had the back surgery sooner rather than later,¡± Arnold said. ¡°Obviously, we missed him a ton last year on the field. But him having that surgery sooner allows him to have more of a traditional, full offseason.

¡°He feels great right now. We have a lot of people who are regularly in touch with him, and he is in a really good spot right now. ¡­ He showed me pictures of what they cleaned up from his surgery, and that was a big deal. He was in a lot of pain, and he¡¯s feeling great at the moment.¡±

Progress for Woodruff, too
The Brewers haven¡¯t heard of any setbacks for right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who underwent major shoulder surgery in October 2023 and spent all of ¡®24 rehabbing.

The Brewers will continue a cautious approach with Woodruff, 31, whose 3.10 ERA is best in franchise history for a pitcher who has made at least 50 Milwaukee starts. That means he might not be in the rotation on Opening Day, making depth a priority once again. With that in mind, left-handers Aaron Ashby and DL Hall, who appeared last season as both starters and relievers, will be instructed to build up for Spring Training expecting to start.

¡°Certainly, we have expectations that [Woodruff] will be part of our rotation. We also want to be cautious with his health,¡± Arnold said. ¡°This guy was itching to get back and be part of this at the end of last season, and how competitive he is, he wants to be out there in the rotation every fifth day. That¡¯s why we love him.¡±

Another rehabbing starter, left-hander Robert Gasser, is on track in his comeback from Tommy John surgery. While a lot can transpire between now and then, the Brewers are optimistically targeting the neighborhood of Sept. 1 for Gasser¡¯s return.

Murph on Soto deal, Adames¡¯ departure
It might surprise you to hear Murphy¡¯s reaction to news of a league rival shelling out a record sum for Soto.

¡°I was kind of happy,¡± Murphy said. ¡°Because, like, they can¡¯t sign too many more guys.¡±

Another mega contract hit closer to home. Adames¡¯ seven-year, $182 million agreement with the Giants was still pending a physical as of Monday afternoon, but the reality was setting in that the Brewers will need a new shortstop in 2025.

¡°I don't even want to think about it. I'm just excited for him,¡± Murphy said. ¡°His attitude that he brings every single day, how he goes about his business -- he¡¯s a consummate professional. He was a leader in our clubhouse. He did as much for the ballclub as anybody. He played 161 games and would have played 162. This kid is special. He deserves everything he gets."

The most likely scenario, Murphy said, is moving either third baseman Joey Ortiz or second baseman Brice Turang to shortstop and filling those other positions with an acquisition or an internal candidate. Tyler Black has played third base, though he doesn¡¯t fit the Brewers¡¯ recent emphasis on exceptional defense. Another internal option for third is Sal Frelick, who learned that position last spring before spending the season in the outfield -- and winning the NL Gold Glove Award in right field.

¡°That would be like the stupidest managerial decision ever, take the Gold Glove winner from right field and put him at third,¡± Murphy joked.

But the idea, he said, is ¡°on the board.¡±

That¡¯s that kind of creativity required of a club like Milwaukee.

¡°We've got an uphill battle, man,¡± Murphy said. ¡°We're right in the same spot. We've got stuff going on, and we're going to have to battle for everything we get.¡±