MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers have declined to exercise a $15 million mutual 2021 option on veteran outfielder Ryan Braun as the franchise’s career home run leader ponders whether to continue playing.
Braun became a free agent and is due a $4 million buyout.
The 37-year-old often said this year that this might be his final season. He has spent his entire career in Milwaukee and has a franchise-record 352 home runs.
“I’ll take my time in making a decision,” Braun said in mid-September. “I’ll sit down with my family and see where we’re at in a couple of months. It’s not a decision that I anticipate making right away. I’ll take some time to see where I’m at physically, see where things stand baseball-specifically and in the world at large before I make a decision about that.”
Braun batted a career-low .233 with seven homers and 27 RBIs in 39 games this season while working through a back issue, though his .958 OPS in September helped the Brewers earn a third straight playoff berth. The back problem prevented him from playing the final game of the NL wild-card series loss to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Braun ranks second in Brewers history in RBIs (1,154), extra-base hits (809), total bases (3,525) and doubles (408). He ranks third in runs (1,080), hits (1,963), triples (49), stolen bases (216) and walks (586).
TOP PHOTO: FILE – Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun watch during the ninth inning of Game 7 of the National League Championship Series baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, in Milwaukee. The Dodgers won 5-1. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
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