Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio revealed Friday that the club has discussed a contract extension with shortstop Willy Adames.

"He’s the best," Attanasio said, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Yes, there were conversations. Willy’s performance got to a point where it would be - we’ll see what happens after the season - but he’s going to command quite a significant package as a free agent. The best thing I can say about that is we had plenty of offers for Willy Adames this off-season. If you put (them) into an analytic model there may have been some merit to build for the future."

Adames is in his final year under contract and is expected to become a free agent this offseason.

The 28-year-old has been a catalyst in Milwaukee's early-season success, as the Brewers lead the NL Central. Adames has a .796 OPS with nine home runs, 39 RBIs, and eight stolen bases across 56 games. He has also been excellent defensively, ranking in the 97th percentile in outs above average.

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold echoed Attanasio's comments about Adames' importance when asked if he might be available ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.

"From my perspective, you can never close the door on anything, but he is the heartbeat of our team in a lot of ways," Arnold said. "Always want to stay open-minded but also recognize the value that he brings to us every day."