The Milwaukee Brewers have come out of the All-Star break looking every bit like a team ready to make noise. They opened the second half by sweeping the Miami Marlins in three games over the weekend, and they’re now just a half-game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in Major League Baseball.
That puts Milwaukee in a spot where a big swing at the deadline suddenly makes sense. If the Brewers are going to keep pressure on the Cubs and chase down the Dodgers, they may need a real difference-maker for the rotation.
One name that has surfaced is Tarik Skubal. Dayn Perry of CBS Sports listed the Brewers as a possible fit, and while it would be a longshot, he laid out exactly why the idea works.
"Skubal would be a fit because the Brewers will need innings if they're going to fend off the Cubs, and they need a second ace alongside Jacob Misiorowski if they're going to make a deep playoff charge (and maybe win the World Series for the first time in franchise history)," Perry wrote. "Brandon Woodruff is done for the season, and Kyle Harrison is presently laid up with elbow problems. On top of all that, Misiorowski's in line for a big jump in innings this season."
That’s the heart of the case for Milwaukee. The staff is good, but it still needs more bulk, and Skubal would address that in a big way. Brandon Woodruff’s season is over, Kyle Harrison is dealing with elbow problems, and Misiorowski is headed for a major innings increase.
The Brewers haven’t gone after a rental ace like this since 2008, when they landed CC Sabathia. If they were able to pull off something similar now, it would be the kind of move that changes the conversation around the whole deadline.
There’s also the reality of where Woodruff stands with the club. In all likelihood, his time with the Brewers will be over after this season, which only adds to the need for another frontline arm. Milwaukee’s pitching has been strong, but the innings are still a concern.
Last year’s run showed how close this group can get. The Brewers reached the NLCS before getting swept by the Dodgers, and more pitching might have made that series look very different.
Of course, Milwaukee isn’t alone in the Skubal chase. The Dodgers, Cubs and Atlanta Braves are viewed as more likely suitors. Still, the Brewers have the prospect capital to make a serious run at it, especially after bringing back a haul for Freddy Peralta last offseason and collecting valuable pieces in recent trades.
With the deadline two weeks away, Matt Arnold has a big decision to make.
In Other News...
Jacob Misiorowski Is Suddenly Chasing Rare Brewers History
Jacob Misiorowski has turned a strong first half into something much bigger for the Brewers, establishing himself as one of the most dominant starters in the sport while leading the majors in ERA, WHIP and strikeouts. His rise has been especially notable because Milwaukee handled him carefully before the All-Star break, giving him a rest for fatigue rather than pushing him through extra stress.
Now the conversation around him is no longer just about what he has done so far, but what kind of Brewers history he might chase if the innings keep adding up. Bleacher Report recently floated the possibility that Misiorowski could threaten the clubs single-season strikeout mark, a standard that has stood for years, and even hinted at a ceiling Milwaukee has never seen from a pitcher before if he stays healthy and keeps missing bats at this rate. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Just Passed The Kind Of Test Fans Never Fully Trust
A sweep over the Marlins is the sort of thing that can look routine on paper and still tell you something useful about a club. The Brewers got through the series with a mix of timely offense and steady pitching, and the work from Logan Henderson, Shane Drohan and Robert Gasser helped keep the pressure off a lineup that found ways to finish the job. At 62-37, Milwaukee keeps padding a division lead that already looks sturdy, which is exactly the kind of position contenders want to be in this time of year.
Still, the part Brewers fans will care about most is what these games did not settle. Milwaukee has spent enough summers in the race to know that regular-season comfort only matters so much once October arrives, and the club has been clear that postseason success is the real measuring stick. The sweep offered another reminder that the Brewers can handle the kind of test that usually makes people uneasy, but the bigger question remains whether this version of the team can carry that same edge when the games mean even more. [Read more 🡒]