The Milwaukee Brewers are playing like one of the National League’s best teams, but there’s still a clear place for Matt Arnold to attack: the starting rotation. If Milwaukee wants to turn a strong club into a true October problem, one outside voice thinks the answer is as bold as it gets.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden pointed to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal as the Brewers’ ideal trade target ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline. Bowden’s case is simple enough: if Milwaukee could land the back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner, the ceiling of this team would jump immediately.
“The Brewers have the second-best team in the National League behind the Dodgers. Their chances of overtaking Los Angeles (or anyone else in the NL) to reach - and win - the World Series would go up significantly if they were able to acquire Skubal and team him with their ace, Jacob Misiorowski. I’m not sure if Detroit will trade Skubal, but I do not this: the Brewers have more than enough talent in their farm system to land him if they want to.”
That’s the kind of target that changes a deadline. Skubal would be one of the biggest names available if Detroit decides to listen, and his situation only adds to the intrigue. He’s on an expiring contract, Scott Boras represents him, and that makes a midseason extension seem highly unlikely.
On the mound, Skubal has been every bit the frontline arm teams would be chasing. In 15 starts, he’s 7-5 with a 2.70 ERA and a 0.922 WHIP across 90.0 innings.
There’s also the health note to consider. Skubal had a procedure on his pitching elbow to remove loose bodies, but he was back in six weeks and has continued to look as sharp as he did before the surgery.
If Milwaukee really wants to make a run at him, the price will be steep. Bowden made clear it would take a king’s ransom, but he also noted the Brewers have the kind of farm system that could match a big ask. And from a baseball standpoint, it’s easy to see the appeal: pairing Skubal with Jacob Misiorowski would give Milwaukee one of the nastiest top-two pitching combinations in the sport.
It would also keep an elite arm away from other contenders. In a potential seven-game series, having Skubal and Misiorowski take four starts would tilt the matchup heavily in Milwaukee’s direction.
Now it comes down to how aggressive the Brewers are willing to be. The talent is there in the system, and the fit on the mound is obvious. The only question is whether Milwaukee is ready to pay what it would take to bring Skubal to town for the stretch run.
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Brewers Face A Risky Gary Snchez Deadline Decision
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The Yankees and Mariners are the kinds of clubs that can make this conversation linger, because both have had trouble getting steady production at the position. For Milwaukee, the appeal would be less about a splashy haul than finding a useful pitching piece and clearing a path for its internal options, which is why this is the sort of deadline call that could quietly shape the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]