The Milwaukee Brewers are expected to be buyers at this year’s trade deadline, and the biggest hole on their shopping list is clear: pitching. Rotation help is part of the mission, bullpen help is part of the mission, and that naturally puts Tarik Skubal right at the center of the conversation.
Skubal, the Detroit Tigers’ Cy Young winner, is the kind of name that can hijack a deadline. And according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, Milwaukee isn’t just in the mix - it’s near the front of it, along with the Tampa Bay Rays.
“The immediate reaction is always to say the Dodgers are the biggest threat, but in this case, I don't think they are,” Feinsand writes. “I would put the Brewers and Rays ahead of the rest of the pack, as Milwaukee and Tampa Bay have deep farm systems and a real opportunity to make some noise in October with the addition of the two-time Cy Young winner.”
That’s the heart of the case for both clubs. The Brewers and Rays are both built with strong farm systems, and both have obvious reasons to chase starting pitching. In a market like this, that combination matters.
The Dodgers do belong in the discussion, and so do teams like the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies. But Feinsand’s view is that Milwaukee and Tampa Bay have the edge because their rotation needs are more immediate and their prospect capital is strong enough to compete with anyone.
Tampa Bay also has a history of going after elite talent. The Rays tried trading Junior Caminero for Shohei Ohtani in 2023, and Feinsand suggests they could be in star-hunting mode again this summer.
Skubal stands out as the best realistic trade candidate available, especially with Mason Miller not expected to be dealt this summer.
For Milwaukee, the fit is easy to see. If the Brewers believe this roster can win it all - and the reporting says they do - then adding Skubal to a rotation that includes Jacob Misiorowski would be the kind of swing that changes everything.
Feinsand’s read is that the Brewers and Rays are the leaders in the clubhouse for Skubal, and if either one lands him, it would make sense. For Brewers fans, the key date is Monday, August 3, when the deadline could bring a major move.
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