The Milwaukee Brewers are sitting pretty in the National League Central. The club picked up a big win against the San Francisco Giants to boost their record to 36-21.
However, the question is can the Brewers parlay this regular-season success into a World Series title. Dontrelle Willis, a former player turned analyst for FOX Sports, believes the team should target Tarik Skubal as the missing piece to push them over the top.
“I would love to see them get Skubal,” said Willis on FS1’s postgame coverage of the Brewers vs. Giants game. “Because he has the big game experience and he can go on the road and shut the opposing team’s offense down. Whether it’s the Dodgers, Braves, or anybody else.”
Why a Tarik Skubal Trade Makes Sense for the Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers have been constantly relevant in the postseason picture. Since 2018, Milwaukee has made the postseason seven times.
They had their deepest run since 2018, facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2025 National League Championship Series. However, they were quickly dismissed in four games by the future World Champions.
Trading for Tarik Skubal is an “all-in” move for the Brewers. That would mean dealing from the top of their farm system while taking on a significant salary. But at the same time, it would make them the prohibitive favorite.
A likely deal would mean parting with prospects and controllable players. While Detroit is unlikely to pry MLB’s new consensus top prospect, Jesus Made, in any Skubal deal, they could build a package around Logan Henderson and Luis Pena. Henderson is a controllable starter and Pena is the No. 19 prospect on MLB Pipeline.
“This is a situation where if you’re a Brewers fan, you want to see them take the next step,” said Willis. “They’ve been to the postseason, and they’ve had a lot of heartbreak, especially in recent memory.”
A Skubal trade not only prevents the Dodgers from landing the two-time Cy Young Award winner, but could tip the scales back in Milwaukee’s favor.
Willis compared this situation to the CC Sabathia trade 18 seasons ago. Sabathia went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts. The Brewers won a Wild Card spot with a 90-72 record before falling to the eventual champion Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.
Adding Tarik Skubal Gives Brewers Best Rotation in Baseball
Right-hander Jacob Misiorowski has grown into one of the league’s top pitchers this season. Misiorowski had a historic month of May, allowing just one run in 38.1 innings with 57 strikeouts.
Additionally, the club has struck gold with Kyle Harrison. The left-hander’s breakout is another big development for the Brewers, as he carries a 1.57 ERA and a 29.6% strikeout through the first 11 starts of the season.
Adding Skubal to this rotation gives the Brewers a 1-3 that’s better than any other team. That makes them a difficult team to contend with for the postseason. And they may need to target an arm like Skubal because the rest of their rotation options are question marks. Against a team like the Dodgers, it’s important to have fewer weaknesses on the roster.
The rest of their rotation is a bit fluid. Quinn Priester has struggled in his rehab from thoracic outlet syndrome, to which he’s attempting to avoid surgery. Brandon Woodruff had battled shoulder injuries over the years, including his current injured list stint.
Right now, the Brewers are operating with Coleman Crow and Brandon Sproat in the rotation. Shane Drohan, who came in the same trade as Harrison, has just been added to the rotation and is stretching out.
With a lot of moving parts and concerns with the rotation, the Brewers may elect to solve that in one fell swoop. And that’s what Skubal could do to their rotation.
Brewers Linked to Tarik Skubal as Missing Piece in World Series Push