Relinquishing rising star Logan Henderson for Detroit Tigers' ace Tarik Skubal risks the Milwaukee Brewers' long-term future for a 2026 World Series that is far from guaranteed.
Time and time again, the Milwaukee Brewers find themselves linked to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.
There would be absolutely nothing wrong with acquiring Skubal, but the price would have to be right.
Recently, ESPN's Jeff Passan suggested what it might take for a deal to be made at the trade deadline.
With less than a week remaining, Passan believes the Tigers would go for a package that includes right-handed pitcher Logan Henderson, second base prospect Josh Adamczewski, and infielder Ricki Moneys.
Brewers should protect Henderson at all costs
Of all their starters in the big leagues, Henderson has the biggest upside. Sure, that comes with a lot of risk due to how often he's gotten hurt in his short career, but that could be something the team believes is worth taking the chance on.
Adamczewski comes in as the team's No. 6 overall prospect while Moneys is No. 19. Ultimately, neither of those prospects is an issue when it comes to putting this trade package together. If Passan mentioned a struggling arm like Brandon Sproat or Shane Drohan, then there would be a conversation to be had.
The Tigers aren't going to walk out of this trade looking like idiots. They've been battling back and forth as to whether or not they're going to trade Skubal in the first place, and his persistent request to stay in Detroit is only going to make his value go up even further.
At the end of the day, Henderson seems too valuable to lose for a rental. This is a 24-year-old stud who's not arbitration eligible until 2029. His contract is as team-friendly as it gets, so it's no surprise that's what the Tigers would be looking for, but the Brewers need to be extremely particular in what they're willing to deal come August 3.
No. 1 farm system can take a hit
Seeing as the Tigers would be trading their ace, it only makes sense that they're going to want a pitcher in return. Milwaukee doesn't exactly have a top prospect in that aspect that could help Detroit.
Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester are both out for the year. Sure, the Brewers have re-entered conversations with the New York Mets' Freddy Peralta, but the team can't bank on that reunion taking place, or Peralta even giving them anything noteworthy the rest of the year.
If Skubal were to be brought in, there's no doubt Detroit is going to want a big haul. That's going to have to include a few prospects, and the Brewers should be willing to part with a few of them, as long as it's not the likes of Jesus Made, Andrew Fischer, or even potentially Luis Pena.
Remember, Skubal is a rental
The biggest thing with a potential Skubal trade is the fact that he's a rental. Yes, he would immediately make the Brewers' starting rotation better, but this team feels more than one piece away from giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a run for their money.
Instead of having Henderson around for that push, which could be in another two or three years, they're risking it all for a ring in 2026, and that simply seems like too big of a risk to take.
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