Milwaukee just lifted the 2026 World Series trophy, and now we are finding out the Detroit Tigers almost sent Tarik Skubal there instead of Los Angeles. Newly revealed details show that trade was so much closer than anyone thought, with Milwaukee reportedly believing they had a deal in principle before Detroit’s president of baseball operations, Scott Harris, pulled a swerve. This is wild, right? With the Brewers celebrating a championship, Detroit’s decision-making on this trade looks absolutely fascinating, and maybe a little gut-wrenching.
The Brewers Thought Skubal Was Theirs, Until He Wasn’t
Picture this: the Milwaukee Brewers were on the cusp of getting Skubal. Their offer to Detroit was three highly regarded position-player prospects, and it came super close to what the Tigers wanted. The package included Luis Peña, an infielder ranked No. 18 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list at the time. Can you believe it? They also put up Jett Williams, an infielder/utility guy, and outfielder Josh Adamczewski, both considered highly rated young hitters. Milwaukee was so confident, they believed an agreement in principle had been reached. But the Tigers, led by Scott Harris, kept looking at other options. The deal hit a wall because Detroit wanted a young, controllable starting pitcher as part of the return, specifically rookie right-hander Logan Henderson. The Brewers wouldn’t budge on Henderson, and that, friends, is where everything shifted, pushing Skubal out of Milwaukee’s grasp and towards Los Angeles.
Why Detroit Went West for Skubal
So, the Dodgers swooped in and got Skubal in exchange for outfielder Zyhir Hope, pitcher River Ryan, and young arm Brady Smith. Hope was no slouch, ranked No. 25 overall by MLB Pipeline when the deal went down. He even quickly showed Detroit fans why they should be excited after joining the organization. But the real kicker here is why Harris went with the Dodgers over the Brewers, despite the Brewers’ offer of high-ranking position players. Turns out, the Tigers weren’t just looking for the highest-ranked prospects overall. They were staring down the barrel of potentially losing both Skubal and Casey Mize to free agency, which meant their future starting rotation was looking incredibly uncertain. Harris’s move for Ryan, a pitcher with previous major league experience, and Smith, a young arm with developmental upside, clearly signals Detroit’s desire to shore up their pitching. They simply weren’t willing to sacrifice their pitching needs just to stack up on more highly ranked position players.
What a look into the backroom dealings, especially with the Brewers now having clinched the 2026 World Series. Detroit’s choice to prioritize pitching over what looked like a stellar offensive prospect haul certainly has a different light on it today. For Tigers fans, this revelation is probably going to sting a bit, knowing what could have been. You gotta wonder if they’d make the same call if they had a crystal ball to see how the Brewers’ season ended.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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