Cy Young Candidate May Be Available; Could Brewers Make Blockbuster Trade?

Milwaukee could have a big summer

Jun 14, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) reacts to Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) (not pictured) double in the first inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Brewers are clear-cut buyers ahead of the July 30 trade deadline, but how far is the team willing to go to address needs on their roster?

The Brewers are first in the National League Central despite a campaign riddled with injuries and low expectations entering the season. However, the club still needs to find a starting pitcher in the upcoming weeks before the deadline. Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal is currently the leading candidate to win the American League Cy Young award and has a slim chance of being traded; could he be an option for the Brew Crew?

"It would take a massive haul to pry this huge star with two more years of control. Jack Flaherty (is) more likely to go. Odds to go: 8-1 against (11%)," the New York Post's Jon Heyman wrote on Thursday evening.

The 2024 All-Star is 10-3 with a 2.41 ERA, 140-to-21- strikeout-to-walk ratio, .190 batting average against and a 0.88 WHIP in 116 innings pitched across 19 games this season.

As Heyman mentioned, the haul needed to acquire a star of this caliber would be hefty. Although the Brewers typically shy away from trades of this stature, if they decide to go all-in on Skubal they have one of the better-equipped farm systems in the league to do so.

If the Tigers do shop their ace ahead of the deadline, Milwaukee should at least check in on his price tag as the 27-year-old would aid their 2024 campaign and beyond, since Skubal is under team control through 2026.

More MLB: MLB Insider Believes Brewers Will Make Notable Additions At Trade Deadline