The Non-Tarik Skubal Solution for Brewers Thin Starting Rotation

The Milwaukee Brewers arguably need to get aggressive and add another arm to the starting rotation.

That has been the case for a while with injuries hurting this club all over the place. The idea was only amplified on Thursday with the announcement that Quinn Priester will not pitch for the Brewers this season as he needs to undergo thoracic outlet decompression surgery.

With the No. 1 farm system in baseball, Milwaukee realistically could package a few together to get a splashy deal done, if they wanted to. Because of this, Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers has been consistently floated as a fit. But he isn't the only Tigers hurler that would make sense for Milwaukee.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel listed Milwaukee among the best fits for Tigers hurler and former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize.

The Brewers Should Call Detroit Now

Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize (12) throws against Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Chance of being traded: 60 percent," Passan and McDaniel wrote about Mize. "Rest-of-season impact: High if it continues to click. Years of control: Just the rest of 2026. The buzz: This is high for a pitcher who twice has landed on the injured list with the same soft-tissue injury (strained groin). It also reflects what Mize did in his previous nine starts: post a 2.27 ERA with peripherals to back it up. Mize isn't popping any models with his stuff, and his minuscule home run rate is destined to regress, but he strikes guys out and his contract will be barely $2 million for the remainder of the season. ...

"Best fits: Braves, Padres, Cubs, Brewers, White Sox, A's, Cardinals, Rays, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays."

Mize might not have the pedigree of Skubal, but he would be a significant pickup for a team that needs a hurler. He has made 10 starts so far this season and has a 2.58 ERA and a 52-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 52 1/3 innings pitched.

Mize dealt with some injuries early on in his career, but has really started to figure it out over the last few years. In 2024, he had a 4.49 ERA in 22 appearances after missing the 2023 season. In 2025, he earned his first All-Star nod while logging a 3.87 ERA in 28 starts. This season, he has taken his game to another level with a 2.58 ERA in his 10 starts.

He's going to be a free agent after the season and right now, he's 29 years old. This guy was a former No. 1 overall pick for a reason. Imagine what the Brewers could do with that talent? They'd turn him into a star. He's going to be a free agent after the season, like Skubal. But he would certainly cost much less. The Brewers should be on the phones as fast as possible.

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