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The Milwaukee Brewers were one of the top landing spots for Tarik Skubal at this year's MLB trade deadline, as they have a good chance for a deep postseason run and also had a big need in the starting rotation alongside Jacob Misiorowski.
While they were a suitor for Skubal, and did actually get involved in the sweepstakes, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Skubal, leaving the Brewers to pursue Dustin May. So, why did the Brewers miss out on Skubal?
As ESPN's Jeff Passan reports, a big reason why the Brewers couldn't land Skubal from the Tigers is the four players they would not trade away for the Cy Young winner. Passan revealed who those four players were who stopped Milwaukee from landing Skubal.
4 players Brewers would not trade away for Tarik Skubal
"The Brewers immediately told Detroit they wouldn't include 19-year-old shortstop Jesus Made, the No. 1 prospect in baseball, but Milwaukee's minor league depth ran far deeper," Passan reports.
Jesus Made not being included in these trade conversations shouldn't be a surprise at all. Skubal, for as good as he is, being traded for the top prospect in baseball would be a major overpay for Milwaukee. It just wouldn't make sense.
But that's not all, the Brewers were refusing to give up in Skubal trade talks. These three other youngsters are a lot more intriguing exclusions from the Brewers.
"Accordingly, the Brewers' list of untouchables went beyond Made," Passan writes. "They wouldn't move shortstop Cooper Pratt or outfielder Luis Lara, both of whom signed long-term contracts before their major league debuts. Right-hander Logan Henderson, with five more years of club control, was off-limits as well."
MORE: How Cubs inadvertently helped Dodgers trade for Tarik Skubal
Milwaukee was refusing to trade away Made, which isn't a surprise, but also did not want to move Logan Henderson, Luis Lara, or Cooper Pratt in an SKubal deal.
Lara is a 21-year-old outfield prospect who just recently made his MLB debut. He has a .678 OPS in 21 games in the Majors, and down at Triple-A this season, he had a .902 OPS in 78 games.
Pratt is 21 years old as well, and like Lara, had signed a long-term deal to stick with the Brewers. He has a .289 batting average with a .761 OPS in the big leagues this season, and is a very valuable prospect for Milwaukee.
Last, and certainly not least, is Henderson, the 24-year-old right-handed starting pitcher who has a 2.70 ERA and 62 strikeouts with a 6-2 record across 50 innings pitched in 10 starts this season.
MORE: Tigers receive lousy grade for Tarik Skubal trade to Dodgers from ESPN
The Brewers didn't want to trade any of those players in a deal for Skubal, and it's an understandable stance from Milwaukee's front office.
Made is the top prospect in baseball, and is worth more than a few-month rental of Skubal. Pratt and Lara already signed long-term deals with the Brewers and could be cornerstones of the franchise for a long time.
Henderson, likely the main sticking point for the Tigers in these trade talks, is too good with too much club control remaining for the Brewers to give up on him for a rental of Skubal.
While the Brewers had a chance to land Skubal, by putting together this four-player list of untouchables, their odds for a deal became quite slim. It's a shame they didn't land Skubal, but if it cost one of those young players, it might not have been worth it.
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