si
The Milwaukee Brewers have reason to celebrate a recent development regarding Tarik Skubal, the most coveted free-agent pitcher on the market this winter. Widely regarded as one of the premier hurlers in the game, the 29-year-old Skubal is set to become a free agent for the first time and is poised for a massive payday.
According to Spotrac, Skubal is projected to secure a long-term deal worth nearly $40 million per season. After capturing back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2024 and 2025, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers as the team pursued a third consecutive World Series title. The two-time All-Star impressed with the Dodgers, recording a 2.61 ERA over 10 starts with 70 strikeouts, and he also delivered strong performances in two postseason outings.
Skubal's eventual destination will be one of the offseason's most significant storylines, and the Brewers can breathe a sigh of relief knowing he won't be joining one of their fiercest rivals. Although the Dodgers and New York Mets have been mentioned as likely suitors, the Chicago Cubs reportedly have no intention of entering the Skubal sweepstakes, per The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma.
Milwaukee won't have to face Skubal within its own division. "As executives from across baseball gather in Las Vegas this week for the general managers meetings, the Chicago Cubs priority is clear: starting pitching," Sharma reported. "But amid a backdrop of labor uncertainty and with so many holes to fill on their roster, the Cubs appear unlikely to enter the bidding war for two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal."
Sharma added that while Skubal would be a good fit for any team, that's where the match ends for the Cubs, according to team sources. "Toppling a market that's expected to include the biggest spenders in the game for Skubal won't be in the cards," he wrote. The Cubs have shown no interest in spending like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, and this winter—with labor negotiations complicating teams' financial planning—won't be an exception. Though the Cubs are expected to stay on the sidelines during that frenzy, they will at least check in on every other free-agent pitcher.
Milwaukee faced Chicago 13 times in the regular season, and not having to deal with a superstar like Skubal in the same division would be a significant advantage for the Brewers. Milwaukee has been one of the most consistent and dominant teams in the league for nearly a decade, reaching the postseason in eight of the last nine seasons and winning the division in each of the past four. Even so, it's a positive to know that a player of Skubal's caliber likely won't be joining the division.
Key Analysis
The Cubs' apparent reluctance to pursue Skubal stems from a combination of financial caution and labor uncertainty. Chicago's unwillingness to match the spending power of the Dodgers and Mets leaves the door open for other suitors, but the Brewers benefit regardless. Keeping a pitcher of Skubal's stature out of the NL Central removes a major obstacle for Milwaukee, which has dominated the division in recent years. While the Brewers may not be in the market for Skubal themselves, the ripple effects of his free agency could shape the balance of power in the National League.