Two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal is officially a Dodger following Saturday’s blockbuster trade, with ripple effects being felt across MLB. On the latest episode of MLB According to CC, Hall of Famer CC Sabathia explained why the Dodgers’ marquee acquisition has major consequences for the Milwaukee Brewers’ NL Pennant and World Series aspirations.
The number one thing I thought about was how the Brewers kind of blew it … I felt like [Los Angeles] was the only spot that he could go to that would ruin the Brewers’ season.
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CC Sabathia
Sabathia always believed that Milwaukee was the team that could have benefited the most from acquiring Skubal, explaining just a week ago that the Brewers had to make a major move to “get over the hump.” With the star lefty now wearing Dodger blue, Sabathia fears the lack of a rotation upgrade could “break” the Brewers’ hopes of truly challenging the Dodgers for NL supremacy.
The Hall of Famer points primarily to Los Angeles’ nearly unmatched pitching depth, where Dave Roberts’ rotation has the chance to become one of the best rotations we have “ever seen,” with a staff that could include Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell.
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MLB trade deadline winners, losers: Dodgers shine
CC Sabathia “can’t blame” the Dodgers for leveraging their farm system to pull off blockbusters. That’s why he thinks the Brewers and Yankees were among the most underwhelming teams at the trade deadline.
While disappointed to see Skubal leave Detroit, Sabathia understood the Tigers’ decision. By trading both Skubal and Casey Mize, the organization was able to replenish its farm system with prospects rather than risk holding the two pitchers, missing the playoffs and receiving nothing in return.
The only criticism Sabathia had of the Tigers’ return was the lack of a “big-league player.” While he acknowledged the prospects strengthen Detroit’s future outlook, he would have liked to see Detroit acquire someone capable of making an immediate impact at the major-league level, such as Emmet Sheehan.
New episodes with CC and Ahmed Fareed drop every Wednesday on Peacock, NBC Sports NOW, NBCSN, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.
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