3 Possible Suitors and Returns in a Potential Trevor Megill Trade

Stop me if you’ve heard this story before: one of the Brewers’ most valuable relievers is probably going to be traded heading into his final year of club control. It happened with Devin Williams, it happened with Josh Hader (technically, he was traded a little earlier, but you get the idea). It looks like it will soon happen to Trevor Megill.

Milwaukee’s closer is one of the most sought-after trade targets this offseason, and according to Bob Nightengale, he’ll probably be moved before the season starts. This may come off as surprising, given both his individual success and the team’s recent World Series triumph, but the situation actually makes considerable sense for both parties involved. 

The Brewers already have several candidates to take over the closing role, with Abner Uribe as the frontrunner. MLB Trade Rumors projects Megill to earn $8 million in arbitration, a considerable amount for a reliever, especially in Milwaukee. Had he received that amount last year, he would’ve been the fourth-highest-paid player on the roster. The Brewers can afford that better now, having won the Series, and they have support from ownership to spend more in 2027, but not even the transformative experience of what the players, fans and team all mean to one another has induced the team to change its mindset heading into the winter.

"Look, I think we want to try to not deviate too far from what got us here," Matt Arnold said Tuesday at the annual GM Meetings in Las Vegas, "but I think at the same time, we've also been given a ton of support by our ownership to do things, and I expect that to continue. We got here in a certain way that was very disciplined, and I would expect that to continue."

That sounds like an executive who will keep doing what he's done, and try not to change his lifestyle just because he finally won the lottery. The Brewers Way is to trade a player in Megill's situation. The Brewers Way will continue to dominate their decisions.

Whoever ends up acquiring Megill gets one of the best bullpen arms in the business. Since 2024, he has accumulated more fWAR (5.0) than all right-handed relievers except for Jhoan Duran (6.1), Cade Smith (8.0), and Mason Miller (8.2). His stellar two-pitch arsenal has led to elite strikeout, whiff, and chase rates, exceptional qualities for anyone taking the mound in high-leverage situations. But who could end up picking up Megill in the offseason—and more importantly, what could the Brewers get in return?

New York Yankees

David Bednar was stellar for the Yankees after being traded from Pittsburgh in 2025, posting a 2.39 ERA and 45 saves over 94 innings. Now, however, he's a free agent, and the Yankees don't have an obvious closer-in-waiting. When it wasn’t Bednar finishing games, it was a combination of Ryan Yarbrough, Paul Blackburn, and Tim Hill, all of whom have also become free agents.

A perennial contender, the Yankees will undoubtedly seek reinforcement for the bullpen, and the most important role in the relief unit will be a particularly difficult one to fill. The team’s attempt at building a “super bullpen” at the 2025 trade deadline had disastrous results, and even the last player Milwaukee sent to the Bronx (Williams) struggled during his time in the pinstripes.

Nonetheless, Megill has proven his ability to perform in big moments and handle business the way he feels best—an important characteristic to possess in a large media market like New York. If he does end up being traded to the Yankees, he’d be a great fit.

In return for Williams, the Brewers received Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin. In a hypothetical deal for Megill, a similar exchange of major-league players could go down. One of the biggest gaps in Milwaukee’s roster is the hole in the lineup left by Jake Bauers. It could be filled by Luis García Jr.

García was a solid hitter at first base in 2026. He posted a 125 OPS+ with a .521 slugging percentage across 543 plate appearances. His offensive output did slow down considerably after departing the Nationals, but he still posted a respectable 102 OPS+ for the Yankees. 

Broadly, he fills a power need for the Crew’s lineup, but crucially, his platoon splits allow him to work well with someone like Andrew Vaughn. As a left-handed hitter, he had an .864 OPS against right-handed pitchers and had just 87 plate appearances against southpaws. This makes him a natural complement to Vaughn, who has excelled against left-handed pitching.

It could get complicated financially, since he’s projected to earn $11 million in arbitration this year—more than Vaughn and Bauers made combined last year. However, depending on New York’s urgency to swap out some excess depth at first base for one of the best closers available, cash considerations (which were also included in the Williams trade) aren’t totally out of the question and could offset the cost.

Detroit Tigers

The Tigers have officially turned the page toward the future after trading Tarik Skubal. The organization seems like they’re ready to put a shaky 2026 behind them and hit the ground running once again in 2027. In addition to Kevin McGonigle, the newly acquired River Ryan and Zyhir Hope add to a controllable core of players that could be what Detroit needs to gain ground in the AL Central.

Following the departure of Kenley Jansen, the Tigers would love a new closer. They agreed to a one-year deal with free agent Emilio Pagán Tuesday night, but Pagán isn't so reliable as to foreclose a further addition, even one who would push him into a setup role.

Coming up with a return package for the Tigers is a little tricky, since much of what Detroit has to offer and would be willing to part with would deliver future value. As a team on the outside looking in, there are few areas on their roster that could be pared down without having a negative effect on their playoff odds, so a prospect haul is a more likely payment for one year of Megill.

Lefty hurler Kash Mayfield (now the Tigers' No. 7 prospect) was the Padres’ first-round pick in 2024 and has had two strong years in the minor leagues, most recently pitching to a 3.54 ERA and 4.13 FIP across 53 ⅓ innings with High-A Fort Wayne. He was part of the deal that sent Casey Mize to the Padres, but hasn’t yet pitched for his new organization due to injury.

Outfielder Cris Rodriguez (No. 12 in the Tigers system) has had a solid start to his professional career, despite being just 18 years old. He spent most of last year in the Complex League, but played eight games in Single-A and had outstanding results. Cumulatively, he posted a 123 wRC+ across 230 plate appearances in 2026 and has plenty of time to continue developing.

Catcher Michael Oliveto (No. 22) is a left-handed hitter who brings considerable power. Though scouts remark that his overall hitting approach needs work and his defensive skill set behind the dish is even further away from being big league-ready, he’ll still be just 20 years old by the time next season rolls around. The Brewers have a solid track record of instilling good habits for catchers coming up through their system, and Oliveto could be another name on that list of successes.

Minnesota Twins

The past several years haven’t been kind to the Twins. The 2023 campaign marked the franchise’s first playoff win since 2004, and just when it seemed like things would start turning around for the better, they’ve returned to the bottom of the AL Central and have missed the postseason for the past three years.

However, despite what their record may suggest, the core of the team is actually quite solid. Taj Bradley had a breakout season, and with Joe Ryan and Pablo López returning from injury next season, the rotation is looking in good shape with Dean Kremer in the fourth spot.

The coming year could also see surges from Kaelen Culpepper and Walker Jenkins, two of the team’s top prospects, with a possible debut from Marek Houston, as well. Losing Ryan Jeffers won’t be good for the lineup, but assuming the young crop of prospects can make up for the difference and the front office patches up the roster’s other holes, the Twins could be an unexpected contender in need of a closer. Yoendrys Gómez received the bulk of the save opportunities last year, and though serviceable, he would be better suited for a medium-leverage role.

Like Detroit, Minnesota doesn’t have quite enough excess big-league depth to spare. There were rumors that the organization was willing to trade Byron Buxton at the trade deadline, but those were quickly shut down by the front office. Thus, if the Brewers were to explore sending Megill back to the team from which they acquired him, they’d have to expect prospects in return.

Catcher Khadim Diaw (the Twins' No. 9 prospect), a 23-year-old with no relation to NBA legend Boris Diaw, is an intriguing option. Khadim Diaw split time evenly between High-A and Double-A last year, hitting to a 130 wRC+ over 476 minor-league plate appearances. Preferring a more well-rounded hitting approach over prioritizing power, he slashed .306/.417/.452 and kept his strikeout rate just under 15% while having a walk rate of just under 12%. Scouts have praised his defensive abilities behind the dish, but others think that his athletic package is better suited for somewhere in the outfield. 

If Diaw is too old a prospect for the Brewers’ liking, they could also explore Carson Tinney (No. 10 prospect in the Twins org), a second-round pick in 2026 out of the University of Texas. Tinney had an impressive college career, and added compelling numbers in the 105 plate appearances he made in Single-A after being drafted, hitting to a 143 wRC+ with eight homers and a 21.9% walk rate. It’s way too early to know what will become of him, but with 60-grade power and arm strength and a few consecutive years of success, it’s an exciting trajectory for the 21-year-old.

To sweeten the deal, another player to take a look at could be righthander Adrian Bohorquez (No. 18). He made a total of 18 starts and pitched to a 3.02 ERA and 3.92 FIP over 59 ⅔ innings last year. His numbers in High-A were decent, but he had a really strong four-start stretch after being promoted to Double-A, posting an ERA of 1.06 with an improved walk rate of 10.1%. Assuming he avoids the injured list in 2027 and gets the free passes under control, he could be an underrated arm at the very back of the Brewers’ rotation.

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