The Milwaukee Brewers made a notable splash by reaching a deal with longtime Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo, giving the team another upside swing during a busy winter. The breaking offseason move centers on the 27-year-old’s potential rebound and the opening it creates in the club’s depth chart as they reshape their plans headed into 2026. The news also underscores his departure from the Detroit Tigers as Baddoo works to regain the spark that made him an early standout in his career.
MLB’s Mark Feinsand posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Baddoo had agreed to a Major League deal with the Brewers for the 2026 season. He credited The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal for being first on the report before sharing the update onto the platform.
“Akil Baddoo has agreed to a Major League contract with the Brewers for 2026, per source. @Ken_Rosenthal was on it.”
The move ends Baddoo’s five-year run with the Tigers, where he debuted in 2021 after arriving through the Rule 5 Draft. His rookie season delivered real excitement as he hit .259 with power and speed, showcasing traits that made him one of the league’s most intriguing young outfielders. That year also featured one of the most electric openings in modern MLB history, as he homered on his first pitch, added a grand slam soon after, and followed with a walk-off hit during an unforgettable first three-game stretch. He finished the season with 13 home runs, 18 steals, and nearly two wins above replacement, establishing real promise. But injuries and inconsistency followed, including a fractured hamate bone in 2025 that limited him to seven games and played a major role in his departure from the Tigers.
Milwaukee sees opportunity in his reset. The Brewers current roster outlook includes a vacant 40-man spot that Baddoo is expected to fill as he competes for a fourth outfield role or a left-handed platoon job. His age and athletic profile still offer real upside, and a fully healed hand could help Milwaukee unlock the early-career production that once made him such a dynamic threat.
