Report: Braun-Puig blockbuster was 20 minutes from happening

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers apparently came very close to a trade that would have shaken up the baseball world.

A deal which would have sent former NL MVP Ryan Braun to Hollywood for outfielder Yasiel Puig, pitcher Brandon McCarthy, and prospects was about 20 minutes from completion ahead of the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline, several anonymous executives told Bob Nightengale of USA Today. While the Dodgers and Brewers were trying to hammer out some of the trade's finer details, they apparently ran out of time.

Now, the two teams will likely revisit these talks in the offseason, according to Nightengale.

Braun has the Dodgers listed as one of six teams on his limited no-trade clause, according to Cot's Contracts.

Despite the no-trade clause hurdle, as well as that of money - the Dodgers would have taken on all of the $76 million remaining on Braun's contract, which runs through 2021 - the deal was close enough to completion on the evening of Aug. 31 that the Brewers told their franchise icon not to leave the clubhouse after their game due to the imminent trade.

Braun refused to get into details about the proposed trade, but the 32-year-old Los Angeles resident reiterated his happiness with life in Wisconsin's largest city.

"I think it would be inappropriate for me to get into any detail about any of that stuff," Braun told Nightengale. "Obviously, I live in Los Angeles in the offseason. I grew up a Dodger fan. When those conversations started, I think it was an interesting position for me to be in.

"But I love Milwaukee. I’m happy being a Brewer. And if those conversations were to continue, we’ll see where they lead."