The World Series is just hours away from finally beginning. The Los Angeles Dodgers are heavy favorites to repeat as World Series champions, but at this point, it’d be foolish to completely count the Toronto Blue Jays out. Sure, the Dodgers are more talented, but the Jays have overcome adversity all year, and there are several baseball reasons to think they’ll find a way to get the best of Los Angeles.

The World Series has taken center stage, but for the other 28 teams, the offseason has already begun. We’ve already seen certain MLB rumors run rampant involving guys like Tarik Skubal and Kyle Tucker, and the latest batch of rumors worth keeping an eye on includes other big names.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.

Why the Brewers were eager to trade Devin Williams

It’s one thing to be willing to trade a player, it’s another to want to trade a player. The Milwaukee Brewers weren’t just willing to trade Devin Williams; they were eager to do so, per Jon Heyman of the NY Post ($). There are a couple of reasons as to why.

“Williams ($8.6 million) was expensive for a small-market reliever, and Brewers people liked Durbin’s skill set and surely his scrappiness — plus the six years of club control on the incoming rookie. “

The first reason comes down to money. Williams was set to make $8.6 million in his final year of club control before hitting free agency. Sure, the Brewers could afford to pay him that salary, but knowing the unlikelihood of them re-signing him as a free agent, it made more sense for them, as a small-market team, to trade him for the right return.

It’s clear Brewers people didn’t mind removing Williams, either. And it didn’t have anything to do with him surrendering the Pete Alonso homer that knocked them out of the
playoffs in 2024. When I opined that Williams didn’t fit in New York, one Brewers person responded: “I could have told you that.” Some Brewers people didn’t think he fit there, either. One called him “tough,” and another said it seemed like Williams felt he needed anger to succeed. They saw Williams as downcast; it’s a bonus Durbin’s delightful.

The Brewers liked the return they got and were looking to capitalize on his final year of club control, but they also appeared eager to remove him from their clubhouse. Perhaps Williams’ personality traits helped lead to an underwhelming first (and potentially only) season with the New York Yankees.

The Brewers were seemingly willing to trade Williams because of the expensive price tag, but that willingness clearly turned to eagerness when looking at Williams’ fit in their clubhouse.

As has become customary, the Brewers made out like bandits here. Williams had his ups and downs with the Bronx, and while Nestor Cortes didn’t give the Brewers much value, Caleb Durbin looks like a fixture in Milwaukee for the better part of the next half-decade, if not longer.

Dave Dombrowski pours cold water on Bryce Harper trade speculation

There’s no reason to fear, Philadelphia Phillies fans. Bryce Harper isn’t going anywhere, according to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.

Dombrowski said, “That couldn’t be further from the truth,” when the idea of the Phillies trading Bryce Harper got brought up, dismissing the idea before it could possibly pick up any more steam.

The fact that this was even brought up, though, can be traced back to Dombrowski. His end-of-season presser after another disappointing Phillies season opened several eyebrows. Not only did he commit to running it back with the entire coaching staff (and even give some of them extensions), but Dombrowski was also shockingly honest about Bryce Harper’s 2025 season and his future, saying he wasn’t elite and wasn’t sure if he’d ever get back to that elite level.

The answer to that question will be answered in 2026 and beyond with Harper in a Phillies uniform. That was always the likely outcome, considering how great a player Harper still is and that he has a no-trade clause, and now that Dombrowski has dismissed the idea of trading him, we can say Harper will be in Philadelphia with absolute certainty.

Braves continue Brian Snitker replacement search

The Atlanta Braves were willing to keep Brian Snitker as their manager in 2026, but Snitker opted instead to announce that he was not going to return. This left a vacancy in the Braves dugout for 2026 and beyond. Rather than rush to hire a replacement, the Braves have taken their time.

The Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants have all filled their managerial vacancies, and while Braves fans are eager to see who ends up as Snitker’s successor, Alex Anthopoulos is in no rush to hire someone until he’s ready.

One thing to consider, though, is that the Braves are waiting to announce their hire because the World Series has yet to be played.

“As for Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann, his candidacy has seemingly strengthened over the past couple weeks. Lehmann was Los Angeles’ advance video scout when Anthopoulos was with the Dodgers from 2016-17. The two have remained in contact over the years that have followed,” Mark Bowman of MLB.com wrote.

Rather than create headlines by hiring the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bench coach during the biggest series of their season, perhaps the Braves are waiting for the World Series to be over before hiring their next skipper. All Braves fans can do at this point is wait and wonder who Anthopoulos has in mind, whether it’s Lehmann or not.