Trevor Megill’s name is already out there, and that’s the kind of offseason reality the Brewers know all too well.
Less than a week after helping Milwaukee finish off its first-ever World Series title, the All-Star closer has become a trade candidate as the winter market starts to take shape ahead of a possible months-long lockout beginning on the night of December 1. It’s not a surprise in Milwaukee. The Brewers have made a habit of dealing elite pitchers who are entering their final season of team control, and the list is a familiar one: Josh Hader in 2022, Corbin Burnes before Spring Training 2024, Devin Williams before the 2025 season, and Freddy Peralta in January of last year.
That pattern says plenty about how the Brewers operate. They trust their ability to keep developing arms, and they’ve repeatedly replaced the production after moving on from big names.
It also reflects the risk baked into pitching, where one season can disappear fast because of injury. So when a succession plan is already in place, it’s not hard to see why Milwaukee would at least listen on Megill.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported as much, after previously noting that trade candidate William Contreras “isn’t going anywhere” this winter. Passan wrote that “the World Series champion Brewers will at least listen on closer Trevor Megill.” That doesn’t mean a deal is coming, but it does put Megill squarely in the middle of the offseason conversation.
And if Milwaukee does move him, it would be selling at a high point. Megill, now 32, didn’t become the Brewers’ full-time closer until the 2025 season, but he’s delivered 30 saves in each of the last two years.
He was an All-Star in 2025, and now he’s added another line to the résumé: finalist for the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award. The other finalists are Jhoan Duran of the Philadelphia Phillies and Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres.
The Brewers also have internal options ready if the job opens up. Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby both showed during the 2026 season that they could handle the closer’s role in the near future. That kind of built-in backup makes a Megill move more realistic, just as Williams was ready after Hader and Megill was ready after Williams.
Nothing is imminent, but the timing matters. Any trade would likely have to happen before the lockout, which means the next three or four weeks could be the window.
If Milwaukee does decide to act, the New York Yankees stand out as the most obvious partner assuming incumbent closer David Bednar turns down the qualifying offer. The Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants, and Cincinnati Reds are also mentioned as possible fits.
In Other News...
Pat Murphy Finally Explained His Viral Yankees Jab
Pat Murphy has had a while to let his offhand Yankees remark breathe, and the Brewers manager finally put it in context during an interview on the New York Posts podcast. The comment surfaced during Milwaukees 2026 World Series celebration and quickly took on a life of its own, but Murphy said it grew out of a private joke with Jake Bauers, who was heading into free agency after the championship season.
Murphy also made clear the moment did not linger as a public feud. After the audio became public, he later spoke with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, and the conversation went well. It was a small reminder that even in the middle of a title celebration, one stray line can travel far beyond the room where it was said. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Murphy Had A Wild Brewers Celebration Twist After SNL
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The post-show scene only added to the surreal feel of it all, with Murphy lingering in the company of some of the biggest names in entertainment. He even handed Tom Hanks his World Series game hat, and found himself talking with Lorne Michaels about the viral Yankees comment that had already made the rounds, a reminder that sometimes a Brewers celebration can veer far beyond baseball. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Face An Offseason Decision Fans May Not Want
The Brewers are heading into one of those winter decisions that can shape both the roster and the mood around the clubhouse, with Jake Bauers still on the market after receiving a qualifying offer. For Milwaukee, the move gives the first baseman a clear choice: come back on a one-year deal or keep chasing the kind of longer-term security that free agency is supposed to provide. For the team, it is a familiar balancing act between keeping a useful piece in place and protecting future flexibility.
Trevor Megill adds another layer to the conversation as he enters his final arbitration-eligible season, a stage where Milwaukee has often been willing to move pitchers in similar spots to restock the farm system and create payroll room. It is the sort of decision that can look cold on paper but makes sense for a club that has long tried to stay nimble. The tension now is whether the Brewers lean into that usual path again or decide these are the kinds of players worth holding onto a little longer. [Read more 🡒]