MLB Rumors: Latest Buzz Amid 2022 World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros may be deadlocked at one game apiece in the 2022 World Series but for the rest of the baseball world, all eyes are on the postseason and the numerous transactions destined to steal headlines and alter the fate of teams looking for that elusive Commissioner's Trophy.

One such team is the 119-win Los Angeles Dodgers, who saw their championship aspirations dashed by the San Diego Padres and will now focus on the shortstop position and potentially replacing All-Star Trea Turner.

Who might they be eyeing for that position and which other teams and players are making headlines ahead of a frantically busy period for Major League teams?

Take a look with these latest MLB rumors amid the sport's championship series.

One of the prized free agents this offseason, there is a very real likelihood that Trea Turner will not return to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the 2020 world champs already have their eye on his potential replacement.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the team is eyeing Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa. "They love everything he brings, and thus far don’t seem to have 2017 reservations."

Statistically, Correa was a better hitter than Turner in 2022.

He hit 22 home runs to Turner's 21, had a higher on-base percentage (.366 to .343), slugging percentage (.466 to .465) and OPS+ (140 to 121). The numbers are not drastically different, though, so one would be hard-pressed to suggest Correa would be either a step down from or a marked improvement over Turner.

Turner is faster and combines that with his power-hitting to create a more well-rounded player with the ability to steal bases (27), something Correa simply did not do at all in 2022.

There is always the potential that Turner returns to the Dodgers but a desire to be closer to his home in Florida and continued ties to Philadelphia and former teammate Bryce Harper continue to suggest he may find his best fit with the defending National League champions.

Luckily for Los Angeles, there are a few other star shortstops available this offseason, including Boston's Xander Bogaerts and Atlanta's Dansby Swanson. Either would be an above-average addition to an organization looking to build on a historic 2022 that ended flat and disappointingly in the playoffs.

The St. Louis Cardinals have one less concern this offseason as star third baseman Nolan Arenado will choose to opt-in to his contract and remain with the team through 2023, as reported by The Athletic's Katie Woo.

Keeping Arenado helps the Cardinals in finding the pieces to help fuel their offense and ensure a quick dismissal from the postseason does not happen again. Pairing him with MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt creates a nice foundation for the team to build on and, hopefully, produce more hits and runs than they did against Philadelphia this postseason.

Arenado put up 30 homers, 103 RBIs and a batting average of .289 in his second season in St. Louis. His OPS (.881) was significantly higher than the league average of .706, as was his slugging percentage (.535 vs. .395). There is a reason St. Louis was eager to hold onto him and ensure he is a foundational player for them in the foreseeable future.

Defensively, he will have to prove he is still the guy he was in Colorado and in his first season with the Cardinals. 2022 brought with it the second most errors of his career (12) and the second-lowest fielding percentage (.968).

Still, St. Louis will take those stats along with the offensive output and be happy to have back a young player with upside to be excited about.

"As much as they like him, the Red Sox are not planning to extend the qualifying offer ($19.65 million) to J.D. Martinez," Heyman also reported, essentially ending Martinez's five seasons in Boston.

It is not particularly difficult to see why the Red Sox would not be willing to pony up the $19.65 million qualifying offer. Martinez saw his stats fall in every measurable category in 2022 despite only playing nine fewer games and participating in 37 fewer at-bats.

Could fewer opportunities be to blame for his statistical downturn? Sure. Martinez has been great for the Red Sox, enjoying the best years of his career with the organization and is in no means destined for a downward spiral. Just last season, he enjoyed the most doubles of his career (42) and still managed a slugging percentage of .518.

With the Red Sox struggling to keep up with the Yankees and a young, talented squad in Toronto, the team is likely to find itself in a rebuilding phase and that begins, apparently, with Martinez.