Brewers rumors: Insiders link Milwaukee's 2025 All-Star pitcher to Yankees and Mets

Milwaukee Brewers executives set out for Orlando and the Winter Meetings with one of the most notable trade candidates of the offseason in Freddy Peralta. Much of the buzz surrounding the Brewers since their postseason run came to an end has been focused on Peralta and whether Milwaukee will trade him as they've done with pitchers entering their final year of team control on a few occasions in recent years. They have also shown a willingness to keep players through the end of their contract when they have a significant impact on the clubhouse like they did with Willy Adames through the 2024 season.

However, Peralta is not the only All-Star pitcher on Milwaukee's roster who makes some sense as a trade candidate this winter. With two years of team control remaining and a growing arbitration salary -- a product of the impressive success he's had over the last two seasons in Milwaukee's 'pen -- Trevor Megill's name has also surfaced in trade rumors this offseason. After Abner Uribe showed an ability to cover the ninth inning, when Megill went down with a flexor strain for the final month of the season, speculation began that Milwaukee might look to move the flame-throwing Megill before the start of the 2026 season.

After Day 1 of the Winter Meetings, it appears as if that speculation might carry more weight. First, MLB.com's Brewers beat reporter, Adam McCalvy noted that the team has "fielded calls" on Megill in his roundup of news from Day 1 in Orlando, available over at Brewers.com. Then, MLB insider Joel Sherman of The New York Post reported that both the New York Mets and New York Yankees have made calls to the Brewers about Megill.

Brewers fielding calls on 2025 All-Star Trevor Megill according to McCalvy, Sherman

Trading Megill this offseason would no doubt be a painful move for the Brewers when it comes to their chances of winning the World Series in 2026. Unless the move brings in an MLB-ready piece or two, or the money saved is reinvested into the roster, losing Megill at the back-end of the Brewers' bullpen would weaken their relief corps in the immediate future. Megill was not only an All-Star in 2025, but his underlying metrics suggest that any regression he will experience in 2026 will be minor; the 6'8" flame-throwing righty earned the highest Pitching+ score of any pitcher with at least 40 innings pitched in 2025.

That said, there also exist several reasons that would suggest this is the perfect time for the Brewers to move on from Megill. As noted in McCalvy's piece, Megill's value has never been higher after serving as the primary closer for the best team in baseball during the regular season. Concerns regarding his late-season flexor strain could fend off some would-be suitors, but by all accounts Megill was back to (nearly) full strength when he returned for the postseason. With two years of team control on a salary that makes the rich paydays of other All-Star relievers look like massive overpays, plenty of teams should be interested in Megill's services.

Each of the two New York teams poses an interesting situation for Megill. If he's traded to the Mets it would not only be the result of the Matt Arnold striking a deal with his former boss, now-Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns, but the situation would also mean that Megill is likely back to being Devin Williams' set-up man, assuming New York doesn't re-sign Edwin Díaz, and rolls with the air-bending Williams as their closer. Such a scenario is made even more strange when considering the fact that Megill completely outplayed Williams in 2025. Either way, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza would have two talented former Brewers closers to choose from late in games next season.

If Milwaukee agreed to send Megill to the Yankees, it would mean New York is replacing one former Brewers closer who they acquired in a trade for another former Brewers closer who they acquired in a trade. Given the fact that it didn't work out great for New York the last time, with Williams posting his worst season of his career in 2025 for the Yankees, it would be ironic for GM Brian Cashman to try to redeem himself by swinging another deal with Arnold and company for another All-Star closer.

More information on Megill's availability should surface as the Winter Meetings continue and rumors continue to pop up. Additionally, whether or not Milwaukee does end up moving Megill this offseason could be determined by free agent relievers signings, which are likely to occur to some extent before the MLB executives depart Orlando.