MLB Rumors: Latest Reports Heading into World Series

The eyes of the baseball world will be focused on the World Series starting on Tuesday, but for the 28 Major League Baseball teams not playing in the Fall Classic, the offseason is already underway. 

One of the most anticipated free-agent classes in years has arrived. Franchise-changing talents like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Clayton Kershaw could all be wearing new uniforms in 2019. All-Stars like Michael Brantley, Andrew McCutchen, Patrick Corbin and A.J. Pollock will also generate a lot of attention. 

In other words, there will be no shortage of star power available for every team to bid on as they try to get where the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers are currently at. 

Here is the early word on what to expect when some of this winter's biggest free agents hit the open market. 

Bryce Harper Dictating Nationals' Plans

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

The Washington Nationals rode out the 2018 season with Harper in their outfield, despite making him available in trade talks last July. 

Now, the Nationals are reportedly planning out two different offseason scenarios related to Harper's free agency. 

Per Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports, Washington will make a "strong effort" to re-sign Harper, but the front office is also planning for a scenario in which he leaves. 

Complicating matters for the Nationals, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post noted they could be limited to around $30 million in spending money this offseason. 

Unless things have changed dramatically in the last two years, Harper is seeking a historic contract. USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported in December 2016 the former National League MVP is hoping for a deal worth at least $400 million over 10 years. 

While that is a steep price for any organization to pay, Harper hit .249/.393/.496 with 34 homers and an MLB-high 130 walks in what was considered a down year in 2018. He is only 26 years old and has played in at least 147 games in four of the past five seasons. 

Unless the Nationals can find more financial flexibility, their best course of action for 2019 and beyond will be to spread the $30 million they will reportedly have to add more depth in the bullpen and a starting catcher. 

Manny Machado Still In Line for Lucrative Deal

Machado's free-agent contract became a topic of discussion last week thanks to his antics against the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series. 

Both benches cleared in Game 4 of the NLCS when Machado clipped Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar while running out a grounder:

One MLB executive told Heyman he's "never seen a major free agent make any more dumb statements/decisions in a 24-hour window" than Machado did during and after that incident with Aguilar. 

Despite drawing some negative attention from some people in MLB—and every Brewers fan at Miller Park—another executive said he doesn't believe Machado's future contract will be impacted. 

There are several good reasons why Machado can expect to receive one of the biggest contracts in MLB history. He's a 26-year-old shortstop who also won two Gold Gloves at third base, has a .282/.335/.487 career slash line and set career-highs this season in batting average (.297), on-base percentage (.367), slugging percentage (.538) and homers (37). 

Based on positional value, Machado is more valuable than Harper and has been one of the most durable players with just 11 games missed over the past four seasons. 

Harper's upside will likely get him the bigger contract this offseason, but it speaks to Machado's ability that there is a legitimate discussion about who should be paid more. 

Everybody Loves Patrick Corbin

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Assuming Kershaw remains with the Los Angeles Dodgers, either by not opting out of his current deal or agreeing to a new contract, Patrick Corbin will be the most sought-after starting pitcher on the market this winter. 

Per Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, teams that are expected to have interest in Corbin include the Dodgers, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves.

Cafardo added that Corbin is likely to receive a deal worth between $20-25 million per season over at least five years. 

Going by those contract parameters and interested parties, it becomes easier to determine a favorite to sign the two-time All-Star. 

The Giants already have $126.4 million in salary committed to just eight players next season, which doesn't include Madison Bumgarner's $12 million team option that should be picked up.

They will either have to find a way to trade someone like Jeff Samardzija or Johnny Cueto—who may not pitch at all in 2019 after having Tommy John surgery in August—to create financial flexibility, or blow up their payroll in an attempt to extend their window with the nucleus of Bumgarner and Buster Posey.

The Dodgers have to worry about Kershaw before trying to do anything else. The Braves would seem to be an ideal landing spot given their meteoric rise and outstanding young position-player nucleus of Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Johan Camargo, Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman, who is the elder statesman of the group at 29 years old. 

Atlanta general manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters the team's payroll would go up in 2019 without offering any specifics. 

"The payroll will go up for the current year," Anthopoulos said. "There's been a lot of debate about where we're going to be, what the number is going to be, how much we have available. I don't think anyone in this room knows because I don't know. We don't have a payroll number set for next year yet."

The Braves only have $44.4 million in financial commitments next season, so they could theoretically sign two top-tier free agents without ruining their payroll. 

Considering that Atlanta is currently owned by a corporation—Liberty Media—that has been financially stingy in the baseball department, the team doesn't seem likely to get involved in a bidding war for free agents. 

That leaves the Yankees as Corbin's most likely landing spot. The 29-year-old is a perfect fit for what they need. Their starting rotation was a mess at the end of 2018.

Luis Severino had a 5.57 ERA after the All-Star break. CC Sabathia, who is a free agent, turned 38 in July and was limited to 53 innings in the second half. Sonny Gray didn't make the ALDS roster after posting a 4.90 ERA in 30 appearances and will be shopped around this winter. 

With just $88.3 million in salary obligations next season, the Yankees can essentially do whatever they want. They won 100 games with an unstable starting rotation yet still found themselves looking up at the Red Sox in the AL East before losing to their rival in the ALDS. 

This is the Yankees' time to strike big in free agency. Their offense and bullpen remain stacked heading into 2019. 

Corbin was a machine in 2018 with a 3.15 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 246 strikeouts in 200 innings with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He would be a perfect fit for what the Yankees need as they look to surpass Boston in the division and end their nine-year World Series drought. 

Contract info via Baseball-Reference.com.