Annual meetings of the CEO are usually when does the offseason startas executives and agents gather to discuss the state of free agency and the upcoming winter.

Although deals are rarely made this early in the offseason, any groundwork done in November can pay off in December and beyond. The agents know it. Leaders know this. The players know it. That’s what made this week’s buzz around San Antonio even more interesting.

The rest of the baseball chases the Dodgers and their ever-increasing payroll, but Los Angeles has no plans to relinquish the MLB crown just yet.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers’ main priorities this offseason are the outfield and their rotation, a source tells me. Even if Juan Soto is at the top of any team’s wish list, it’s far from a guarantee that Los Angeles can match his price tag. While the Dodgers are likely to bring Mookie Betts back to the field this winter (according to reports), they have a hole in one corner of the outfield.

Starting pitcher remains a clear need for this Dodgers team. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was a solid rookie in 2023. Tyler Glasnow has ace material when healthy. The return of Shohei Ohtani rotation is no guarantee after shoulder surgery. However, given the Dodgers’ strengths, we can expect them to add at least one significant branch this winter.

The Milwaukee Brewers are in the race for Willy Adames, but signing him to a long-term deal is a long shot. Adames has been connected to the DodgersBraves and more, but despite his recent comments, a return to Milwaukee is unlikely.

Adames enjoyed his time with the Brewers and was a vital part of the NL Central winning team this season. At the same time, he probably withdrew from Milwaukee.

What are the Brewers’ plans for Devin Williams?

Beyond Adames, Brewers relief pitcher Devin Williams is at the forefront of their offseason storylines. Williams has one year remaining on his contract, which puts Brewers general manager Matt Arnold in an all-too-familiar situation. Milwaukee traded Josh Hader and Corbin Burnes with between 1 and 2 years remaining on their contracts.

Williams’ value will only go down from here. Although the Brewers view him as an asset to the bullpen, he is also very valuable to other contenders and can help Milwaukee retool on the fly.

The San Diego Padres fell short of their ultimate goal this season, losing painfully to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series. Much of that can be blamed on a lineup that has failed to deliver on its promise over the past two games. AJ Preller must pick up the pieces of a disappointing season, but where should San Diego go from here?

First, they need to address the future of Jurickson Profar and Ha-seong Kim. Both are unrestricted free agents. Profar was beloved in Los Angeles and had an OPS of .839. Its market value, by spotracrepresents nearly 13 million dollars per year. Kim’s offensive production has declined slightly in 2024, but he remains one of the most flexible infielders in the sport and would be an upgrade for some contenders at shortstop and second base.

There is an expanding market for both, especially as top free agents leave the board, but San Diego is interested in a reunion if it can afford it.