Can you believe that it’s already been a full week since the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series? Now that the parades are over and the media appearances are winding down, we’re still waiting for the offseason’s first domino to fall.

Trades feel inevitable ahead of the potential Dec. 2 work stoppage, but will the Orioles succumb to pressure and part ways with All-Star shortstop Gunnar Henderson? What do the Cubs have planned as they look to address their rotation? 

Here are the latest MLB rumors as of Nov. 4.

Get ready to see a new-look Chicago Cubs rotation

You can put this in the “this makes way too much sense” category. During an appearance on the “Foul Territory” podcast, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal predicted the Cubs will acquire multiple starting pitchers this offseason; he specifically named reuniting with Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes, as well as the Orioles’ Trevor Rogers, the Padres’ Michael King, and the Rays’ Freddy Peralta, the latter of whom played under Craig Counsell in Milwaukee.

Gausman, who turns 36 in January, went 4-2 with a 4.83 ERA over 50.1 innings following a midseason trade with Toronto. Counsell handed him the ball for Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, and he drew the loss after allowing three earned runs in 3.1 innings.

The Cubs acquired Holmes ahead of the trade deadline, though he was still recovering from a fractured right fibula. He recorded a 4.25 ERA and an ugly 33-24 K-BB ratio in 48.2 innings upon returning in August. 

The Baltimore Orioles may not trade Gunnar Henderson after all…

…but the rest of the roster is another story, at least according to the Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka. Orioles management, specifically president of baseball operations Mike Elias and new general manager Jared Banner, are “maintaining a willingness” to hear trade proposals on everyone outside of All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso.

What could that mean for Henderson, the 2023 AL Rookie of the Year and one of the league’s top shortstops? Kostka said a trade involving the 2024 All-Star is unlikely barring a “steep returning price” ahead of his age-26 season. For what it’s worth, Henderson — who is under team control for two more seasons — has not requested a trade.

Despite hitting a career-low .226 in over 700 plate appearances, he remains a reliable power threat — teams love a middle infielder who recorded 57 extra-base hits (24 home runs, 27 doubles, and six triples) during a down year — and a reliable everyday presence in the Orioles’ lineup. He hasn’t played fewer than 150 games in any of his four full big-league seasons, which should only incentivize Elias and Banner to keep Henderson at all costs. 

Is there a new frontrunner in the Houston Astros’ managerial search?

Not necessarily, though we do know the AL West champions have another candidate lined up. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported that Rangers bench coach Luis Urueta, who is currently managing the Dominican Professional Baseball League’s Águilas Cibaeñas, is expected to interview for the Astros’ managerial opening this week.

Urueta, who turns 46 in January, does not have full-time major league or minor-league managerial experience. He won both of his games as the Marlins’ interim skipper in 2024 following Skup Schumaker’s departure, and he’s spent the last two years as Schumaker’s bench coach in Texas. The ex-Diamondbacks minor-leaguer also managed Colombia during the 2017 World Baseball Classic. 

If hired, Urueta would become the first Colombian-born full-time manager in MLB history. He previously made similar history on July 26, 2020, when he became Arizona’s acting manager after Torey Lovullo’s midgame ejection. 

Former Astros catcher Brad Ausmus also plans to reportedly interview for the job. Ausmus went 314-332 with the Tigers (2014-17) and Angels (2019), and led Detroit to a 2014 AL Central title.