Dodgers dream trade with Brewers reportedly losing steam after latest update

Wondering why Dylan Cease has apparently, overnight, emerged as the Los Angeles Dodgers top rumored trade target of the offseason? Wondering why there hasn't been much on the Corbin Burnes front this month? There's a reason for everything.

Outside of Cease potentially being the higher priority because of the White Sox' impending fire sale the organization already telegraphed (and the fact the right-hander has two years left of control), there appears to be a less palatable development leading to that being the case.

According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the Milwaukee Brewers have apparently backed off the idea of being aggressive with trading Burnes as well as shortstop Willy Adames, both of whom are under club control through 2024.

Following the back-breaking departure of Craig Counsell, who signed with the division-rival Cubs, there might be a desire for the Brew Crew to compete next season rather than throw in the towel with an eye on the future.

In fact, out of Burnes, Cease, Shane Bieber and Tyler Glasnow, Rosenthal ranks Burnes last among those most likely to be traded.

Dodgers dream trade with Brewers reportedly losing steam after latest update

Oh yeah? What's next? The Cubs trading for Bo Bichette to better position themselves in the Shohei Ohtani race? Oh that's a thing?! You've gotta be kidding.

The good news for the Dodgers is they can focus their attention on so many other places. Any of those three aforementioned pitchers would help them greatly. Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shōta Imanaga are available for money alone.

Need a shortstop? Sign Tim Anderson to a one-year bounce-back deal to reap more of the benefit from the White Sox' decision making (they rejected his $14 million club option). He's open to playing second base, too!

There's still hope for Burnes and Adames to land in LA someday. If the Dodgers shrewdly split their free agent spending the next two offseasons, they can easily acquire their desired targets. The priorities remain Ohtani plus two long-term starting pitchers, which Burnes and Adames don't offer at the moment.

There's always next November, which will mark the third year of Dodgers fans obsessing over this long-delayed dream.