MLBTR Chat Transcript

Mark P

• After a two-week hiatus due to some shift rescheduling, the Weekend Chat is back!

Thomas

• Twins need to sell some pieces at the deadline. What would a trade package for Duran look like?

Mark P

• It would be pretty substantial, yet I’m not sure I see Minnesota making that big of a move if they do sell.  Trading Duran would say something about the team’s plans for 2026 and beyond, and I think the Twins expect (hope?) to reload for next year if this season ends up going off the rails by the deadline

YamaPhoto

• You predict the Braves to be sellers at the deadline?

Mark P

• Anthopoulos pretty firmly closed the door on the idea of trading Chris Sale or anyone at the deadline, unless the team absolutely cratered.  These statements were made before Sale’s IL placement, however, which dealt another big blow to Atlanta’s chances.I don’t see the Braves selling (or fully deciding to sell) until close to the deadline, if at all.

Die Hard Rox Fan

• What would a Jake Bird return look like. 2 top 100s?

Mark P

• Bird’s having a great season, but that is a very, VERY optimistic hope for a reliever who hasn’t shown a whole lot prior to 2025

Andrew Abbott

• Am I firmly in the Cy Young conversation?

Mark P

• Too many NL pitchers having better years, and the advanced metrics hint at some regression coming for Abbott. That doesn’t detract from the fact that he’s pitched really well this year, and greatly helped Cincinnati’s rotation

….

Natitude

• Shouldn’t the Nats consider a college arm or Hernandez at #1 overall? Seems like the farm system doesn’t have more than 1-2 high end arms on the way in the next few years. Plus, I’ve read varying opinions on the projectability of Holliday in the future.  Doesn’t sound like a slam dunk difference maker.

Mark P

• It seems like this draft class doesn’t have any “slam dunk difference makers,” as much as those players even really exist in a baseball context.  It all depends on how the Nationals internally feel about Holliday or any of the other top candidates, since in a year without a clear-cut #1, any number of guys might rise or drop in the order

Darthyen

• Will the Blue Jays look to move just their pending free agents (Bichette, Bassitt…) at the deadline or will they be full blown sellers and move pieces with a bit more control (Clement, Gausman, Lukes, Varsho….)?

Mark P

• Right now the Jays are on pace to be a wild card team, so they won’t be selling anyone.  It remains to be seen if Toronto can keep it going and stay in the hunt, but they’re another team I don’t expect to see as “sellers” unless things totally go south in the next month.

Mr Bean

• What might a return for the Mariners J.P. Crawford look like if he were to be moved?

Mark P

• This is a moot point of a question, as why would the contending Mariners move a shortstop who’s having a career year?

Boston

• Jaren Duran for who?

Mark P

• With Devers now gone, the Red Sox have opened up the lineup enough that they probably no longer need to move an outfielder.

I don’t know’s on 3rd

• Where can I find how players hit in each stadium? I

Mark P

• This info is available on a player’s “splits” page on Baseball Reference

Adam

• Mets demoted Alvarez. Is there a C out there that they can trade for.

Mark P

• Between Alvarez’s demotion and the Rutschman/Handley injuries, I was wondering if McCann might head to one of his old teams, but instead the D’Backs swooped in.Catching is such a rare commodity that I’m not sure the Mets can find a real upgrade on the open market.  I think their hope is that Alvarez can get it together with some time in the minors, and rejoin the team by the break (if not earlier)

Ken

• Luis Severino has some crazy home/road splits. I think his road ERA is under 1, while he’s struggled at the AAA park. If the A’s made him available (and chipped in some cash), what kind of return would he fetch?

Mark P

• They’d get a decent return but nothing outlandish, especially if only “some” cash is being chipped in.  Don’t forget that the A’s may have beaten the market to overpay slightly for Severino and convince him to join a borderline (at best) contender pitching in a minor league park.
• As obvious as it is that Severino is really bothered by pitching in Sacramento, he’s also obviously not going to keep posting Bob Gibson numbers if he were to get dealt.

Blue 24

• Will the Dodgers make a another move possibly a leftfielder?

Mark P

• The Dodgers’ deadline moves will very likely be focused on pitching more than anything with the position player mix.
• Also, simply sitting Conforto and having both Kim and Pages in the lineup on a more regular basis might itself be the simplest solution

Dombrowski

• Every fan thinks that we can trade from our rotation depth but I say no. Too many things can happen, and we will need our only expiring contract (Ranger) in the playoffs for sure. What say you?

Mark P

• Dombrowski’s history implies that no prospect is entirely untouchable (though Painter/Crawford are probably extremely close to that level).  I agree that it’s more likely that Philly holds onto their MLB-level pitching, since Murphy’s Law would dictate that as soon as a starter was dealt at the deadline, another starter would get injured like a week later

Ryan

• What would you do with Harry Ford? Would you promote him and find a way to get him in the lineup or trade him for some major league help? What kind of return would he get at this point?

Mark P

• The outfield experiment with Ford last year seems to have ended, as he has only been a C/DH at Triple-A this season.  Ford has been hitting really well in his first taste of AAA ball and seems ready for the majors, and just calling him up as the backup catcher and part-time DH seems like a reasonable move for a team that still needs hitting.The x-factor here is Polanco, since having him still at DH so regularly limits what the Mariners can do.  Once Polanco gets back to normal infield duty, calling Ford up as another bat would be a logical move. If that means releasing Garver and eating the money, so be it

BrewCrew27

• How is Otani able to pitch 1 inning yet stay as the DH?

Mark P

• MLB made a rule change to allow Ohtani (or any pitcher, but let’s be real, Ohtani) to stay in the game as a P-then-DH back in 2022

ClarkeinEcuador

• Can Cal Raleigh keep this up?

Mark P

• Let’s hope he can, just because it’s awesome to see a player suddenly go from “this guy is pretty good” to having an all-timer of a season

Ron

• Hoffman really blew the game today despite not giving up an earned run. Is a closer Toronto’s biggest need at the deadline? Would Chapman be available if the Sox fall 6 games out at the deadline?

Mark P

• Starting pitching is the Blue Jays’ biggest need, but the bullpen isn’t far behind, in part because the rotation’s struggles have led to a lot of innings for the relief corps.Hoffman got off to an amazing start, but his performance has sharply swung downwards over the last month.  Bringing in another closer type after already paying Hoffman so much money isn’t ideal, and another closing candidate isn’t obviously waiting in the wings unless perhaps Rodriguez gets a shot.
• Bullpen help of some kind definitely seems like a deadline priority, but it’s probably more likely to be a reliever with some past closing experience, not necessarily “A Closer” like Chapman

Darren

• Would the Jays consider playing the hometown card and trading for Michael Soroka given the Nats would logically be sellers and Soroka is starting to fire on all cylinders (for five innings, at least!)

Mark P

• Soroka’s hometown of Calgary isn’t exactly near Toronto, but sure, he’s the kind of relatively inexpensive SP add I can see the Jays making

Steinway

• Would you have moved Devers? It’s tough to justify the move from a fan standpoint but it is all about being a team.

Mark P

• Not working last Sunday night meant that I missed out on covering the Devers trade, so here is my week-old hot take!I think the trade perhaps had to be made, if things had soured so quickly between Devers and Red Sox management.  The fact that things went from 0 to 100 so quickly doesn’t reflect well on either party, as it seems like simply keeping Devers more in the loop about Bregman/Arenado/any 3B plans last offseason might have been an easy solution.  One wonders what might’ve happened if Casas (often mentioned as a trade candidate) had actually been dealt, as perhaps then the Sox would’ve approached Devers about 1B much sooner.
• My other note here is that it puts even more pressure on the “big three” prospects to contribute immediately, since how Boston’s lineup is missing its best hitter.  Anthony, Mayer, and Campbell were already facing an extra spotlight based on the Boston media market and all of the hype, but if they (as most rookies do) need time to adjust, it adds more drama to what has already been a soap opera of a season.  We’ve already seen Campbell hit his first obstacle, for instance.

Seeing Reds

• Thoughts  on Burns call up?

Mark P

• As much as Burns as dominated pro ball so far, he still has only 66 innings to his name.  There’s nothing that says the Reds are obligated to keep him in the majors for an extended period, of course, so Burns might get sent back down pretty quickly if he struggles.

MoonbeamMcSwine

• Not working???..  what does that mean to you?.. fishing?.. boating?.. becoming a couch potato?.. how about some details?

Mark P

• Haha, last Sunday I was on MLBTR during the morning/day shift, rather than my standard Sunday night shift.  No time on the lake for me!

FamousMortimer

• Re: the Nats question, you never draft for need, right?

Mark P

• Correct.  What a team needs in 2025 may be vastly different from what a team needs in the (usual) couple of years’ time before a top draft pick is ready for the big legues
• leagues

RaysUp

• You buying Rays to win the AL east. Also, do they buy or sell or both at the deadline?

Mark P

• I wouldn’t at all be surprised if Tampa caught the Yankees for first place.  As usual, the Rays have overachieved and adjusted well to their unusual ballpark situation
• Most of the Rays’ deadline moves should be focused towards adding, but moving a salary in a semi-sell type of move wouldn’t at all be surprise

Angels

• Schanuel doubters should be apologizing now right??? Or does he have more to prove?

Mark P

• You’d ideally want to see more power, but Schanuel developing into a solid overall hitter is a perfectly fine outcome.  With almost half the season in the books, his play can’t be entirely written off as a fluke or anything.

bmcferren

• is Dylan Crews an outfielder that the Pirates have the goods to acquire this summer?

Mark P

• Pittsburgh has enough top-flight young pitching that they can make an offer that would at least get the Nationals’ attention, even if it’s highly unlikely that Crews would be moved.  To repeat a common refrain, lots of future stars struggled in their first season or two in the majors, so the Nats have far from given up on Crews in any way

Guards

• Why is Delauter still in AAA?

Dropout

• Any idea why cleveland is calling up delaughter yet?

Mark P

• “Chase The Laughter” actually sounds like the title of a Game Changer episode, but I digress.DeLauter has all of 124 pro games played over two-plus seasons.  As much as he’s going to get a shot in the Show at some point in 2025, I don’t blame the Guardians for wanting to give him a good chunk of game action just for the sake of getting him back into a rhythm.  Better to do that in a lower-key Triple-A environment than in the majors, especially with the added pressure of DeLauter being seen as a saviour for the Guards’ outfield woes

Angels

• If the Angels are in the same spot a month from now. Do they stand pat, at the deadline? To see how it plays out? Rather than sell the few pieces they have.

Mark P

• If LAA is still only a couple of games out of a wild card spot by the deadline, they’ll definitely buy to some extent.  Arte Moreno absolutely wants to break the playoff drought.

Dana Brown

• I said today, on pregame radio that a left handed bat is our top need at the deadline! Wouldn’t Willi Castro be a spectator option? A rental, especially with a weak farm in HOU…a switch hitter who can play 2B or OF.

Mark P

• It would be a great fit, though if the Twins do decide to sell, Castro will be one of the most underrated trade chips in the league.  The Astros would likely have to outbid a lot of teams to land him.

Curious A’s Fan

• Philly is calling, they want Mason Miller. Who is your Must Have to do the deal?

Mark P

• Figuring a trade for a reliever is tricky, even one with Miller’s years of control (through 2029) and ceiling. From the Athletics’ perspective, why not ask for one of Painter/Crawford/Miller/Abel — both to see if the Phillies bite, and because asking for a top-100 prospect is a justifiable ask for a high-leverage reliever who has shown star potential.

Ken

• Nick Kurtz is establishing himself at 1B and Brent Rooker is entrenched at DH. Is the Tyler Soderstrom as left fielder experiment working, or do you think a trade is in the offing?

Mark P

• Soderstrom’s got a -3 DRS and -2 OAA through 316 innings as a left fielder.  He’s likely not going to be a Gold Glover out there, but if he can remain at this level of “below average but passable,” his bat will play

Buster Posey

• Am I done dealing?

Mark P

• Doubtful, as SF can still probably use at least one more bat even with Devers now in the fold.

Weekend at Bernies

• How impressed are you by the debut of Jacob misiorowski? And is there a better pitchers duel on paper than him vs Paul skenes this Wednesday?

Mark P

• He’s looked terrific, and already he’s grabbed some notoriety with the career-opening no-hit streak.  I’ll definitely be tuning in Wednesday to see the action.

Cards Fan

• Arenado made a mistake by not accepting Houston trade?

Mark P

• The Cardinals have also been playing some pretty good ball, so I don’t think Arenado is having too many regrets (if any).  Perhaps his own numbers might have ticked upwards with a change of scenery, but who knows.

Will Smith

• Steve Adams said last chat that The Big Dumper was unequivocally the best catcher in The Show. Do you concur, Mark?

Mark P

• No doubt about it.  Raleigh is on pace for the best season a catcher has ever had.

Cashman

• Do I end up trading a bat to clear up playing time?

Mark P

• The report about the Yankees looking at IKF indicates they might be looking to add.  Either a complementary piece like Kiner-Falefa, or they might take a big swing with an everyday 2B/3B.
• Trading a player away simply to make room could be possible, but given how Stanton and other prominent Yankees have injury histories, the team probably want to keep depth around

Will P

• When do you think Sam Basallo finally gets the call?

Mark P

• Hitting-wise, he doesn’t seem to have much left to prove at Triple-A.  But, he hasn’t actually been a catcher much this year since injuries limited him to either DH work or kept him out of action entirely.The O’s aren’t going to rush Basallo even given their need for catching on the active roster, even if that does leave them scrambling now if Handley is also hurt

Non-mathematical analysts?

• Much has been said about how Kyle Harrison won’t be able to develop a good secondary pitch because of his arm angle. Were any writers saying this when he as a prospect? Are there any scouting-oriented writers you know of that are capable of making these types of observations?

Mark P

• Just from glancing at Baseball America’s page on Harrison, all of their annual scouting reports mention his arm angle in some context or another.  From 2022, for instance, “His arm is loose and whippy and easily produces velocity and deception from a low slot and cross-body finish, but he doesn’t repeat it well enough yet to throw strikes consistently.”
• Keep in mind, Harrison was a third-round pick, and not really a blue chipper until after he started to gain notice following his first pro season.  It’s not like his potential flaws weren’t already known, as (like with most pitchers) it was just a matter of how or if Harrison would overcome or adjust

Timothy

• Why does josh bell get so much playing time with  a batting average under .200?

Mark P

• At this point the Nats are hoping Bell goes on one of his patented ice cold-to-red hot sudden turns, in order to build his value for the trade deadline

Buzz Aldrin Bavasi

• With the D’backs starting pitching injuries and soon-to-be free agents, is the org looking at a quick rebuild this year and in 2026?

Mark P

• It’s tough for the D’Backs since their lineup is still so excellent.  I don’t think they’ll sell unless things get really dire by the deadline, since their offense is so good that the front office will hope they can simply slug their way to a postseason berth.

Joshua

• What would it take for Cincy to get Luis Garcia from the Nats?

Mark P

• Garcia is controlled through 2027 as a Super Two player, and he has been really heating up after a slow start.  The Nationals therefore likely aren’t going to move him without a significant return, like perhaps one of the Reds’ better young pitchers.I felt the Nats were going to be a lot more competitive than they’ve been, but in terms of the team’s overall outlook, one figures they still want to/hope to be in contention for 2026.  Moving Garcia might not be something the Nationals want to do unless they plan to kick the can down the road another year

Phanatic

• Is Dave going to blow up the farm system to fix the bullpen and maybe an outfielder? Would you trade Painter, Miller, Crawford, or Tait in a blockbuster?

Mark P

• One or even two of them, sure, if it’s for an ideal fit of a player.  Cleaning out the farm doesn’t seem optimal, even as much as the Phillies are in win-now mode

Playoff expansion

• Are you a fan of shortening the regular season to like 144 games and expanding the postseason to 16 total teams getting in?

Mark P

• Nah, I’m not a fan of expanded playoffs.  Baseball is such an unpredictable sport that letting more teams into the bracket opens the door for more upsets and random champions, which isn’t really a true reflection of the full season.

Guards Nation

• Do the Guards have legit rotation arms in Luis Ortiz and Slade Cecconi?

Mark P

• Both have looked pretty decent, which probably isn’t surprising since the Guardians have been so good at developing pitchers.  Makes sense that they’d also be good helping pitchers they’ve acquired take the next step.
• The only issue is that the rotation as a whole has looked “pretty decent” at best, which translates to a middle-of-the-pack starting five.  It’s not really Cleveland’s style to make such a move at the deadline, but the Guards are a team that could really use an ace.

Christian

• It’s too hot in the Midwest. Give me your coldest take of the 2025 season so far

Mark P

• Aaron Judge is going to have a great 2025 season

Yankee fan

• Does Freddie Freeman sign an extension with LAD?

Mark P

• Not that he’s slowing down at all, but Freeman will be 38 when his contract is up after the 2027 season.  Retirement might well be in the cards, but if he’s still performing like this in 2026, the Dodgers will surely have interest in seeing if he’s willing to stick around for another year or two

Marcus Semien

• Could the Rangers get anything for me this summer and is it time to move on?

Mark P

• Semien is owed over $85MM through the 2028 season, and is currently in the midst of his second straight year of decline at the plate.  The Rangers aren’t going to be able to move him unless they eat a lot of money, or take on another undesirable contract in return.
• Time to wrap things up for this week’s chat.  Thanks to everyone for the questions, and barring any further shift changes, we should be back with more answers next Sunday evening
• If you’re interested in more baseball Q&A, one of the many benefits of our Trade Rumors Front Office subscription is the exclusive weekly live chats. The more limited field means you’re about 10 times more likely to get a question answered, as opposed to battling for space with hundreds of other questions in today’s chat. For more on our memberships, check out this link:https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/membership?ref=chat-6-22-25