MLBTR Chat Transcript

Mark P

• Let’s open up the Weekend Chat! We’ll delve into the bees, beads, and baseball after we get a few questions in the queue…

BhamBrave

• What sort of deal is Marcel Ozuna looking at after this season?

Mark P

• One year, worth maybe around $10MM or so?

  He’s entering his age-35 season, and is coming off a solid year that has seen him greatly increase his walk rate, even as his other numbers are basically all down from 2024.  (Though still above average.)  He’s a DH-only player, and his past off-the-field issues will also limit his market to some extent.

Kyle Schwarber

• Do you think i’ll resign with Philly?

Mark P

• Yes.  The Phillies have shown a tendency to retain their favored internal free agents, and Schwarber is beloved by everyone from ownership on down.

intl signings

• What is a better strategy in the intl signing period- sign one top prospect using most of your pool or sign a few second tier guys and spread the risk ?  Should you alternate the two strategies ?

Mark P

• It’s hard to say since the international market is such a crapshoot.  When dealing with prospects at such a young age, it’s so hard to view a kid as such a “sure thing” that it’s worth committing most of your pool towards a signing.  We’ve seen plenty of highly-touted int’l signings over the years fizzle out in the minors, let alone in the big leagues.

Rockies Fans

• It appears on paper we’re beginning to see a core group developing in Colorado: Hunter Goodman, Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar, Jordan Beck, Warming Bernabel, Kyle Karros, and Mickey Moniak.

Rockies future

• Are we beginning to see a young core develop in Colorado?

Mark P

• The Rockies have quietly played some respectable baseball over the last month or so, giving them a chance of avoiding the single-season loss record. I wouldn’t say the team is exactly on the right track since the organizational structure will always hold the Rockies back, but there are a few slivers of hope for the future

Blue Jays fan

• would you consider giving Berrios a rest with an IL stint now that Bieber is ready to pitch?

Mark P

• As Billy Eppler could tell you, teams can’t just put a guy on the IL for non-specific injury reasons.  I suspect that when Bieber is ready, the Jays will just go to a six-man rotation to give everyone extra rest days.
• Keep in mind that these plans can always turn on a dime.  The Phillies thought they had a six-man rotation all lined up just over 24 hours ago, before the news broke about Wheeler

Dub

• Mark: Good evening. Is Jacob Marsee a present and future fixture in the Marlins outfit rls?

Mark P

• Based on speed and defense alone, it’s looking this way.  The book on Marsee was whether he can hit enough to stick as a regular outfielder, and the early returns have been obviously incredible.
• Nobody should go crazy over an early-career hot streak, since Marsee “probably” isn’t the next Willie Mays.  But he’s absolutely doing enough to win himself a job for the foreseeable future

Sad Reds Fan

• Tell me why I shouldn’t be completely disheartened by our performance this weekend. Should’ve swept the Brewers, instead looked like we never played baseball before

Mark P

• Winning one game against the hottest team in baseball is no mean feat.  I think the Reds just caught the wrong team at the wrong time, hence the series loss.

A’s

• The A’s couldn’t fix Cusick either as a starter or reliever.  Why would they claim his former college teammate Shuster who was also a Braves #1 pick the year before ?  Shuster has better control, but doesn’t throw hard enough so what are they thinking ?.

Mark P

• It costs the Athletics almost literally nothing to claim Shuster and take a look at him.  For a rebuilding team in need of pitching, why not take a flier on a guy and see if you can find a fix?

Mark

• Red Sox will need another higher end starter in the off season. Of Gore, Ryan and Alcantara who do you think makes the most sense for them if they can swing a deal?

Mark P

• The Sox and Twins had some talks about Ryan already, with reports indicating that the two sides weren’t particularly close on a deal.  However, it could be that those talks laid some groundwork, and perhaps at least gave both sides some idea of what the other wants in such a deal.  The Twins were reportedly prioritizing MLB-ready talent in trades, and while Boston wasn’t willing to make such a move at the deadline, their perspective might be changed during the winter.

Angel Fan

• Do you think Nolan Schanuel has a future ceiling of a Mark Grace like career?

Mark P

• I’m going to say no, not out of disrespect to Schanuel but more out of respect to Grace’s career.  Grace was a terrific player for a long time, and it would be a huge success for Schanuel and the Angels if he can get even in the ballpark of a Grace-esque career

McGonigle ETA?

• When do you think Kevin McGonigle will get to DET and why?

Mark P

• It would be quite surprising if he isn’t in the big leagues before 2026 is over

Redsfan

• Do you think the Reds pass the Mets and make the WC?

Mark P

• The two teams have a three-game series in Cincinnati in September and looms large.  The Reds are up 2-1 so far this season for tiebreaker purposes.

  I think the Reds haven’t been fully able to capitalize on the Mets’ slide to this point, yet they have more momentum than New York at this point.  On paper, the Mets should be able to get it together, but the chalk hasn’t amounted to anything for them over the last several weeks.  Frankly, I wouldn’t even count out teams like the Cardinals, Giants, or D’Backs from making a late run just yet.

• Also, every Mets has undoubtedly noticed that the Braves have quietly been red-hot over the last week

Nancy’s Friend Sluggo

• Dylan Cease has had a nightmare platform year. Does he sign a one-year pillow contract with a team that’s good at fixing pitchers? Do you think he can get a second-year player option?

Mark P

• This looks like the classic case of a Scott Boras short-term contract with multiple opt-outs.  Cease’s secondary metrics are better than his ERA indicates, but you’re right that he isn’t exactly heading into free agency on a high note, unless he really turns it on in September.

No NY baseball?

• How likely is it both NY teams are sitting at home in October?

Mark P

• Will both New York teams make the playoffs?

  ---

  Both make (32.6% | 199 votes)

  Both miss (26.8% | 164 votes)

  Yankees make, Mets miss (24.4% | 149 votes)

  Mets make, Yankees miss (16.0% | 98 votes)

  ---

  Total Votes: 610

Bosox Fan 1

• Does time on the IL count as Major League service tim

Mark P

• Yes

Golfer

• Will the return of the injured Astros be enough to keep them in the playoffs?

Mark P

• My guess is that Houston makes it, since they’ve done a terrific job of at least treading water with so many key players missing

bobthebuilder

• Mike Elias has led the Orioles to 3 winning seasons in a row for the 1st time since the 70’s. I think his leash has to be longer than this offseason. Are the cries to fire him overblown or are you getting into that camp?

Mark P

• Some serious questions need to be asked about the Orioles’ roster-building, but overall, I lean more towards 2025 being a “year from hell” than a sign that this team is going to spiral back into long-term irrelevance.

  My guess is that Elias has earned more time from ownership, but keep in mind that Rubenstein is still something of a wild card.  Maybe he has a mind to hire his own GM to see what a fresh voice can do with all of the talent within the organization.

Phree Phallin’

• put aside the potential seriousness of the situation; big picture we all want wheeler just to get healthy. But purely baseball, if he’s out for an extended period or the rest of the yr, does that cost the Phils making the playoffs with their inconsistent offense?

Mark P

• Philly is a virtual lock to make the playoffs, but losing Wheeler obviously is a huge blow to their chances of actually winning a championship.

Boys in Blue

• Does the Dodgers’ sweep of the Padres say more about the status of the Dodgers or Padres? Or neither?

Mark P

• It’s another sign that the Dodgers aren’t going anywhere.  All the momentum in the world seemed to be on SD’s side going into the series, but now the Dodgers have clinched the season series in emphatic fashion.

6 into 4

• Assuming the Jays rotation stays injury free (big if of course) who are the going to the odd men out in the postseason?  Presume Lauer will go to the pen despite the impressive season but who else of the other five will be dropped?

Jesse Barfield’s Arm

• Should Jays fans pump the breaks on presuming Bieber and Scherzer are locks for the 3 man rotation in Oct?  Shane is still recovering from TJ and Mad Max is a thumb injury away from the 60 day IR.

Mark P

• The Blue Jays are in the odd position of both having “too many” starters on paper, and also having Gausman as the only one of those six guaranteed to be a playoff starter.  As noted in these messages, Bieber hasn’t pitched a big league game in over 16 months, Scherzer is an injury risk, Lauer is the easiest to transition to a relief role, and Berrios/Bassitt have had their shares of shaky outings.

  The good news is that the Jays have several weeks to figure this out.  Perhaps the situation solves itself in a positive way (two starters get red-hot in September and become obvious locks for a playoff rotation) or in a negative way (injuries, struggles, etc.)

Canada

• Day for Night or Trouble At the Henhouse?

Mark P

• Both are fine choices, but Day For Night is one of my favorite albums ever.

  Wait, this is a Tragically Hip question….FAVOURITE albums ever.

Dean

• Likely or unlikely that Rays new ownership moves on from Neander and Cash?  I, for one, think it’s time for a leadership change.

Mark P

• Reports indicate that the new owners are likely to keep everything intact in the baseball ops department, and with good reason.
• If the Rays actually let Neander or Cash go, both would find new jobs within minutes.

Neto

• What does my extension look like?

Mark P

• Neto is a Super Two player, and will only be arb-eligible for the first of four times this upcoming offseason.  So with team control already established through 2029, the Angels might not feel the need to lock him up just yet.

  Also of note: a look at the MLBTR Contract Tracker indicates that the Angels haven’t been very active on the extension front for the last decade.  https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/contracttracker?name=&team=LAA&position…

• Trout is the big exception, of course, but his situation is obviously very different from Neto’s.  The Halos’ other extensions have been mostly shorter-term deals either covering arb years or with veteran players.

  With this in mind, it will interesting to see if the team tries to extend Neto, as he has done a lot to make himself look like a building block for LAA

Cleveland

• What would you like to see us do in the offseason? Has it just been some bad injury luck with prospects this year? Delauter and Brito were supposed to be big features of this team.

Mark P

• The Guardians have around $37.2MM on the books for next season (thanks to RosterResource!) and that isn’t counting arb raises or whatever might happen with Clase’s contract if he is suspended.

  I realize that expecting the Guards to suddenly break the bank is a fool’s errand, but investing in at least one proper everyday player who can legit hit, and one solid starting pitcher would go a long way.  The Gimenez trade alone cleared so much long-term money off Cleveland’s books that they can reinvest that cash into some much-needed hitting help.

Guest

• Basallo is a ML’er now. Shouldn’t there be another 10-12 prospects called up now that we’re past the middle of August?

Mark P

• No doubt.  Even going into my usual weekend duties, I was fully expecting to be writing at least one “Orioles call up Basallo” or “Orioles call up Beavers” post, for instance.

Fat Guy

• What direction do you think the Twins will go in 2026?

Mark P

• The front office will be trying to contend, but they very likely won’t have much (or any) spending room again.  Lopez’s contract makes him a prime candidate to be traded, but Ryan is inexpensive enough that I think he’d only be moved if another team offers the moon and stars.

Brewers GM Arnold

• Chances I trade Peralta this off-season?

Mark P

• I wouldn’t be entirely shocked since that’s just how the Brewers roll.  But, Peralta at $8MM is a such a huge bargain that it carries particular value to a Brewers team working within a limited budget.  As we saw with Adames, the Brewers are willing to let a talented player just reach free agency, and I suspect this might be the case here with Peralta.

  Milwaukee’s pitching depth perhaps adds more fuel to the idea that Peralta could be dealt, but there’s a difference between depth and the certainty that Peralta offers as a surefire frontline guy

Chris young

• Do the rangers have a legit shot or should we look forward to the off season? What is the rangers current cbt number for next season?

Mark P

• Texas has a lot of money off the books, and RosterResource has them close to $100MM under the 2026 tax line.  So that shouldn’t be an issue, even if it isn’t quite clear yet if they’ve ducked under the line for 2025.

  And as for their playoff chances now, things are getting ugly.  While the Yankees have their issues and nobody in the wild race is exactly on fire, I think the Rangers’ struggles have put them too far behind the eight ball

Marky Mark

• Whats on the Sunday Chat Playlist?

Mark P

• That earlier Tragically Hip question inspired me to put on some “Day For Night” tracks.

Kris Bryant

• How long do you think Kris Bryant will be out with his back issues? I was diagnosed with the same sa

Mark P

• At this point, Bryant’s career may well be over.  It’s hard to see him returning for anything close to a full season, as if he does get back for 2026, I worry it’ll be another case where he has to shut things down within a month.

Kokonuts

• Best guesses on where Nathaniel Lowe lands?

Kyle

• It’s pretty much a given that Lowe makes it through waivers, correct? Gut feeling of where he ends up?

Mark P

• Pretty much everyone immediately guessed Boston the moment Lowe was DFA’d

Bubba chandler

• When will I finally be promoted?

Mark P

• Any day now. Especially with Heaney being moved to the bullpen.

Kramer

• Is Falter still under arbitration next season with KC? If so, I guess he enters the rotatin discussion and replaces Lorenzen. Really liking what we’ve seen from Bergert. Will Kolak come up sometime this season with KC?

Mark P

• Falter is arb-controlled through 2028, so he’s a long-term piece.  Between Ragans, Wacha, Lugo, Cameron, Bubic, and now Falter and a couple of others, KC has plenty of rotation depth.
• Makes for some interesting trade possibilities this winter, even with the “you can never have enough pitching” caveat

Alex

• Thoughts on whether you think the Twins fire sale was the right call? I’m a twins fan and I thought every trade was good except Varland. This years team was headed nowhere

Mark P

• They traded mostly impending free agents, and I think moving Correa was a wise move in the big picture.  So from a pure baseball perspective, I get the logic of the trades, especially since they brought in a lot of young talent and a lot of MLB-ready players.

  But it doesn’t erase the fact that it’s unfortunate that it came to this, since this Twins team seemed to have all the momentum in the world coming off the 2023 season.  And, these kind of payroll cuts are yet another morale-killer to a fanbase that has had to put with a lot.

Jays Fan

• Is Eric Lauer under Jays control in 2026?

Mark P

• Yes, he has one remaining year of arbitration eligibility.

Frankie Montas

• Has any underperforming baseball player like me ever turned down a large player option to have more opportunity to play elsewhere? The handwriting is on the wall for me: I’m going to be buried behind many more talented starting pitchers if I say in Queens.

Mark P

• Montas is surely not opting out and leaving $17MM on the table.  His next contract wouldn’t be worth near that much.

Giants

• Do Giants look to add another big bat this offseason to go with Devers do you think?

Mark P

• Probably.  Though, it isn’t a great look that the offense is still such a problem even after such heavy investments in Adames, Chapman, and Lee
• And the investment of taking on Devers’ contract, of course

Commander McBragg

• Are you worried (like myself) that the Cubs won’t even make the playoffs this year.  They sure have looked terrible lately!!

Mark P

• The Cubs still have a healthy lead on the rest of the wild card field.  Despite their struggles, I think Milwaukee almost going unbeaten for like a month made Chicago’s struggles (which are real, don’t get me wrong) look a bit worse than they actually are

Password

• September cup of coffee? He’s already on the 40 man

Mark P

• Now that he’s started playing first base, Garcia as a call-up might be Boston’s preferred option than seeing what Nathaniel Lowe can provide in a new environment.

Kyle

• In light of the article the other day about Story opting out, where would you put the odds of that actually happening, and what kind of contract could he be looking at in this years free agent market?

Mark P

• I agree with Darragh’s take that Story will likely stay in his contract.  Maybe if Story goes scorching hot in September he might consider it, but it is much more likely that he stays in Boston rather than risk free agency

Guest

• Who has had the worst season, however you choose to define it? Braves, Rockies, Giants, Orioles, Twins? Someone else?

Mark P

• Expectations were so high for the Braves and Orioles that they’re certainly the biggest disappointments of this group.

Perry

• Should I focus more on Starting pitchers or relievers?

Mark P

• Rotation help is always more valuable but relievers are cheaper and (relatively) easier to find.  Starters have to be the first priority since if you can lock down at least one rotation spot, it has a good cascading effect on everything else

Braves Homer

• AA trade Profar for salary relief and go after Tucker?

Mark P

• What team would want to take on Profar’s contract, and before you say “the Padres,” remember that they have payroll limitations of their own.  Signing Tucker to a mega-deal would be out of character for the Braves, and seemingly unlikely for a team that made a point of getting under the tax line last winter

Tommy Lasorda meets God!!!

• Funniest thing you remember seeing in a game?

Mark P

• Forget about perfect games or four-homer games….I was at the “Alejandro Kirk stole a base” game the other night

Free agent buzz

• What do the Dbacks do this offseason. They moved their pending FAs, but feels like a full rebuild would be a weird move.

Mark P

• They’re not rebuilding.  They’ve got a good amount of money off the books and, while their payroll be lower than it was in 2025, they’ll still have some money to spend on upgrades.

  Fixing the pitching is the obvious priority, since they’ll need at least one starter and multiple relievers.

Hawk

• With Stearns in NY, who is the main brain behind the Brewers success?

Mark P

• This kind of consistent year-after-year succeeds needs a lot of people to keep the wheels turning rather than just one singular executive.

  Obviously the Mets made a point of recruiting Stearns and the Cubs hired Counsell away, but it’s interesting that you haven’t really seen the kind of coaching/front office hiring exodus from Milwaukee that you’ve seen with other teams making a point to hire people away from the Rays, Guardians, Dodgers, etc.

Gaurdiansjoe

• I know Bazzana just got to triple a, any chance he and Delauter get a call up this year to get their feet wet? Falling further and further back, might as well try for top 3 in next years rookie of the year

Mark P

• DeLauter might be out for the season due to his hamate surgery, and the Guardians probably don’t see any reason to rush Bazzana just yet.
• There does seem to be a decent chance Bazzana is Cleveland’s Opening Day second baseman, if the Guardians want to make a bold PPI move

Guidey Bud

• Soderstrom in LF has been dreadful… does the presence of Rooker and emergence of Kurtz block him from meaningful MLB at bats ?

Mark P

• The public defensive metrics have him at +1 DRS and +2 OAA.  The Fielding Bible people don’t exactly have him on their radar, but if Soderstrom can provide that kind of passable defense, he’ll work out just fine in left field
• We’re two hours deep, so it’s time to wrap things up.  Thanks to everyone who submitted a question!
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