The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The Mets moving Sean Manaea to the bullpen and optioning Kodai Senga (1:50)
- The Diamondbacks, Reds and Giants, who are trying to chase down the Mets (13:40)
- The Giants promoting Bryce Eldridge (19:40)
- The Blue Jays promoting Trey Yesavage (25:30)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- Will the Astros trade Christian Walker in the offseason and move Isaac Paredes over to first base? (38:45)
- Will the Braves make any shocking trades of their core this offseason? (47:40)
- Will the Red Sox nab a postseason spot and can they make a deep postseason run? (55:00)
Check out our past episodes!
- Talking Mariners With Jerry Dipoto – listen here
- A Conversation With Pirates GM Ben Cherington — Also The O’s, Zack Wheeler, And The Rangers – listen here
- The Pohlads Aren’t Selling The Twins, Nathaniel Lowe, And Service Time Manipulation – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Photo courtesy of Benny Sieu, Imagn Images
Where is the Mets’ $700 million super star? As usual, acting like an immature kid, trying to make sure he’s being seen and hitting solo home runs. They need a leader and they don’t have one. Where would they be without the Polar Bear, whose re-signing was evidently an afterthought.
They didn’t sign him to lead the team. They signed him to do exactly what he’s doing – hit. The Mets bullpen is the primary reason for the collapse, even with the acquisitions.
Soto is having his third best season ever but unreasonable people are going to find ways to poke holes at a 5.5+ WAR player.
When you are a Generational Player, and are making the money of three good players, well you are just going to have to get used to a few holes being punched into to you. Is that so hard to understand?
“They didn’t sign him to lead”..In the history of all team sports, when you sign the biggest contract(ever), you automatically become a “team leader” and an example to others in the team.
Sure, tell that to Kevin Brown, Mike Hampton, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, etc. Fans may expect that but front offices certainly don’t.
Who cares about the money? Thats between the owner/agent. Soto is doing exactly what he’s always done, and stealing bases now too. He’s not a leader, never was.
He’s been the best player on the team. This is either low effort trolling or you’ve got serious problems. He’s leading the NL in offensive WAR.
The problem with Juan Soto, according to Mets fans, is that most of his HRs and stolen bases come when the game is already decided and mostly during garbage time in losses. When the Mets were playing great at the beginning of the year, it was despite Soto, not because of him.
I’m not a Mets fan, and therefore, I don’t watch their games, so I’m not sure how accurate their narrative is.
But I would definitely like to know if this is true.
@SoCalBrave
I’m not one to make assumptions like this for a fanbase, but all my 40+ years of being a Yankees and baseball fan has taught me that there’ll be some vocal fans who want a scapegoat after a high-expectation season.
There are stats for that, check his splits on baseball-reference. He’s slightly better in low leverage (.987 OPS) but still great in high leverage (.850 OPS). The difference is about what I’d expect because the other team brings in a better pitcher in higher leverage situations… but the sOPS+ shows that he does exceed league average by more in low leverage than he does in high leverage and has a higher home run rate in low and medium leverage.
@Soto should bat first,
If you had only utilized a couple of commas in your reply, its effect would’ve been much more devastating. I’m here to help.
You guys are so good, I hate to nitpick but I heard two things in the Orioles section that just aren’t correct.
Both are on the question of Baltimore holding guys in AAA or on bench too long. Kjerstad’s collapse was not in anyway caused by that. He was brought on rel. slowly but was hitting great. His issues all came from prolonged, repeated concussion effects from the beaning. The Yankees threw at his head and his career is probably shot.
The 2nd is Stowers. After 350 PA he was virtually unplayable, combining pretty bad OF defense with 30% below avg offense. Miami was one of the only places he could even get ABs. Very few 27 year olds turn it around after that kind of start. He probably had minimal trade value on opening day.
The Mets should trade for Christian Walker in the offseason, depending on what the Astros ask for ? As long as it’s not our young pitchers, Benge or Jett. Walker can DH or take over 1b if Alonso opts out. If Alonso opts out let him go, if Diaz opts out let him go.
Why would the Mets want to trade and give up a package to attain a player they could have signed a year ago? He only aged and regressed every way playing in Houston.
Alonso needs to be retained unless the Mets see a more useful or cheaper alternative. Alonso will be retained most likely as no one will mean as much as Polar Bear to the Mets. I see a similar situation playing out this offseason as last. Seek max deal from other teams that Mets could match/exceed.
Mets need to retain Diaz as other options aren’t as enticing nor ny tested.
Man, I’m so glad you’re not the Mets GM. Trade for an aging, expensive first baseman in Walker; no thanks. Use him at DH instead of Vientos, which would mean that Vientos would have to play the field and Baty would be without a true position again next year; no thanks. Let Alonso walk; maybe. Let Diaz walk when he’s been the Mets only consistently great reliever all season; no thanks.
I said it at the time they signed Alonso back. They should have walked away and let Vientos play 1B consistently.
I believe that Vientos is better offensively if he plays consistently than playing sporadically at random positions or DH.
Could he have matched what Alonso has done this year?
Maybe… last year, he had an identical 3.1 WAR to Alonso’s this year.
AVG and SLG were almost identical, with Pete walking a little more.
Vientos had 27 HRs in 111 games, while Pete has 35 in 151.
Francisco Lindor is their leader. Soto is not a problem.
The rotation overachieving in the 1st half and collapsing in the 2nd half, along with poor results from the trade deadline acquisitions other than Rogers, is most of the problem.
@Darragh McDonald,
Can ‘The Struggling Mets’ please become a regular feature of MLBTR?
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Dar, I don’t think you have a brain worm. The notion of moving Pena makes a lot of sense. Tigers would be a great team for him. He would hold the spot until McGonigle is ready which probably isn’t out of spring training this year. Tigers are not going to extend him, they have their own issues with Bora$$ clients. As long as Houston doesn’t want anyone in our top 5 prospects, I could see a deal being made there..