Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

• Hey everyone, hope you're well!
• Going to wrap right at 2:00 Central with the NT deadline but it's still pretty dead right now so we'll get this going a little early

Unclemike1526

• Players who accept the qualifying offer have some kind of trade protection right? I mean a FA can't be traded for so long after they sign to prevent teams from signing them and trading right? Exactly what are the rules concerning those situations? Thanks

Anthony Franco

• Yeah this is the same as if the player was a major league free agent who signed an MLB deal. Can't be traded without consent until June 15

A's Fan

• Do you see any world where the A's could potentially be in the running for a Zac Gallen?  Say they considerably overpay, 5 Years/125 million.

Anthony Franco

• Yeah I assume that'd get it done. Think it would go pretty badly though
• I'm already basically out on Gallen. The stuff gets incrementally worse each year, assume the HR rate will continue to climb. He'd be my pick to lead MLB in home runs allowed next season if he signed in that park

Michael

• I listened to the Podcast, and I feel Tucker is a hard one to predict.  But, it feels like he might be a player the Giants or Angels would seriously consider.  Thoughts?

Anthony Franco

• Would probably have the Angels a little behind the Jays, Yankees and Giants as likeliest options -- Halos are still a little cluttered in the corner OF and they have so many other needs to address -- but neither would be all that surprising to me

Thompson

• Final prediction for Jonah Heim and Adolis Garcia?

Anthony Franco

• I'll go García NT. Heim tendered but traded later in the offseason
• Hopefully the Rangers at least wait until the end of the chat to prove me wrong haha

Michael

• Do you see any scenario in which AA is in on Bichette?  Or do you think the Dubón trade ends any other activity at SS for the Braves (Bichette or Kim)?

Anthony Franco

• Bo would be so out of character for them. I don't see that one. Don't see why Dubón would take them out of the mix on HSK, just offers them cover if the asking price is outlandish
• I'm not sure the post-surgery version of Kim is all that much better than Dubón frankly, but the league seems to like HSK more than I do

Bruce Stringbean

• What kind of deals would you expect for Max Kepler and Austin Hays?

Anthony Franco

• One year each. Around $7M for Kepler and $4-5M for Hays

El Chupacabra

• Royals need a RH outfielder.  Morel, Fraley, and Bleday were recently DFA’d. Which should they go for?

Anthony Franco

• Fraley and Bleday are lefty hitters and Morel's barely an outfielder, so if you're looking specifically for a righty bat, none of them
• I think Fraley's the best player of the group and would be fine if they tossed him $3M as a platoon option in LF

Joe from Milwaukee

• Jarren Duran for Freddy Peralta straight up. Why says no and why?

Anthony Franco

• Hmm I see the logic for both but I'd pass if I were Milwaukee
• Duran has the extra control years obviously but he's already around $8M, so the arb price is probably going to be $10-12M by '27 and above $15M two years from now. It's quickly into "should they listen to offers on Duran" territory for them
• Obviously they could get something back down the line but the costliest arb years are going to have huge surplus value, and they'll get a pick after the first round in '27 if they hold Peralta all year (barring injury). I'd rather have the more valuable player for the upcoming season at that point

The Mayor

• Could you see the Tigers adding Harrison Bader to the outfield mix?
• 

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