MLBTR Chat Transcript

Steve Adams

• Good morning, and happy New Year to all! I’ll get going around 1pm CT, give or take a couple minutes. Feel free to send in questions ahead of time if you’re so inclined. Looking forward to it!
• Greetings!
• Happy New Year
• Let’s get going

Michael Young is my goat

• Am I delusional in thinking signing Verlander, Coulombe, and Hoskins would both fit the Rangers budget as well as round out the roster in decent fashion. I view them needing a middle of the rotation guy, a leverage arm(some liberties here), and a part time RH bat who can dh and/or play a corner spot. Seems fairly realistic to me, assuming Verlander doesn’t want to specially go back to Detroit or Houston.

Steve Adams

• We don’t have a great sense of the Rangers’ stopping point for their budget, but they’ve watched several guys who were good contributors in 2025 — Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, Shawn Armstrong — sign pretty cheap one-year deals elsewhere, which doesn’t seem to bode well for them having the money to sign the guys you listed.I’m also not sure they’d see a big enough gap between Hoskins and Burger. Also imagine you’re probably underselling what Verlander can/will command on a one-year deal once he signs.
• Tl;dr … I think that’s probably a more expensive slate of names than they sign. On an individual level, sure, I can see them bringing Coulombe back.

In Suspenders

• Are my Giants going to “show the money”?

Steve Adams

• I think they’re of the mindset that they “showed the money” when they acquired Devers, signed Adames and extended Chapman.Their offseason has been wildly underwhelming to date, but they’ve repeatedly signaled that they don’t think they’ll be going particularly long-term on any prominent free agents.

  Would still love to see them grab Tucker or Bichette, but nothing they’ve done to this point suggests to me that they’re going to stretch to those levels.

The Real Steve Adams

• Cijnte and Montes for Donovan, who says no?

Steve Adams

• I think both is too steep for the Mariners to pay. Have a hard time seeing the Cardinals turn that down.

Douggy18

• Why has Jonah Heim gotten no attention?  Has he fallen off that badly?

Steve Adams

• He’s been terrible for two seasons and is probably the third- or fourth-best catcher on the market at the moment. Have to imagine he’s waiting on Realmuto and Caratini to sign.Heim probably gets a big league deal, but if you told me he had to settle for a minor league contract/NRI, I wouldn’t be stunned. He’s batted .217/.269/.334 over his past 925 MLB plate appearances, and his once-elite defensive grades have cratered.

  That’s not going to be a priority for any club.

Bucco Basement

• Boras gets blamed alot for allegedly leaking information about interested teams to drive up contract offers. How true are these accusations and how much do you think this kind of information unfairly gets fans’ hopes up that their team is actually in on FAs when they are not realistic destinations (thinking specifically of the Pirates’ connection to Okamoto and the ridiculous assertion that they are “in” on Bellinger)?

Steve Adams

• 90% of agents/agencies put things out to the media — it’s not a Boras-specific thing.

WandersLust

• As the off-season progresses and teams firm up depth charts, does a trade of Brendan Donovan or Ketel Marte become less likely?

Steve Adams

• I’ve said repeatedly that I don’t think Marte will move — even if I am admittedly working on something regarding which teams are the best fits in a trade based on need/payroll/young pitching supply — and I’d be shocked if Donovan is a Cardinal on Opening Day
• On Marte: I don’t think it happens, but it’s obviously being discussed, and it’s of immense interest to our readers, so I think it’s worth looking at without overplaying the likelihood. There’s obviously a non-zero chance he goes … I just think it’s far likelier he stays put.

Cory

• So I assume a reliever or 2 on major league deals or trades, as well as at minimum a Trevor Larnach trade at some point. After that, what would you expect the Twins to do the rest of the offseason? For example, do you think they listen on someone like Wallner too? Thanks!

Steve Adams

• They have to sign (or trade for) at least two relievers. I don’t know who’s giving up anything for Larnach. I was surprised they tendered him a deal. Maybe someone sees an OF go down this spring and shows some interest.No reason they wouldn’t listen on Wallner, in my eyes.

Donnie

• If the Phillies dont bring back JT, Is Adley a reasonable fallback option?

Steve Adams

• Baltimore president Mike Elias has been pretty clear that he thinks having Rutschman and Basallo on the same roster is a strength. They’d be selling low on Adley, and Basallo hasn’t really proven himself as a major league catcher anyhow.I just don’t think a Rutschman trade is all that likely.

Reds

• Is Spencer Jones a legit ROY candidate and what are the chances he gets traded?

Steve Adams

• Yankee fans probably hate every time I take a Jones question, because I’m about as bearish on his outlook as anyone at MLBTR (and probably at other sites… FanGraphs, PitcherList, etc.)I just don’t see how someone who swings and misses THAT much in the minors can produce in the big leagues. The tools are huge, the physicality is impressive, all that … but he fanned in 37% of his AAA plate appearances. That’s Joey Gallo levels of minor league strikeouts.
• Obviously Gallo had a few really good years, so maybe that’s not an unrealistic outcome for Jones, but I just don’t think he’s going to be a star and think there’s a larger-than-usual chance (relative to other top prospects) that he just isn’t productive at all in the majors.

Dbacks Rotation

• Mike Hazen cannot be done adding can he?  Kelly, Nelson, Pfaadt, Rodriguez, and Soroka – I don’t see the quality or the quantity of innings.  Not a ton of help in the upper minors either.

Steve Adams

• No, I don’t think the Dbacks are done adding to the staff (or the roster as a whole)

Tim

• Any new rumors involving Skubal?

Steve Adams

• Probably shouldn’t be so down on the idea of trading Skubal … we’d draw in more traffic if we played it up and focused on it consistently haha. But everyone here has said since Day 1 of the offseason (beforehand, really) that we think the Skubal talk is overblown.I know people will keep writing about it until the season begins, but I’ve been of the “less than 1% chance this happens” mindset all winter

Jay

• Berrios, Schneider, and Adam Macko for Mason Miller.  Who says no?

Steve Adams

• If that were all it took to get Miller, he’d be a Blue Jay
• Actually, no, he’d be with another club, because another team would happily blow that package out of the water. It’s a nonstarter. Berrios has negative trade value. Schneider is a bench piece. Macko might be like a fourth or fifth piece in an actual Miller package, but this doesn’t even get the ball rolling.

Pirates

• Does Pittsburgh have a realistic shot at signing Geno? What other FAs/ trades could they pull off to field a competitive team while they still have Skenes?

Steve Adams

• Sure, I don’t think Suarez is unreasonable there. At this point, I’d take the under on our 3/63 prediction from November, and even if that were the stopping point, the Pirates could make that offer.

mike

• why is  Luis Arráez market so quiet??

Steve Adams

• Most front offices just don’t think he’s that good. He has an elite hit tool — probably the best in MLB — but zero power, declining OBP skills, poor speed and little to no defensive value. He’s a fun throwback, but it’s not a skill set that is valued in today’s game

Andujar

• Can’t wait until I am splitting time at DH and right field for Cleveland this year.

Steve Adams

• Hey we can mock the Guardians’ thrifty ways, but Andujar is probably going to be a nice bargain for someone as long as his new club uses him properly (minimal time in the field, more PAs versus LHP than RHP, etc.)

AstrosFAN

• 1 of 3 Christian Walker, Issac Paredes, and Jesus Sanchez is traded. I feel like 2 of 3 are traded, what do you see each fetching us?

Steve Adams

• I don’t actually think any of the three are traded. Dana Brown is about as candid and straight-shooting as a GM gets, and he’s openly said he doesn’t think he needs to trade anyone from the group. I tend to agree. I’d be looking to move Walker, but he doesn’t seem to want to eat half the contract and sell low, which is perfectly defensible.Paredes is the only one of the three with positive trade value, and he’s obviously the one they’d be least inclined to trade away.

Blue Jays

• Convince me that Cody Ponce is for real or one season wonder.

Steve Adams

• Velocity is up from his MLB days. Stuff is better in general. I was talking to a scout (not from the Jays) about Murakami, Imai, Okamoto, etc. prior to the offseason and he unprompted told me “You need to have Cody Ponce on your top 50 list, too. He’s going to make more than $20 million”He had real interest from several big-market teams. I’m not saying he’s an ace or anything, but I do think he’ll be a perfectly viable midrotation arm.

Ryan Ripken

• Coby Mayo + Povich = Gore?

Steve Adams

• If you could dial the calendar back to 2023, perhaps! Both guys’ stock is down too far for that to move the needle on Gore.

MarioSoto

• Am I wrong to be upset with the Reds penny pinching ways?

Steve Adams

• I’d be pissed off if I were a Reds fan. Plenty of offseason left, so maybe they pull a rabbit out of the hat, but this team’s rotation is off-the-charts talented, and they seem committed to just spending notable money on Emilio Pagan and taking a bargain-bin approach to the lineup… all coming off a postseason berth.Given the apparent lack of spending power this winter, I’m all the more perplexed as to why they acquired Ke’Bryan Hayes. Love the glove, of course, and there’s something to be said for bolstering run prevention when you already have such a talented pitching staff, but allotting $7.5MM annually to a glove-only third baseman is a weird move for a team in dire need of some real offensive help.

Mehts

• If offering some combo of Acuna/Mauricio/Vientos would MItch Keller be a logical trade target for Stearns to address SP?

Steve Adams

• Could see Vientos having some appeal, but I wouldn’t move Keller for him alone and don’t think the others have a ton of value right now.Also feel like if the Mets are trading for a starter, they should aim for more ceiling than Keller anyhow.

Buster Posey

• Out of Nico Hoerner, Brendan Donovan, or Bo Bichette, who is most likely to come over to the Giants? With the fact that we’re afraid to spend big on pitching, we’re poised to bring over a big bat… right?

Steve Adams

• I’d be so surprised if the Cubs trade Hoerner, and even more surprised if the Giants met Bichette’s asking price.Donovan seems realistic and attainable, so he’s the easy answer for me

Orioles

• What is the hold up with Ranger Suarez/ Framber Valdez? Are you still confident we get one of the two?

Steve Adams

• I think they’ll add another notable starter, whether it’s one of those two, Zac Gallen, or someone via trade (Edward Cabrera, MacKenzie Gore, etc.)

Ryan

• There have been reported offers for Donovan from the Giants being Whisenhunt, Kilen and a lottery ticket low A pitcher. Your thoughts on that as the return?

Steve Adams

• That’s not really what Katie Woo reported at The Athletic. She said Whisenhunt and Kilen had been discussed with the Giants — not necessarily in the same trade package.If the Giants offered both players and a lower-level prospect, I think it’d be a strong offer.

Tyler McDuffie

• Are the Angels serious about having Christian Moore play 3B even though he hasn’t had any reps there in his pro career?

Steve Adams

• I’ll be surprised if they don’t add a 3B from outside the org

Rowland

• None of the big free agent Japanese players got nearly the projected contracts expected. What happened?

Steve Adams

• Okamoto landed right where we thought he would.Murakami and Imai had notable flaws that were available in public scouting reports and that scouts expressed in private conversations. The general thought was that both are young enough and had appealing enough top tools (Murakami’s power, Imai’s velocity and K’s) that teams would overlook those concerns and go long-term.

  Some of the projections — certainly ours — were clouded by placing too much weight on the Dodgers’ Yamamoto signing. Yamamoto was essentially a flawless, perfect free agent. He didn’t have any of the red flags seen with Imai and Murakami.

  The market clearly had more prominent concerns about Murakami’s glove/strikeouts and Imai’s command and ability to miss bats with his secondaries

Camelback Ranch

• White Sox and Dodgers have a history of lining up on trades. Does a framework of Rushing and Treinen for Robert and Quero move the needle?

Steve Adams

• Not making that move if I’m the Dodgers

O’s Fan

• Assuming the same contract (unrealistic but bear with me), who would you rather have between Framber and Ranger if you’re the O’s?

Steve Adams

• Framber

Eugenio Suarez

• What sort of contract do you think he’ll get at this point, and is a reunion with Seattle still on the table?

Steve Adams

• We predicted 3/63 in November, and we had to talk Tim Dierkes into it since he wanted more like 2/50. In retrospect, I now prefer his prediction, but 3/60 doesn’t seem impossible to me. We’ll see where Bregman lands and how motivated some of the teams that miss on him are.

Dylan

• Are we getting a new podcast episode tomorrow? I love the show. Thank you for the content.

Steve Adams

• Darragh and I just recorded this morning! Kyle will edit tonight, and it’ll run tomorrow. Thanks for listening!

Kyle tucker

• where will he sign

Steve Adams

• I doubt Kyle himself knows the answer to this question right now!

Bob “Hammerin” Hamelin

• I keep reading reports that the Royals are still on some OF help.  I’ve heard Duran, but what other possibilities are out there for them, via trade?  They can’t roll out the current OF that they have.  Thanks!

Steve Adams

• Yeah they definitely need more help in the OF. Duran and Abreu from Boston make sense, of course, but other names I could realistically see on the market include Alec Burleson, Lars Nootbaar, Brenton Doyle, Mickey Moniak, Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner, maybe one of Dylan Beavers/Colton Cowser (if the O’s are getting a quality starter back), Nathan Lukes, Jake Meyers, Teoscar Hernandez … plenty more I’m sure I’m spacing on.

Brady

• Do you buy the Phillies as real contenders for Bichette?

Steve Adams

• I buy them as a team hanging around the periphery — not so much an aggressive pursuer.

Samsung user

• Will MLBTR ever make an app for android??

Steve Adams

• We have an Android app and have had one for more than a decade. We’re in the process of redoing the app for both iOS and Android. The former is available for beta testing right now:
  https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/join-the-beta-test-for-the-new-…

Previous Dodger trade

• Wait wait wait. Why would you not make that trade if you are the Dodgers?

Steve Adams

• I don’t think Edgar Quero is going to be a catcher in the long run, and Robert would be a $22MM tax hit for a team that’s paying 110%, so he’d cost them $46.2MM in 2026. Even when subtracting the money owed to Treinen ($11MM AAV and a net $23.1MM expenditure), they’re still taking on an extra $23MM and giving up the much better all-around catching prospect — all to take on a center fielder who is immensely talented but even more injury-prone and with a pretty worrying recent track record of actual performance.

Sleepless in Milwaukee

• For a team that finished with the best record in baseball last year…what’s the catch?…trade away a versatile utility player who finished 4th in ROY voting and a leverage flamethrower arm…rumors swirling about moving our ace…help me make sense of this…

Steve Adams

• Standard operating procedure for the Brewers. They’re always going to be open to trading stars as they approach free agency. More often than not, they’ll probably do it. (Hader, Burnes, Williams, Lucroy) Sometimes they don’t (Adames)Collins was a great story in ’25 but a clear regression candidate at the plate (somewhat heavy BABIP, poor batted-ball metrics, etc.) They’ve liked Zerpa forever and clearly think they can make him a big weapon. I wouldn’t bet against Milwaukee’s pitching development (or player development in general)

  I’m sure there are some modest additions in the offing, but the Brewers are only rarely going to be a team to make a huge splash in free agency, and they sort of did that by making the QO to Woodruff and keeping him at $22.05MM.

Jays Fan

• Do you like Tucker or Bo better for the jays??

Steve Adams

• Sure. Or the Mets. Yankees. Lots of teams.

MLB is fun

• Are the Yankees concerned with Edward Cabrera’s medical, what’s the hold up with him?

Steve Adams

• I’m sure every team is mildly concerned about his medicals. He has a huge injury history. But there’s no agreement in place between the two teams, so there’s no “holdup” of which to speak. I suppose the “holdup” is that the Yankees haven’t offered enough for the Marlins to move him (nor has any other team)

Doodahman

• Are the Rays looking for an upgrade at catcher–Caritini or Heim ?

Steve Adams

• They should be! I don’t think Heim is a clear upgrade over either Fortes or Feduccia after the two seasons he’s had, but Caratini would be a nice, reasonably priced fit. He might be waiting on  Realmuto, though.

PLEASE

• Alcantara for Casas, straight up?? Who says no??

Steve Adams

• Marlins

Guest

• Should the reds trade elly in his last year?

Steve Adams

• He’s controlled for four more years.
• Unless you’re asking me if they should trade De La Cruz in like… the 2028-29 offseason. In which case, my answer is, “Who knows what the team, payroll, league, etc. will look like by then”

Chad

• Do you see the Cardinals making anymore moves?

Steve Adams

• They’ll trade Donovan and Romero at least.

redrum

• don’t you think Geno Suarez would be a perfect d.h. in Cincy?

Steve Adams

• He’d be a fine fit there. I doubt the Reds are spending at the necessary level to get him, but it’d be a perfectly sensible reunion, sure

Scoops McGee

• As a Rockies fan, give me something to be excited for in 2026

Steve Adams

• The team is finally overhauling the infrastructure of the entire operation! Welcome to the 21st century.
• Also, Brenton Doyle will be better than he was in 2025.

Wittman

• Possible fallback plans for the Pirates at 3B other than Suarez?

Steve Adams

• There’s just not a lot. Look to the Rangers and see if they’ll move Josh Jung? Try to pry Addison Barger out of Toronto?

Cardsfan1984

• I have seen reports the Cardinals may simply release Arenado if a trade is not worked out. Could you see them actually doing this?

Steve Adams

• Chaim Bloom has said definitively, on record, multiple times that releasing Arenado is not an option.
• I know Buster Olney wrote today that “it’ll be interesting to see if they do it.”They will not.
• I suppose if Arenado asks for his release so he can go sign somewhere else, maybe that changes things, but short of that, there’s no reason not to trust Bloom when he said it’s not a consideration.It’s so rare for a baseball ops leader to make a definitive statement like that on the record, and he’s done it multiple times now.

Rocky

• In your opinion, is Hunter Goodman’s emergence sustainable?

Steve Adams

• I buy the power but am skeptical, based on his chase rate and contact rate when he does chase, that he can keep the strikeouts down to a manageable level.He could still be a starter behind the plate even with more K’s and lower rate stats, though. So … buying it to an extent but expecting a downturn with the bat still.

Etrain

• What would a Severino trade bring back for the A’s

Steve Adams

• Some salary relief?

AstrosFAN

• What will Jesus Sanchez get us?

Steve Adams

• Don’t think he has any real trade value. I was surprised they tendered him a contract.

The Willies of SF

• Do Hayden Birdsong, Casey Schmitt and Erik Miller get (1-year rental) Nico Hoerner from the Cubs? Who says no?

Steve Adams

• Not taking that offer for Hoerner if I’m the Cubs

A.A

• Braves need a starter….. Trevor Bauer is out there.

Steve Adams

• We still doing this? He’s 35 and posted a 4.51 ERA with a below-average K% in Japan last year (at a time when NPB has been said to be using somewhat of a dead ball)

Top 5

• Who are your top five players whose injuries stopped them from being truly great?

Steve Adams

• Grady Sizemore immediately comes to mind
• Mark Prior
• Byron Buxton … still good, but imagine if he wasn’t on the IL for half the season every year
• Tons more, I’m sure. Just going off the cuff  here and focusing more on recent names than delving back into my childhood years in the 80s/90s

BrewCrew

• Freddy Peralta is pitching for what team by opening day?

Steve Adams

• The brewers

Yandy Diaz

• Am I a Ray on opening day, or am I more of a deadline deal?

Steve Adams

• Ray on Opening Day

Bosox Fan

• Am I the outcast Red Sox fan who likes the idea of Bichette over Bregman? Not from a leadership standpoint but they were both injured and Bichette offers higher upside at the plate.

Steve Adams

• Probably an outlier since Bregman has already endeared himself to fans while Bichette has been a rival player for the past seven or eight years. But I don’t think it’s crazy at all to prefer the 28-year-old to the 32-year-old, no.

Injured guys

• Justin Morneau? David Wright?

Steve Adams

• Two good ones — Wright more so than Morneau, but man, that season Morneau was having when he took that concussion at second base. Oof. Joe Mauer, too, if we’re talking about Twins from that era. Hell, throw Francisco Liriano in the mix.

CHISOX FAN

• Bo Jackson

Steve Adams

• Indeed
• Fun and useless fact — I went to college with Bo’s son! Bo was at my graduation from my tiny D-3 college in southern Minnesota. My then-brother-in-law almost passed out when he saw him.

Pat

• Should I be concerned that Ryan O’Hearn hasn’t officially signed yet?

Steve Adams

• Nah, deals struck around the holidays are always kind of wonky
• We’re still getting DFA resolutions for guys who were designated like three weeks ago. It’s the one time of the year where all rules regarding the timing of moves seems to go out the window

OHearn

• Ryan just had his first kid. He’s locked in

Steve Adams

• Oh there you go. I didn’t realize this. That certainly would help to explain the slower-than-expected timeline of his deal becoming official, too.
• And hey, good for him!

Blooming Chaim

• Which jersey will Arenado play his next game in?

Steve Adams

• Honestly, I’d guess the Cardinals first and foremost. I just don’t see any trade value. Angels probably next on the list, but St. Louis will need to be eating like $30MM of the $37MM they owe him.
• Going to wrap up here, but lots of good names from the crowd on some potential greats who were cut down by injuries

Eric Davis

• I could’ve been one of the best to ever do it.

Adam Steves

• Josh Hamilton

MoonBeamMcSwine

• Travis PRONK Hafner

Jim C

• JR Richard

AO

• Rocco Baldelli could’ve been great too if he wasn’t hurt all the time…

Jake

• Ben Sheets was incredible when he wasn’t injured, still one of the greatest curve balls I’ve ever seen. You knew it was coming and just couldn’t hit it.

Montana Illini

• Tony Conigliaro – for the injured list!

MKE Fan

• top 5 players injuries stopped from being great? PRINCE FIELDER?!

Steve Adams

• Alrighty. I’m on X @Adams_Steve and Bluesky @adams-steve.bsky.social for more questions. We’ve got 1200ish people in here right now, so no way I was getting to even a small fraction of all today’s questions! Thanks for chatting, though.If you want more opinions and analysis from the MLBTR team, plus ad-free viewing, exclusive articles and access to our tools (Contract Tracker, Agency Database, GM Tracker), you can check out our Front Office subscription package!

  Thanks and enjoy your week!