Steve Adams
- Good morning! We’ll get going at 1pm CT, but feel free to ask questions ahead of time, as always.
- Hello there! Let’s get going
Card fan from FL
- cardinals getting 3 prospects and two draft picks for Donavan . What’s your take on the trade
M
- How do you think the Mariners stack up against the rest of the AL now that they’ve added Donovan?
Bloomer
- Where will the Cardinals offense come from Steve? This is gonna be a painful long season …..
Steve Adams
- Not surprisingly, probably 50+ questions queued up on yesterday’s trade haha. I’ll spare you publishing them all and offer some thoughts (while also noting that Darragh and I broke this trade down for about 15 minutes on the episode of the podcast we recorded this morning, so keep an eye/ear out for that tomorrow morning!)
- Donovan is an ideal fit for a Mariners team that has holes at 2B/3B/one corner OF spot and young options at each. He furthers their goal of cutting back on strikeouts/improving contact, and he does so while maintaining the flexibility/agility needed should any of Colt Emerson, Cole Young, Dom Canzone, etc. really show they need everyday ABs early in the season.
- I think the Cards did well. They didn’t get a massive, marquee prospect but landed a top-100-ish guy (Cijntje), two recent top-100 draft picks (Peete, Ledbetter) and a pair of top-75 picks in the upcoming draft.Tai Peete (contact) and Colton Ledbetter (lack of any one true standout tool) both have some red flags but are solid additions to the middle tiers of the system. The picks are nice both for adding talent and giving them the flexibility to be creative if a first-round talent slides due to signability concerns.
- The Rays’ side of this is the strangest to me, but I’ve come around on it. Williamson is a high-floor defender with decent contact skills who can back up at multiple positions. He has multiple minor league options remaining.Rays gave up a Comp pick for three years of a solid middle reliever (Bryan Baker) last July and another for a glove-first utility guy with decent contact skills this offseason. If you could guarantee a team an immediately usable RP or utility guy at the No. 70 pick, that guy would absolutely be scooped up.
- It’s boring to say it works for everyone, but … I don’t have an immediately negative reaction to any angle of the deal.
Dana Brown
- Donovan got that much. What could Paredes get?
Steve Adams
- Probably less. He’s more expensive with no real defensive home and such an extreme pull-side, fly-ball approach that team with more spacious left field setups wouldn’t find him as valuable as the Astros and Rays did, for instance.Good player, don’t get me wrong, but I think Donovan had more trade value.
Logan and Robbie
- Having Framber behind us makes a ton of sense, right? Right???
Steve Adams
- Framber makes plenty of sense for the Giants. They’ve also signaled that they don’t want to sign a SP long-term this winter — their owner said as much publicly — and they also already signed a pair of (much lower upside) veterans in Houser and Mahle.I will say, the fit was better before the Giants signed Arraez to play 2B. That’s going to be a rough defensive left side of the infield for Logan Webb and any other ground-ball pitchers (like Valdez)
- Speaking of which!
Confused Giant
- Arraez and Devers on one side of the infield has to be one of the worst defensive pairings in baseball. How many grounders through the infield and missed double plays before Logan Webb asks for a trade? I have to believe he’s not getting to 200 innings with the Arraez-Devers defense extending innings. After working to improve the SF defense, is it surprising to see Buster Posey punt on one side of the infield?
Steve Adams
- I will just say that while it sounds like Arraez will get the bulk of the 2B time, he’s not going to get all of it. Casey Schmitt can be a late-game upgrade when the Giants are leading. We assume Bryce Eldridge will hit at some point, but will that be right away in ’26, as a 21-year-old? Maybe not. And if that’s the case, then there are 1B/DH at-bats for Arraez as well.Could put him at 1B/DH against LHP and give Schmitt’s RH bat some extra 2B time on those days. Schmitt struggled against LHP in ’25 but was great in a small ’24 sample and is about neutral overall. If nothing else, I’d have Schmitt at 2B on days Webb starts just to get the better glove in the infield.
Mike Hazen
- What are the chances of me bringing back Paul Goldschmidt and/or Zac Gallen?
Steve Adams
- Goldy back to AZ makes tons of sense. Gallen feels like he’ll be more expensive than they want
Angels
- Any Realistic SP options for us? Giolito? Bassit? Little? And can they be had on a 1yr deal this late in the offseason?
Steve Adams
- I still think Bassitt gets two. Could see the others as one-year guys. Giolito has said he prefers to sign with a win-now club, though I suppose it remains to be seen if he’ll get an offer from one. Littell to the Angels would make sense.
Tommy
- Pirates to send Thomas Harrington and Mitch Jebb to the Astros for Isaac Paredes? Would that be enough to get a deal done?
Steve Adams
- Don’t think so
Three Way Ray
- This is the Rays’ second three-way deal this offseason. The first was the Lowe trade. Do they hve a thing for three-ways?
Steve Adams
- Jon Becker from FanGraphs pointed out that the Rays have been involved on six of the past seven three-team trades in MLB. Amazing.
Frank
- Giolito to Detroit?
Steve Adams
- I think they’ll come away with someone in the Giolito, Bassitt, Verlander, Nick Martinez tier
Gregg
- Do you think the Nats could sign someone like Hoskins or Goldschmidt this offseason to fill their hole at first base?
Steve Adams
- Either guy works. Ty France, Miguel Andujar, Dom Smith too. Could try to buy low on a guy like Triston Casas (Toboni connection!). Lots of options for them.
John
- Do you think Colt Emerson will be the Mariners’ opening day 3b now?
Steve Adams
- He only turned 20 last summer and has still barely played above AA. I don’t think so. Could just put Donovan at 3B to start the year, with Cole Young at 2B. Still have Miles Mastrobuoni, Leo Rivas and some other utility types on the 40-man. M’s could grab a Gio Urshela or whoever on a minor league deal, too, if Cole Young struggles in camp and they want Donovan at 2B to begin the year.
QUBE
- Any notable RP arms available on the trade market?
Steve Adams
- Cardinals will probably trade JoJo Romero. Rockies are open on some of their guys (Vodnik, Halvorsen, Mejia). Broadly speaking though, I don’t think there are a ton of obvious RP trade candidates out there.
tyler7.8
- Miller is not getting traded, correct?
Steve Adams
- Not sure if this means Mason, Bryce or Aiden, but either way — no, I don’t think so. Ha
Tom
- Who’s the best lefty reliever still available via trade/free agency?
Steve Adams
- Danny Coulombe, Justin Wilson, JoJo Romero
Stephen
- You gotta think throwing at his own catcher has hurt Valdez’s market at this point right?
Steve Adams
- Not really. I think it’s a convenient narrative, but he’s been hurt more by the fact that he’s a 32-year-old seeking a long-term deal.
Rick
- Are the Braves going to add a SP before spring training starts?
Steve Adams
- I don’t know if it’ll be before pitchers and catchers report, but I expect them to add another arm at some point in the not-too-distant future. Might be early in camp, but whatever.
- One feasible hold-up in the mid-tier rotation market could be Tarik Skubal’s arb case.Tigers are probably going to add another arm but have a $13MM gap between their submission and Skubal’s. I imagine that impacts the quality of the arm they’re going to target/sign.
If you’re Giolito, Bassitt, Verlander, Littell, etc. and are still unsigned at this point, might as well wait to see how aggressive the Tigers feel they can be post-Skubal trial.
His trial is set for tomorrow, by the way.
Patrick
- Should I be worried about the Tiger’s inaction? They’re almost surely losing all of Skubal, Mize, and Flaherty after 2026. Am I crazy or are the White Sox poised to overtake them by 2027-2028?
Steve Adams
- Yes, I would be worried about their inertia. I think they had one of the most disappointing deadlines of any contender and have thus far had one of the most disappointing offseasons. They have one year of Skubal left and have shown zero urgency. I guess maybe “worried” isn’t the correct word, but you’re right to be frustrated.That said, I wouldn’t be fretting that they’re destined to fall back to the AL Central cellar or anything. They have two of the game’s top 10 prospects, several controllable arms, and some good core pieces still under club control (Greene, Tork, Dingler, Olson, Melton, etc. etc.)
- Also wouldn’t count on the White Sox emerging just yet. They had the best farm in baseball several years ago and were rebuilding again like three years later.Rebuilds usually look great when all the prospects are getting the top-100 love and whatnot, but a lot of those guys are going to get hurt, fail to perform or just settle in as fine-but-not-star-caliber players.
Chet Lemon
- How does Kevin Alcantara figure into the Cubs plans? I’d like to see him as the 4OF, but i feel like he needs regular playing time. Happ and Suzuki may be gone next year.
Steve Adams
- I feel like he’s a guy they could trade eventually. I’m not all that bullish on him, honestly. He’s had two seasons in AAA and struck out at a 29% clip in both.Power/speed combo is intriguing, but I wonder if he’ll ever hit enough.
Not saying DFA him or anything, but he might just be more of a fourth outfielder in the long run.
If they don’t trade him, then yeah, regular work in AAA to try to cut back on the chase and whiff rates would be good. He feels like a guy who’d strike out at like a 35% clip in MLB right now
Bigly Fish
- Jakob Marsee…flash in the pan?
Steve Adams
- Don’t see any real reason to think so based on his rookie showing or his AAA work last year. I doubt he plays at the 6-WAR place he was sporting in 2025, haha, but even with some BABIP regression taking down his average and OBP, I still think he can be an average or slightly better hitter with enough glove to play center.
i have a question?
- Michael Busch or Christian Walker seem like perfect trade targets for the padres to play 1B. What am I missing?
Steve Adams
- The Cubs have no reason to trade Busch when they’re trying to contend. He’s one of their best hitters.No team wants Christian Walker’s contract, and I doubt the Astros want to eat $30MM of that $40MM to just get someone to take part of the deal.
- Better to preserve the depth, hope he can build on last year’s second-half improvements, etc.
Cards Fan
- Any hope for Walker or Gorman?
Steve Adams
- I’m pretty much out on both
Joe Pohlad
- My brother Tom has no idea what he’s doing, either, does he?
Steve Adams
- Tom Pohlad lamenting “can we get off the payroll for a second” earlier this week is like the funniest thing a Pohlad has said in awhile.Yes, let’s drop the whole “payroll thing.” Why are Twins fans so hung up on the fact that it’s been slashed by $50MM over the past 24 months? And that the Twins are paying Carlos Correa $10MM per year to play elsewhere? And that the current $108MM payroll is closer to Metrodome levels of spending than Target Field spending?
Ok, Tom. Have it your way. Let’s talk about your roster, which sure looks like it’s going to have one of the worst bullpens in recent MLB memory, haha.
- Twins are a trainwreck right now, but at least they’re an entertaining one. (Albeit not in the way Tom Pohlad seems to believe they are)
Papi post
- Red Sox question here. Does Romy Gonzales really have the potential to level up?
Steve Adams
- Platoon guy for me, but a good one
JD
- Are the Mariners done with moves? They seem to be an ideal location for Nick Martinez as they could use a swingman to strengthen their bullpen and pitching depth after the Logan Evans injury.
Steve Adams
- Martinez might be pricier than they prefer, but yeah, I think adding at least a swingman if not just another veteran starter makes sense.
Reid
- Thoughts on the Nationals taking a flyer on another arm for their rotation? Before the Gore trade there were a lot of question marks so it might make sense to grab a vet who can eat some innings.
Steve Adams
- They have to add another arm. Someone has to pitch those innings. Doesn’t need to be anyone great. Throw $4MM at Miles Mikolas.Obviously, someone with a bit more upside would be nice, but they need someone to pitch some innings.
- Could add two guys too. Mikolas for innings and Buehler or Marquez or Canning if they want some more upside to try to spin into a deadline chip.
Mike
- Thinking ahead should yanks trade Grisham to get value for him since prolly wont give long term deal
Steve Adams
- Can’t trade him til June 15 without his consent
HackySack
- What would a contract for someone like Mike Tauchman or Jesse Winker look like? A couple of the few available LHH OF’s left
Steve Adams
- I’d have said like $2-3M for Tauchman awhile back but he’s inching closer to minor league deal territory the longer he stays out there. Winker’s been a minor league deal guy for me all winter.
Bloom
- Im still looking for a RHB via external means, Best targets via either FA or trades?
Steve Adams
- Was writing about this when the chat started
- Options at this point are limited, regardless of handedness. If a right-handed bat remains the goal, then any of Miguel Andujar, Austin Slater or old friends Randal Grichuk and Tommy Pham remain available. Trade options are tougher to nail down, particularly with so many names off the board already, but the Cardinals aren’t likely to take on any notable veteran salaries (e.g. Nick Castellanos). Speculatively speaking, the Rays (Jonny DeLuca), Blue Jays (Jonatan Clase), Phillies (Johan Rojas) and Royals (Drew Waters) have some outfield options who have fallen down their depth charts this winter.
Valdez
- What is the hold up?
Steve Adams
- He would like more years than teams want to give him
White Sox Fan
- W Abreu for Quero, is this a framework for a trade that fills each teams needs?
Steve Adams
- I don’t think Quero is a good enough defender to stick at catcher and wouldn’t move Wilyer for him
TC Bear
- If the season starts tomorrow, are the Twins a 100 loss team?
Steve Adams
- I don’t think they’re that bad, but they’re clearly sub-.500 by a decent margin.
philliesfever
- With the uncertainty of Wheeler’s return date and if Painter is not yet MLB ready. Do you think Dombrowski brings Buehler back on a one year deal?
Steve Adams
- I think it’d be someone more stable than Buehler, but yeah, I could see the Phillies throwing $4-5MM at Quintana during camp or something.
BrewCrew
- Does Milwaukee roll with the young guys on their starting staff or make a late addition (like they did last year) of a veteran arm? Reunion with someone like Quintana or Montgomery?
Steve Adams
- They make a late addition every year, it seems. I don’t know that a veteran like Quintana, Tyler Anderson, Patrick Corbin is going to want to head there when they have so many rotation options. Someone like Montgomery, who probably isn’t ready for Opening Day anyhow, makes some sense. They’ll probably have other injuries by the time he’s ready.Regardless, some form of cheap veteran depth seems fair to predict.
Astros71
- Do you think we will still trade Matthews?
Steve Adams
- I never thought the Astros were going to trade Brice Matthews and wouldn’t expect them to do so.
Bobby Z
- What are your thoughts on the Suarez deal? Will this have any real impact for Cincinnati or just another feel-good reunion for the fanbase? That starting rotation won’t be around forever!
Steve Adams
- Great price. Hard not to like it. Gives them some cover for Hayes at 3B (hurt a lot) or Stewart at 1B (limited MLB experience). If they’re both healthy and hitting (well, as much as Hayes is ever going to hit), then Geno mashes as a DH. Nice deal all around.
- Wouldn’t bank on 49 homers again, but 30-35 homers? Sure. Probably a low OBP and obviously negligible defensive value, but he can still be an above-average offensive contributor overall.
Christian Walker
- If O’Hearn is worth 2/29, I’m worth more than 2/10 as you say. My number were near career norms after a brutal start. Expect me to push for 30 homers again, even if I only hit .250
Steve Adams
- Pirates bought ROH’s age-32 and 33 seasons. Walker’s next two seasons are age-35 and 36.MLB teams hate paying guys in their mid/late 30s (hence Suarez’s one-year deal)
Joe
- If the pirates still don’t contend this year, do you think they considered Trading Skenes next off-season?b
Steve Adams
- No
- Maybe by the time Skenes has only one year left, but not anytime soon.
Walter
- Bassitt or Buehler to solidify Cleveland’s starting 5?
Steve Adams
- If they’re going to spend money, it should be on a bat. But they keep sitting back while bats are flying off the shelves via free agency and trade, so maybe they’re just going to be this cheap this year. I don’t know, but it’s been a brutal offseason for them.I thought Suarez as a once-a-week sub for Ramirez at third (DH day for him), a platoon partner at 1B for Manzardo and a DH otherwise would’ve been a great fit, and the 1/15 price point wasn’t major. Cleveland would’ve had to beat that, sure, but feels like something they should’ve tried to do.
I know he spurned the Pirates on a two-year offer, but Cleveland is coming off a division win. Their park is also terrible for RH power, just like Pittsburgh though, so maybe Geno wouldn’t have had interest.
Regardless, the Guards need to do something to improve that lineup.
Canaryville Mike
- watching Edgar Quero I see a good defender. Not sure about the framing, but I can remember numerous times last year him throwing and picking off runners with his arm. What am is missing?
Steve Adams
- Bottom-of-the-barrel framing grades and a 15% caught-stealing rate (with a lighter caught-stealing above average than that even)
- He might get there, or maybe the advent of ABS will nerf some of the concerns about his framing. But he’s not great back there.Arm strength not great either.
We (myself included) often tend to remember the good plays and form an opinion of someone based on that recency bias while forgetting or overlooking some of the negatives.
Fernando tatis
- am I delusional for thinking I’m not gonna be on the padres by the deadline? And if not, who is gonna pursue a deal for me?
Steve Adams
- I don’t see him being available, no.
Seth B
- Why is everyone still so intrigued by Buehler?
Steve Adams
- I personally wasn’t even intrigued by him last offseason, but I listed him as an “upside” guy because he’s relatively young and was good awhile ago.I think just because he was a former top prospect who had a big few moments in the postseason in ’24, primarily.
- He was just … not good …. in 2025.I’m similarly out on Dustin May, but hey, the Cardinals gave him $12MM. Really, really don’t like that deal but let’s see what they can do with him.
Little for Littell
- Why the seemingly small interest in Littell? Not the best of numbers post-trade last season but only 30 and plenty of teams could use 185 innings of 3.81 ERA ball
Steve Adams
- He has something like an 18% strikeout rate over the past three seasons and sits 91-92 mph with his fastball. Right or wrong, teams pay for velo and punchouts.
Jack Lazorko
- So is Rendon still on the Angels roster an insurance thing?
Steve Adams
- Perhaps? I’m not entirely sure, but it won’t matter soon. Once camp opens he’ll go on the 60-day and his 40-man spot will be freed up
Bob Cobb
- Will the Cardinals have an all home grown starting 8 on opening day?
Steve Adams
- Bloom’s out here saying he wants to add an OF from outside the organization
John
- Is Jeremiah Jackson going to get a chance to start this year? Or will he be used as a platoon/utility guy? Feel like he’s been written off too soon
Steve Adams
- Probably a utility guy. I don’t really buy into his 2025 performance anyhow. Fanned in 27% of his PAs and only got to the .276/.328/.447 line with a huge .365 average on balls in play.He hit .350 on grounders last year, which would be the highest mark in MLB, despite having only average speed. The only guys close to him were 70 and 80 runners like Brice Turang, Bobby Witt Jr. and Jake Mangum
Jay
- Davis Schneider, Joey Loperfido and Adam Macko for Steven Kwan. Who says no ?
Steve Adams
- Cleveland. Quickly
- Alright. I’ve got to call it for the week. I’m on X @Adams_Steve and Bluesky @adams-steve.bsky.social.If you want more opinions and analysis from the MLBTR team, you can sign up for our Front Office package, which gets you ad-free viewing, weekly articles, chats and mailbags that are subscriber-exclusive plus access to our Contract Tracker, GM Database, Agency Database, in-season fantasy baseball advice and quite a bit more.
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Have a good week, everyone!
