MLBTR Chat Transcript

Mark P

• The Weekend Chat is underway! Let’s kick off March by talking some baseball….

Desperate Yankees fan

• Is my optimism this year valid?

Mark P

• Sure.  New York is bringing back largely the same roster that won 94 games last year, plus Gerrit Cole will be healthy.

John

• Is Starling Marte a good fit with the Royals?

Mark P

• If he can duplicate even his 2025 numbers, that’s a big step up from what the Royals got from most of their lineup last year.  I doubt Marte will be physically able to play the outfield on the regular, but even from a DH slot, that’s not bad.  Signing Marte raises the floor of the K.C. roster, if nothing else

McGonigle’s

• Chances I go north with the Tigers out of spring training.

Mark P

• It may not happen without a pre-career contract extension.  Even if McGonigle doesn’t sign a deal or starts the year at Triple-A to get more seasoning, he’ll be in the bigs at some point in 2026

Brady

• Trade idea for you- Marsh plus prospects (say Dante Nori and Jean Cabrera) for Isaac Paredes and Jake Meyers, then Phillies move off Bohm. Thoughts?

Mark P

• This isn’t a fit, but I like the idea in general of the Phillies and Astros matching up on some kind of a trade to address their mutual needs.

  “Moving off Bohm” may be a bit easier said than done at this point in the offseason, however, since a lot of teams have their 3B positions filled. Maybe a team like the A’s steps in, or maybe it’s a three-team trade from the jump.

KC Pain

• Do you think we will see another early trade like we did with Priester last year? Teams like the Rays..and well the Brewers seem to have a large glut of arms that can’t possible all fit and have talent waiting in the minors.

Mark P

• It’s only March 1, so it would be unusual if there WASN’T at least one more prominent trade before Opening Day.  All it takes is one injury to suddenly make a team more willing to shake up its roster

Jays

• I think the Scherzer signing by Jays was good as most of the salary is based on incentives.  As a Jays fan, what do you think ?

Mark P

• I like the signing a lot, more for “you can never have too much pitching” reasons than thinking Scherzer can turn back the clock in 2026.  If he covers some innings, posts something like a 4.30 ERA, and continues being a clubhouse leader, that’s more than worth it.

AA

• All the pitching concerns with Atlanta are a bit overblown. Will have players returning in second half of the season. Also, JR Ritchie has the opportunity to be a legitimate contributor to the team this season.

Mark P

• I mean, maybe?  But, after Atlanta just had a season wrecked by pitching injuries, it’s obviously not great to have two starters already down less than a month into Spring Training.

Nolan McLean

• Chances the Mets and I could get together for an early extension? Are they a little trickier for pitchers?

Mark P

• I’d be stunned if the Mets hadn’t broached the subject already, but these deals often come down to personal preference.  If McLean would like to lock in some security and a big payday right now, he might amendable if the Mets put a fair offer on the table.  Or, he might prefer to bet on himself and count on big paydays in his arb years, and into free agency.

Gary

• I know we have four outfielders, but how does trading Duran help the lineup?  Wouldn’t it make us a bat short?

Mark P

• In theory, trading Duran would open up the DH spot as a revolving door for multiple players, if not Yoshida specifically.  Or, someone like Campbell gets another crack in the majors and hits better enough to stick, so Boston is able to fill some of the Duran void from within.

Jimbo

• It’s a week before the trade deadline. The Tigers are playing a game below 500. They are 3-4 games out of the last wildcard. Do they break it down and try to get a package for Skubal? And others?

Mark P

• How far out of the AL Central lead are they in this scenario?  Actually, that may not even matter, since even if they’re 3-4 games out, that’s still close enough for Detroit to still make a run.  Don’t forget their late magic in 2024.
• In short, Skubal is only dealt at the deadline if the Tigers have an absolute nightmare of a season.

Oaktown

• The A’s seem to be the polar opposite of where they usually are at this point in a rebuild after tear down cycle with incredible hitting but not much pitching

Mark P

• Their ballpark situation is certainly a factor in that, as it was easier for arms to thrive in the pitcher-friendly old Coliseum.

Big D

• Do you think that the MN twins will exceed exceptions? Better won loss than loss loss?

Mark P

• I think the Twins are in for a rough year.  Last place in the AL Central isn’t out of the question.

Pirates1Fan

• Any hope for McCutchen signing with ANYONE? Maybe he should go to Japan or Korea?

Mark P

• Starling Marte’s deal may be a sign that teams are now starting to look closer at some of these veterans still on the market.  A reunion with the Pirates seems less likely at this point, but Cutch can still land with a big league roster.  Going overseas doesn’t seem to be in the cards at all.

MiraclesNeverCease

• Do you think the Blue Jays could make one more significant move before the regular season, possibly for Ketel Marte? Or will they wait till the summer trade deadline to address any team needs?

Mark P

• The ship has long since sailed on the chances of a Marte trade.  With Arizona bringing Gallen and Kelly back, they’re all in on trying to win in 2026.

  The Jays do feel a bat short, but a deadline move (or a trade earlier in the season) to give them time to truly access their needs seems likelier.  If Okamoto immediately adjusts to the Show, Barger and/or Clement continue their October hitting, etc., suddenly the offensive needs aren’t as glaring

Natitude

• What’s the latest on a potential CJ Abram’s trade?

Mark P

• Nats aren’t hanging up the phone to any offers, but they’ll need a lot to move him now.  Abrams having (another) big first half in a Nationals uniform only increases his value, and adds to the team’s asking price for a potential deadline trade.

Charlesco

• Can I count to see Schwellenback this year? What to expect?

Mark P

• Perhaps midseason for he and Waldrep?  It’s tough to say since “loose bodies” type of elbow surgeries can vary wildly from pitcher to pitcher.  A midseason return is probably a best-case scenario.

The offseason bob got pretty

• Who is more likely to extend Skenes or Griffin?

Mark P

• Since there’s zero chance of a Skenes extension, Griffin is the answer by default.  And to be fair, I could see the Bucs locking him up to a pre-career deal.

TO Mike

• Do you think that Vladdy will have a breakout season?

Mark P

• ….Vladdy hasn’t broken out already, in your view?!

Beer District

• Is Megill on the trade block or do the Brewers use he and Uribe as a one-two pinch in the closer role?

Mark P

• Megill drew some trade interest earlier in the winter, but if he is dealt, it’ll probably be on the Brewers’ usual timeline of a year before free agency.  So, Megill could be a popular trade chip next winter.

Zach

• Who are your mvp picks if you cant choose Othani or Judge?

Mark P

• Fun question!  Let’s say Jose Ramirez in the AL, and a spite-fueled Bryce Harper in the NL.

Steve

• I get the “you can’t have too much pitching” mantra, but eventually that has to not be true when you sign say a Houser and block your pitching prospects from meaningful development right?

Mark P

• If the Giants hadn’t signed Houser, they’d be counting on one of their younger arms stepping up immediately as a reliable big league pitcher.  Or, it basically puts two rotation spots into that category, since Roupp is also not a sure thing.

  With Roupp penciled in as the fifth starter behind the more experienced top four, it allows the Giants to perhaps explore a six-man rotation, or at least gives them lots of depth options in the event of injury.  The Giants are trying to win in 2026, remember, and can only give so much leeway to a young pitcher in the rotation.  Also, frankly, SF doesn’t have the kind of obvious up-and-comer who is knocking down the door for a rotation job.

BigTimeTimmyJams

• The O’s held back, and were non-competitive for so long and turned that period into a farm system coveted by all other MLB teams. Their grave mistake to me seems that they didn’t spend enough when the prospects matured into unproven but ready MLB talent. Is the Orioles plight an example of believing that every top prospect will turn into above average production, and more importantly

Mark P

• “Plight” is maybe too strong a word.  The O’s had a rough 2025 season, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they bounced back to contend this year.

  In terms of not spending, the ownership instability was some poor timing, as the front office might’ve normally had a bit more of a green light to spend once the team starting developing into contenders earlier than expected.

Zach

• Does Trout have a top 5 mvp finish left in him?

Mark P

• If Trout can stay healthy, I think he still has a couple of big seasons (if not necessarily a top-tier MVP run) in him.  That kind of special talent is hard to entirely write off, even after all these years of injuries.

Astros71

• Looking Back At Last offseason: Should we have signed Kikuchi and not signed Walker?

Mark P

• Hindsight is 20-20, but sure, that would’ve helped a lot on paper.

  I’ve written this before, but Walker’s dropoff was a big surprise for me.  I thought that was one of the cannier signings of the offseason, and a blessing in disguise for the Astros once the Arenado trade fell through.  And to be fair, there’s still time for Walker to get back on track, but his underwhelming 2025 is a big red flag.

Olives

• Thoughts on the Oli Extension?

Mark P

• The Cards are writing off the next couple of years anyway on a rebuild, so it makes for them to stick with a familiar (and trusted) voice in the dugout.

Regret

• Do you think Lucas Giolito regrets his option year in Boston?  Does he admit his mistake and take a lower one year pillow contract at this point or will he hold out?

Mark P

• Giolito had a mutual option, as he pitched enough innings to turn Boston’s club option into a mutual.  It’s a moot point since the Sox would’ve likely declined their club option anyway, or would’ve declined their end of a mutual option if Giolito had chosen to stay in the deal.
• At this point, Giolito will almost certainly have to settle for a one-year deal.  I wonder if teams just don’t like what they see in his medicals, or if his asking price is too high, or any number of other factors that have contributed to his long wait in free agency

Zach

• Whats next for the Rangers if they miss the playoffs in 2026? Will they do what they did this offseason and make changes and tweaks or could they enter a rebuild if they finish bad enough?

Mark P

• Another .500-ish season probably means more tweaks.  Obviously it depends on how the season would play out and why exactly Texas played middling baseball, but on paper, the team’s blend of intriguing younger talent and bigger-name veterans still seems like a solid mix.  As much as ownership has closed up the pocketbook, I don’t see the Rangers entirely blowing it up unless they have a total disaster of a season.

Poutine Dream

• Would you rather have 10 straight divison titles or 1 World Series win?

Mark P

• A World Series win

  Put it this way….my favorite football team is the Packers. They’ve won the NFC North a bunch of times, and suffered a bunch of gut-wrenching playoff losses.  But, because they’ve won two Super Bowls during my fandom, those championships help make up for a lot of other playoff pain.

Cal

• Very slim chance the Brewers are willing to pay up for a Contreras extension. Do we see them trading him next offseason like we’ve done with Burnes and Peralta?

Mark P

• Very likely, which is why Jeferson Quero is a real intriguing player to watch for Milwaukee fans

Marco

• Who are your Cy Young picks if you can’t choose Skubal, Crochet, Skenes or Yamamoto?

Mark P

• Hunter Brown, Freddy Peralta

Nick

• Are you surprised that Danny Coulombe and Michael Kopech are both still available?

Mark P

• Kopech not overly due to all of his injuries.

  Coulombe yes because he’s just been so generally good, but his age and tough finish to 2025 are certainly factors.

  The relief market is always hard to gauge since I feel in many cases, teams evaluate a bunch of these guys on the same general level.  So whether a club targets one particular reliever over another might come down to salary demand, or how many minor league options remain, or maybe even a personal connection (i.e. pitching coach used to work with the guy).

Justin Turner

• Any chance I get picked somewhere up this year?  Also, when I’m ready to retire, will the Dodgers give me a one day contract so I can retire a Dodger?

Mark P

• For a ceremonial contract, sure, why not.  Maybe the Dodgers have already signed him to such a deal but have deferred the ceremony to when Turner choose to retire.

  On a more serious note, if the roster crunch is tough on veterans like Marte or McCutchen who had okay numbers in 2025, it’s even harder for guys like Turner who struggled.

Alex

• Is Sale a Hall Of Famer if he retired today or is he still 1 or 2 solid years away?

Mark P

• Sale’s definitely getting in.  The Cy Young Award removed any doubt as to his Cooperstown chances.

Mr Kow

• I’m excited about the Mets prospects getting opportunities to contribute. What position players have a real shot at making the team or getting called up this season? Could Benge start opening day at the third corner OF spot?

Mark P

• Call Mr. Kow, that’s his name, that name again is Mr. Kow

  Anyway, all signs are pointing to Benge breaking camp with the team.  He’s the only sure thing, plus McLean will naturally be in the rotation and Tong and Scott will definitely be part of the pitching mix.

Friedman is Evil

• True or false – Dodgers are bad for baseball

Mark P

• False

Ebenezer_Batflip

• Thoughts on the approach to trades from Craig Breslow, he made like 14 trades but refused to trade from his top 5 prospects and didn’t deal Mayer or Duran or any other big MLB talent. Dealing away substantial quantity vs the top trade chips, does this seem like a good plan or should Craig have been willing to pay for an established star?

Mark P

• This isn’t exactly an accurate description, as Breslow moved Teel (one of Boston’s “big four” at the time) to land Crochet. And, reports indicated that the Red Sox have also approached the White Sox about acquiring Teel back, indicating some buyers’ remorse.

  In general, Breslow’s plan is sound. Keep the prospects your staff views as the real building blocks, and deal the prospects you have a few more questions about.

Ebenezer_Batflip

• Oh I just meant this offseason he made 14 trades, not his entire time in Boston

Mark P

• Ha, okay then!

  Based on just this offseason, I think the Sox have done quite well to add talent without giving up much in return.  In the multiple Cardinals trades, for instance, just taking on extra money helped the Red Sox add Gray/Contreras for only okay returns going back in the Cardinals’ direction.

Ted Turner

• Does Braves Vision mean more payroll for Braves? Seems like that announcement and Sale extension wasn’t coincidence. Not to mention highest one year guarantee ever for the Braves

Mark P

• Atlanta’s got a lot of money coming off the books after 2026, so Sale’s new deal basically just replaces a lot of those expiring contracts.

  Over the long term, however, BravesVision seems like it can be a very strong revenue stream for the club.

HUVIE33

• How long of a leash does Grissom get if he goes back to his no hitting ways with Jones waiting?

Mark P

• If Jones keeps crushing Triple-A pitching, he’ll be in the Bronx before too long.  If an injury arises, that solves any roster crunch, but sure, Grisham is the odd man out if he’s struggling at the plate.

  This only turns into a bit of a logjam if both Grisham and Rice are both hitting well, and everyone is healthy.  If Rice was slumping, for instance, Bellinger could be moved to 1B to open up outfield playing time for Jones.

Loveable losers

• What do think the Cubs do to back up 1st base?

Mark P

• Giving Matt Shaw a few looks might not be a bad shout, as he matches nicely as a platoon with Busch.  Or, if not a true regular platoon, he can get some starts at 1B against lefties to spell Busch

Matt

• If Miller has to miss some time should the M’s sign another stopgap starter? Bring Hancock/Criswell into the fold? I’m a bit nervous about those last two.

Mark P

• Dunning, Lawrence, and a couple of other SPs with experience are in camp on non-roster deals. The Mariners could also turn in that direction in a pinch, depending on how much time Miller if slated to miss (if any).
• The rotation depth is a bit of a broader concern for the M’s all season, yet obtaining another starter is also tricky because such a pitcher would be a clear #6 on their depth chart.  Unless a hole opens up in Seattle’s rotation due to a true long-term injury, available pitchers are going to prefer to sign with a team that provides more of a clear-cut avenue to a regular starting role.

Nobody

• Hi.  Thanks for the chat.  On a STL chat forum peoples heads are exploding with Oli’s extension.  Is he really that bad a manager or has the lack of talent been the primary problem?

Mark P

• Marmol is hard to evaluate.  Like with any manager, a lot of his work is done behind the scenes, plus he took over the Cardinals during a time when either the team was nearing the end of a competitive cycle, or the player development team was having more issues churning out prospects.

  I can’t say I’ve been particularly wowed by Marmol’s work as a manager, but the fact that the team stuck by him through the Cards’ struggles tells me that the organization trusts him.  It would’ve been very easy to fire Marmol and make him the scapegoat, but both Mozeliak and now Bloom view him as their choice in the dugout.

• Also, this is just my read from afar on the St. Louis fanbase, but it also seems like the Cards fans give Marmol less leeway because they keep expecting Pujols or Molina to eventually take over as manager.

Orioles Ace

• Could the Os trade for Gavin Williams or Tanner Bibee? They seem to have all the right pieces that Cleveland would need.

Mark P

• Williams is arb-controlled through 2029, and Bibee was signed to an extension through at least 2029.  Seems very unlikely that the Guardians would deal either of them, barring a truly knockout offer from the Orioles that the O’s probably aren’t willing to make.

Bullpen help

• Despite the Yanks “running it back”, one area they’ve seen a noticeable dip in value is the bullpen. Should Yankees fans be worried about this, given their propensity for finding/creating value in often overlooked arms (Luke Weaver, Nelson Cruz, etc)?

Mark P

• If the Yankees can turn Nelson Cruz into a good reliever, that’ll be quite the story.

  Having Bednar/Doval for a full season will help the pen.  Plus, if the rotation is relatively healthy, the Yankees will have excess younger arms they could deploy as relievers

Chris Getz

• We are clearly going to draft Roch #1. He’s crushing it right now. Where would he be ranked in the top prospect lists right now? Top 25?

Mark P

• The #1 overall pick usually slots right into the 25-30 range (at least) of the in-season top 100 rankings, so that sounds about right.

Alex

• If Judge and Othani were in the same league in 2025 who would have you chosen for mvp?

Mark P

• If Cal Raleigh is also in this league, he gets my vote

Littel

• Wouldnt I be more sought after than Giolito? What’s the knock on me?

Mark P

• Littell allows a lot of homers and doesn’t record many strikeouts.  He’s got great control and he has been a workhorse since being converted to a starting pitcher, though some teams may still have some worries about his overall durability.

  It may be a case of teams viewing Littell as having a higher floor than Giolito but with a lower ceiling.

Larry

• Breslow wanting Teel back would be sellers’ remorse, not buyers’ remorse …. right?

Mark P

• Oops, you’re correct

Record breaker

• What do you see as the best destination for Tarik Skubal next fall/winter?

Mark P

• I’m not “just” saying Toronto because I’m a Jays fan, but the Jays have a lot of money coming off the books and multiple starters (Gausman, Bieber, Scherzer) all heading into free agency.

Astros27

• Hear me out: Astros sign Littlel to one year deal for a little more certainty in the rotation

Mark P

• Houston has enough pitching that they might be able to run a six-man rotation.  Now, that’s a very big if since it relies on everyone staying healthy, and that’s hardly a guarantee with the Astros in particular.

  Littell in a hitter-friendly ballpark seems like a risk, though he held his own at Steinbrenner Field and at the Great American Ballpark in 2025

Curly W

• Do you see any method to the Nationals madness this off season?

Mark P

• They’re more or less restarting the rebuild, so it’s not a shock that they’ve done little to nothing in adding experienced talent.
• Since it’s now March and available free agents might now be getting desperate, I can see the Nats adding a couple of veterans on low-cost guarantees
• Time to wrap things up for another week(end).  Thanks for all the questions!
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