MLBTR Chat Transcript

Mark P

• The Weekend Chat is underway! I had some trepidation about starting a chat tonight since I can’t help but feel like another managerial firing might happen any minute now, but let’s take the plunge….

Rene

• Bigger disappointment? Mets or Phillies

Mark P

• Bigger disappointment?

  ---

  Mets (57.9% | 564 votes)

  Phillies (42.0% | 410 votes)

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  Total Votes: 974
• This might be as close to a 50-50 result as we’ve had on any poll

Castellanos

• Are the pads really going to keep me on the roster with andujar and France there too? Really seems like a lefty bat would make way more sense…

Mark P

• Castellanos probably isn’t long for the roster.  The Phillies are covering virtually all of his salary, making him just a flier for San Diego.  If Castellanos can’t get things turned around quickly, the Padres can cut him without a second thought

Thunderwriter

• What is the value of a MLB draft pick if they were allowed to be traded?Give a player a qualifying offer and that will dampen his market. Teams are basically saying that they don’t want to lose the draft pick to sign the player. The pick is too valuable.

  My Phillies tried all offseason to unload Nick Castellanos‘ contract and couldn’t find any takers. Are you going to tell me that if they were able to attach a third-round pick that half the league would all of a sudden been interested in him … even teams like the A’s and Rays?

Mark P

• The qualifying offer only tends to impact free agents whose markets were a little tenuous in the first place.  Likewise, attaching a draft pick to a bad contract wouldn’t do a ton to improve the trade value of that player of his deal.

Kegger

• Was there a better solution for the red sox than firing manager? Just patience better?

Mark P

• Can’t help but think there’s some real behind-the-scenes intrigue that went into Boston’s decision.  Cleaning house on the manager and coaching staff just a few weeks into the season is a bold move, notwithstanding how mediocre the Sox have been.It is also worth noting that the Sox are exactly 3.5 games out of a wild card slot, since most of the American League has also been struggling.  So there was still lots of time for the team to turn things around with Cora in the dugout.
• But, obviously the front office felt that a change was needed. Barring a big turn-around, one has to think Breslow’s time as CBO might not last the season

Lefty Shellhammer

• Has Landon Roupp reached Ace status’s on this team? I’m genuinely concerned that Logan Webbs best days are slowly disappearing. What you say?

Mark P

• I’m more keen on Roupp’s emergence than I am down on Webb.  I think Webb will ultimately be just fine, at least as a top-of-the-rotation guy if not THE ace.  But, Roupp’s nice start is a very good development for SF

Atl

• what’s that mean for my Bravos

Mark P

• April is awfully early to be crowning a division champion, but the Braves are already in incredible shape to win the NL East.  The Mets and Phillies are in freefall, the Nationals are rebuilding, and the Marlins’ ceiling may be .500.Perhaps Miami could also be the big beneficiary (bene-Fish-iary?!) here, as they’ve got second place staring them in the face.  Depending on how the rest of the NL plays out, the Marlins might be able to sneak into a wild card slot

Chris

• Now that Jasson is coming up who do you think goes once Volpe is activated (maybe Fri)?

Mark P

• It’s possible the Yankees just send Dominguez right back down to Triple-A once Volpe is back.  New York wants Dominguez playing every day, and if that kind of regular time isn’t available in the majors, Triple-A is in theory the better place for him.  (Apart from the fact that Dominguez is clearly beyond Triple-A pitching at this point.)In terms of a pure “have the best players on the big league roster” move, cutting Grichuk or Goldschmidt is probably more productive for the Yankees at this point

Cambo

• What are the chances Cora heads a new dugout this season? Buster Olney had floated an off-the-wall mgr trade to the Phillies last week before the news.

Mark P

• It all depends on Cora’s own feelings in the wake of this surprise firing.  Maybe he wants to take some time (i.e. the rest of the year) to decompress, with an eye towards having a wide range of offers waiting for him in October.Despite the past Dombrowski/Cora link, Cora might not want to immediately jump right back into managing with a whole new team.  Not to mention a team that is in even deeper hot water than the Sox were

Trout

• Can I PLEASE get my batting avg out of the .220-230range?? Striking out once or twice every game is not cool.

Mark P

• If his OBP and SLG remain as elite as they are, Trout and the Angels (and everyone) should be more than accepting of a low average

Dave Roberts

• We need relievers badly. What can we get for Rushing & maybe Edman if he’a healthy at the deadline?

Mark P

• Rushing has tons of trade value but L.A. isn’t likely to move him for relief pitching.  Edman’s trade value is basically nil given his injury and his hefty contract, and if the Dodgers hadn’t earned the benefit of the doubt ten times over, there would be a lot more criticism about the wisdom of Edman’s extension.
• Also, the Dodgers have a bunch of starter candidates on the IL who can be moved into bullpen duty once healthy.  I don’t have much concern over a relief corps that is only a relative weak link.

Dinger

• Cautiously optimistic about Dollander after his last few outings?

Mark P

• He’s looked quite sharp, either as a traditional starter or behind an opener.  Whether this is due to the organizational and coaching changes or just a talented young pitcher getting use to the majors, Dollander living up to his potential would be a game-changer for Colorado

Orioles Marlins

• Chances Os trade for Alcantara? Certainly have the prospects to offer..

Mark P

• Chances are probably low, since Miami may be more likely to be in a playoff race by the deadline

Sad Boy

• Thoughts on the Angels?

Mark P

• “Mike Trout‘s average is too low” is not in the top 300 problems with his team

Kevin McGonigle

• How might the Tigers upgrade the bullpen? Will they finally trade from their depth of infielders or will they continue to look within?

Mark P

• What, you don’t want more Pitching Chaos?!Detroit seems likely to make a couple of bullpen adds at the deadline, but they likely aren’t spending a significant amount of trade capital on relievers. Last year’s deadline is an example of how hit-or-miss things can go when adding relief pitchers.

Ethan Salas

• Am I doing anything of merit in the minors anymore?

Mark P

• Currently enjoying a very nice season at Double-A

Lt Data

• Which of the following big-market clubs will be deadline sellers: Mets, Phillies, Astros, Giants, Red Sox

Mark P

• It’s a fascinating question. As noted, the AL has enough parity that I can see Houston and Boston getting back into the mix.  The Giants are hampered by the fact that they’re playing for third place at best in their division, so their route to the playoffs is narrowed to one of two wild cards.Same can be said of the Mets and Phillies, since Atlanta is borderline running away with the division already.

  For any of these five teams, I’d imagine they’d have to be entirely out of the running (like, at least six games back of a wild card) in order to be true deadline sellers. If things really continue to crater, it’s possible ownership or the front office start a fire sale early of at least the impending free agents

• And there’s also the associated questions of….
  • will these teams just be selling at this deadline with an eye towards reloading for 2027, or considering more of a full-on fire sale?
  • if the latter, will the current front offices remain in place to oversee such a franchise-altering set of decisions?

JeffyM

• Any chance Max Scherzer announces his retirement after getting his 3500th K?  He looks cooked, and according to Schneider he’s not hurt.

Mark P

• Scherzer did have that minor forearm issue earlier in April, which could still be a lingering problem even if he isn’t “hurt,” per se.  There’s also the fact that Scherzer didn’t sign until early March, so he didn’t have a full and normal Spring Training build-up.Or, there’s also the possibility that time has finally caught up to Scherzer at age 41.  I don’t think he’s going to just abruptly retire or anything, but it feels like 2026 will be his last hurrah

PADRESFAN9999

• ASJ Preller have a few aces up his sleeve to land RHSP Joe Ryan of the Twins? Could it happen in May or June?

Mark P

• If the Twins move Ryan, they’ll want an arm and a leg at the deadline.  If they’re moving him that far in advance of the deadline, they’ll want both arms, both legs, and maybe a hip to be named later.This analogy is kinda going off the rails, so I’ll wrap by saying that it’s unlikely San Diego would meet what would be an even more gargantuan asking price by trying to land Ryan in the next month or two.  Don’t forget, the Twins are also trying to (ahem) have a competitive season.

Zach

• If ever broken, do you think the hits or hr record would be first?

Mark P

• The HR record is much more likely to be broken, of the two of them.  That isn’t to say that Bonds’ record is likely to fall anytime soon or even ever, but so much extra longevity would have to go into anyone topping Rose

A’s

• Not sure who made out the Schedule but the A’s have only played 10 Home games, the fewest in Baseball.

Mark P

• Given how hot things get in Sacramento in the summer, that does seem odd

Steve Cohen

• Why doesn’t Ballesteros play every day? He can hit all pitchers.

Mark P

• His numbers are getting absurd enough that he might be forcing the issue, but the Cubs’ “problem” is that pretty much the whole lineup is hitting well apart from PCA and Busch.
• Ballesteros is also limited to the DH spot, which further cuts back on his opportunities to get at-bats if the Cubs want to give someone else a rest day

Green Sabre

• Does Bo Bichette opt out at the end of the season?

Mark P

• Seems unlikely that Bichette will keep hitting this poorly, but at this rate, there’s no way he opts out

Drew

• Is Foster Griffin gone come August, or a good extension candidate for the Nats?

Mark P

• Much more likely that he’s gone in August.  Griffin’s strikeout numbers don’t stand out, and his overall secondary metrics are nothing too special.This isn’t to take away from the fact that the Nats made a nice signing here, and Griffin will surely have some value as a deadline trade chip

Marky Mark

• So what’s on the Sunday Night Chat Playlist Mark?

Mark P

• “Lotus Flower,” by Radiohead

H.S. Kim

• I’m gonna be riding pine once Mookie and Edman are back. Surely other teams would love to have me starting daily. Might I be traded?

Mark P

• Kim’s contract gives the Dodgers control over his services through 2029, at a very reasonable price.  No reason to move a player who has been a very valuable fill-in at the moment, and can be a super-sub going forward

who’s on 1st

• People are already talking about teams selling at the deadline? All it takes is one division leading team to go through a cold streak and a lower level team to go through a hot streak to change standings in a week or two. Way too early for that kind of discussion but nevertheless…

Mark P

• In fairness, this is a chat on MLB Trade Rumors. Deadline talk is kinda our thing!

Will Smith

• Do I move to 1B once Freddie retires?

Mark P

• Possibly, though Freeman is planning to play through 2029
  https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/02/freddie-freeman-hopes-to-play-f…
• “Planning to” is much different than “will,” of course, since who knows what the future may hold.  There’s also no guarantee that Freeman remains a Dodger if he keeps playing, though you’d think the team would have interest if Freeman keeps hitting.

Long suffering Red Sox Fan

• With Cora’s firing, Breslow HAS to make a trade this season to get a bat in the lineup, correct? I mean, he’s fired everyone else he can blame….

Mark P

• As noted earlier, it’s tough to swing a major trade this early in the season since the asking prices are so high.I realize the irony of saying this in regards to a Red Sox question since Devers was dealt just last year, but that was a unique circumstance and not a “baseball move”

Tommy H

• Can meet us in San Diego tomorrow night to provide some bullpen help?

Mark P

• I think Tom Henke is long retired, if anyone could “be back,” it would be a guy nicknamed Terminator

Leo De Vries

• What are the chances I’m up with the A’s by the AS break?

Mark P

• Too soon for a player who’s still only 19, and who has never played even Triple-A ball.  A DeVries callup before the end of 2026 isn’t out of the question, but not by the All-Star break

Guest

• Who has the most saves for the Angels at season’s end?

Mark P

• Kirby Yates?  By default?

Al Kaline Battery

• How long can the Tigers afford to keep.throwing Jack Flarhety.out there? He’s been nothing short of brutal this season

Mark P

• One might say (like, MLBTR’s Charlie Wright, for instance) that Flaherty is having a difficult start to the seasonhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/04/jack-flahertys-difficult-start….
• The near-total loss of control is a big concern, since that’s the kind of issue that can snowball.  Flaherty’s control has been spotty in the past, so the problem isn’t entirely new, either.

kim

• how did the scouts get it wrong with Murakami?  he looks like the steal of the FA season and a steal for the WSox

Mark P

• I’ll note that it’s only a month into Murakami’s big league career, so there might well be a slump coming once pitchers and coaches get a book on him.But, it’s always an open question as to how hitters will translate coming from NPB to MPB.  The big fear on Murakami was that he’d strike out even more in the majors than he did in Japan, but he’s managed to make huge and devastating contact when he isn’t swinging and missing
• It’s possible the strikeouts will catch up to him at some point, but his current three-true-outcomes production is something the ChiSox will happily take

Randy

• Should the Red Sox call Paul Toboni about CJ Abrams? The price on him is apparently already sky high, so the timing shouldn’t make a difference.

Mark P

• Abrams also got off to great starts in 2024-25 before tailing off considerably as the season continued.  If I’m a team with trade interest, I want to see Abrams keep it up as deep into July as possible before making a big offer

Sue Shi

• Al Kaline Battery has to be one of the better names I have seen on here

Mark P

• All else being equal, having a clever screen name can help one’s question get posted

Ted Turner

• Do you expect royals to be sellers at deadline? They could unload both Lugo and Wacha for nice hauls

Mark P

• If KC fell out of it and turned into sellers, Bubic is probably first out the door as an impending free agent.  Moving Lugo/Wacha (both signed through at least 2027) is the kind of trade that has to be done with an eye towards what the Royals expect to be doing next season, vis a vis contending. I could see the Royals moving Bubic and perhaps one of Lugo or Wacha, but not both

Zach (the other one)

• The Cubs have an entire bullpen on the IL and have suffered significant long-term starting pitcher injuries of late (Justin Steele last year, Cade Horton this year).  Is this just typical bad pitcher health luck or is there something in their organization, whether that’s personnel, coaching, training and development philosophies, facilities, etc., they should be looking at that could be fixable?

Mark P

• It’s surely a question the Cubs are asking themselves in the wake of all these injuries.  Teams routinely review and overhaul their medical and training procedures, but as you noted, sometimes it’s just really bad luck.

Luxury Tax Evader

• Do you see Ohtani beating the all time homer record

Mark P

• Nope.  Ohtani has 285 homers by age 31, and in his ninth MLB season. While I hate to rule out anything incredible when it comes to Ohtani, he just doesn’t have enough time.

John

• Any reason to panic on the Alonso deal long term?

Mark P

• A month in? Nope

Ham

• Who is this person wearing a Pete Alonso suit in Baltimore and what happened to the real Pete Alonso?

Mark P

• Hmm, I didn’t consider the possibility that the Orioles Alonso is some kind of replicant.  Ok John, you can panic now.

Roman Anthony

• Does he stay up or get sent down?

Mark P

• Can’t be ruled out, if just as a tune-upIn general, it will be interesting to see how the team’s approach to lineup construction changes under a new manager.  Maybe you’ll see the young guys given more priority for playing time.

Shohei you can’t be serious

• Reds in good shape considering their top two pitchers are out?

Mark P

• Their top two pitchers are out, and nobody’s hitting except Elly and Stewart, AND Pagan’s been shaky…..Francona might be a miracle worker

BEEDS

• Christian Walker heard all the trade rumors this offseason and took it personally, apparently. What does his next FA deal look like?

Mark P

• He’s signed through 2027, and he’ll be entering the market in advance of his age-37 season.  As well as Walker is hitting now, far too soon to speculate on his next contract given his age and the more recent up-and-down nature of his play.Broadly speaking for any first base-only player to want a multi-year at age 37, he’d need to be hitting like….well, like Walker is now

Ben Rice

• Do I win MVP?

Mark P

• Heck of a start for Rice, whose 222 wRC+ is second-highest in baseball (behind Alvarez at 223)
• Tons of baseball to be played yet, of course, but it looks like he’s legit.
• Legit as a true everyday power bat, if likely not a guy in the 200 wRC+ range

Stevil

• Let me try this again. Mariner fans have been excited about Colt Emerson‘s eventual promotion, but there isn’t really room with everyone healthy and there’s an argument that he would benefit from more AAA seasoning. So, what do you think? Are they more likely just letting things play out and not worrying about a target date? That seems most likely to me.

Mark P

• With Emerson already locked up on a contract extension, the M’s can afford to to give him all the time he needs at Triple-A.

Adam

• Stearns destroyed the Mets. 2024 he got lucky with Manaea and Severino. Has ANY Stearns move after worked? Soto was all Cohen. When will the Mets clean house?

Mark P

• Even after 2025’s collapse, I didn’t view Stearns as being in any kind of job trouble given how Cohen so fervently pursued him for years.  But if this 2026 campaign continues to be a dumpster fire, one has to wonder if Stearns might not be long for the front office.Firing Mendoza is the quick-fix move, but firing Stearns is the bigger-picture decision Cohen would have to make in regards to the Mets’ long-term goals.  Does a new PBO still aim to win in 2027?  Does a new PBO try another “reset” like the Mets did in 2023, except with more of an eye towards a quiet rebuild?

Zach

• Who is your game 7 WS starter current or past?

Mark P

• As a Jays fan who may never get over Game 7, I should probably say Yamamoto.  But, I’ll go with Bumgarner or Bob Gibson

Mark P’s Son

• Who do the Astros trade if they become sellers at deadline?

Mark P

• Paredes, Walker, some of the relievers.  The truly long-term contracts on the books probably not barring a decision to entirely blow things up, and I doubt Houston is prepared to go in that direction.

Mickey

• What do you make of Okamaoto so far? Do you think he’ll be a solid contributor or more or less than that?

Mark P

• Interesting, it seems like Okamoto’s been kind of the player the scouts thought Murakami would be…..strikeout-prone with occasional power, has had trouble with higher velocity, etc.Way too early to tell either way, of course, and I’d be taking the same cautious stance even if Okamoto had gotten off to a great start.

Nats Guy

• Why is Miles Mikolas on our roster? We have to construct the whole bullpen around him with an opener and several arms after so he can go 3 or 4 innings.

Mark P

• Sometimes the moves work out (Griffin), and sometime they don’t (Mikolas).  He hasn’t pitched well at all, and I’d be surprised if he’s long for the rotation. With just a $2.25MM salary, Mikolas is a pitcher the Nationals can cut without much of a hit
• We’re just about at two hours now, so let’s call it a night.  Thanks to everyone who participated or just followed along with the chat feed, and hey look at that, no managerial firings yet!
• If you’re interested in more baseball Q&A, one of the many benefits of our Trade Rumors Front Office subscription is the exclusive weekly live chats. The more limited field means you’re about 10 times more likely to get a question answered, as opposed to battling for space with hundreds of other questions in today’s chat. For more on our memberships, check out this link:https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/membership?ref=chat-4-26-26