Front Office Originals

Anthony Franco

• Good afternoon everyone, hope you're doing well!
• Going to stay around an hour on this one to buy some time for free agent/outlook work. Let's get rolling

Lance

• Do you expect the Padres to be super active for any big moves?

Anthony Franco

• They should be in on the top rotation trade candidates (Gore, Ryan, etc.). Not as easy to do now that they've traded De Vries but they've consistently found a way to make those kinds of trades work
• Guessing the free agent approach will be more of what we've seen the last two years. Quiet early in the offseason and try to find ways to creatively structure deals for guys who fall through. Rotation is the priority -- though I could see there being enough uncertainty on King that he kind of falls back into their laps on some sort of opt-out deal -- but they could also be in for another bat
• If it's February and Alonso still hasn't signed, could they jump in?

Drake

• If Roki Sasaki continues to look as good as he does out of the pen do the Dodgers consider making the move permanent?

Anthony Franco

• Nah. Maybe he struggles again as a starter next year and they think about it, but they need to give him another chance to start going into '26

David

• Now that the Mets have moved on from most of their coaches, do you have thoughts in targets for pitching and hit?  Hefner was well regarded but my word, so many walks and full counts!  Thank you!

Anthony Franco

• Feels to me like Hefner fell on the sword for the front office getting too cute with the pitching moves over the offseason, but that's life as a coach. The upcoming rotation class isn't great but I have to imagine they'll be more engaged at the top than they were last winter after things fell apart the way they did
• You can put Tatsuya Imai with every big-market team but he's a potential mid-rotation guy who's uncommonly young for a free agent starter. Shane Bieber's only 30, rock solid, and at least won't come with draft compensation

607179

• Have you any sense of why Oneil Cruz had the year he had? Is he fixable?

Anthony Franco

• Some of it is batted ball stuff that'll normalize. He hits the ball so hard that I can't see him having a .262 average on balls in play again
• Always going to be a ton of strikeouts but I still feel alright about him as an above-average hitter moving forward. Don't think he's long for center field, though, and the whole package adds up to a pretty good player who's super frustrating because you feel he should be more given how freakishly talented he is

ml25ad

• Lots of different directions that the Cards can go in the offseason.  But if they do look to balance out their position player side of bats with so many LH's, what kind of return do you think each of Donovan, Burleson, Nootbaar, and Gorman could net?

Anthony Franco

• They'd all have value, probably in the order you mentioned them. Donovan would bring back a lot, probably a little better than the return Miami got from the Yankees for Jazz
• That was a weird one because Agustin Ramirez was a Top 100 caliber prospect for teams that thought he could catch and not especially valuable for those that didn't. But we can assume Miami was in the former camp (doesn't look promising), and the Cardinals should be able to get someone they value as a top 50-75 overall prospect for two years of Donovan as well

Hopeless Reds Fan

• Am I wrong to think that this would be a perfect offseason for the Reds to trade Hunter Greene for a haul that could bring them back a mlb bat and a couple of really nice prospects?  With Abbott, Lodolo, Singer, Burns, Lowder, Williamson, Petty, etc... this may be the time?
• 

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Steve Adams

• The offseason and postseason are here! Well, kind of. Not really. No playoff games until tomorrow and no formal offseason transactions until after the postseason, but you get the point. Let's talk offseason, playoffs, weird collapses and whatever else is on your mind! I'll get rolling at 3pm or so, but as always, feel free to submit questions ahead of time.
• Good afternoon!
• Let's get underway

Lefty

• Eldridge and Schmitt from SF to MIA for X.Edwards. Who says no?

Steve Adams

• Highly doubt the Giants would give up Eldridge alone for Edwards

Trout Phishin'

• What does the contract look like for Kyle Schwarber to stay in Philadelphia?

Steve Adams

• To me, looks like $120MM+ wherever he goes

Dan S.

• What's more likely for Dylan Cease, 2/70 with an opt-out or 6/180?

Steve Adams

• The AAV on that two-year deal is too steep, but in general, two years and an opt-out feels more likely to me than him just getting $30MM per year over six seasons.
• Something like 2/50 with an out feels more feasible than 2/70

Guarded Indian

• I know there will be several Alonso questions today, but I'll throw mine in.  I just don't see a huge market for the guy and think he should opt in.  I think is best option besides the Mets is the Nationals as far as a position fit, possibly Texas.  Most teams do not need a 1B or a DH and those that do likely can't afford him, especially when there is a much more affordable option available in a very good Josh Naylor.  Am I wrong and where else could he possibly fit?

• Good afternoon everyone, hope you're doing well!
• It's been a couple weeks. Glad to be back

Unclemike1526

• What is the total number of players for a Playoff rosters? Does it revert back to 26 or does it stay at 27? If so does Ballesteros even make the team if Tucker is back? Does it have to be 13-13? Thanks

Anthony Franco

• It reverts to 26 with a 13-pitcher maximum. Doesn't necessity need to be 13-13 and maybe for the Wild Card round you'll see a team go with 12 pitchers because it's a short series, but most teams will want as many pitchers as they can carry as it goes along
• Either way, they need to find room for Ballesteros. I'd probably drop Turner (and Santana, who's already out) but any of Turner, Castro or Alcantara seems plausible to me
• Willi hasn't hit at all. Alcantara's only really on hand in case PCA gets hurt and they need someone to step into CF. Turner's been a little better lately and provides a right-handed bat off the bench but they don't have that many LHH for whom they'd pinch hit anyway (it's basically just Busch) so I don't know that they really need one

this little piggyback cried oui oui all the way

• Most of the playoff contenders haven't even named their starters for Saturday and Sunday. Is this a new trend?

Anthony Franco

• Probably? The borderline playoff teams don't know yet if Sunday will be a must-win and they'll need to bring their best pitchers back on short rest
• Tigers would love to clinch by Saturday and have Skubal for Game 1 but they may not have that luxury. Astros are almost certainly going to need to bring Brown back on short rest as well

World Series Victor

• Is anyone going to topple Seattle? Or will we finally get to hoist the trophy?

Anthony Franco

• Obviously the odds are stacked heavily in favor of the field over any individual team but Seattle feels like the most complete team in the American League, at least. Tougher call when you pit them against Milwaukee and Philly but yeah, I'd probably have them as slight World Series favorites

The Knuder

• Which free agents, if any, do you see the Padres bringing back?

Anthony Franco

• Don't think it's all that likely they're keeping any of them besides Laureano, who has the easy yes on the club option
• Beyond that, King's the only one that I really see a path for, but it probably requires his market not materializing as hoped and turning to an opt-out situation
• Cease, Suarez, Arraez, ROH and Nestor all feel like they're gone. Diaz, Hart and Iglesias are minor league deal guys

Arise, Sir Loin of Beef

• Mets make the playoffs, yes or no? I'm guessing no.

Anthony Franco

• I still expect them to get in, though I'll admit that I'm kind of pulling for the Reds just to shake up the field

Dirt

• Thanks for the chat! Despite the broken hamate, Ozzie's option with the Braves next season is a no-brainer, right? If so, where does that leave Nacho? Utility infielder or trade bait? Is Nick Allen the odd man out?

Anthony Franco

• Agreed. $3M difference between the option price and the buyout gets you Kevin Newman or Luis Urías. Even with the downward trend and the injuries, Ozzie's better than those guys
• I think they'll trade Alvarez in a deal for some kind of pitching help. Nacho's not going to get you Joe Ryan or MacKenzie Gore but there'll be teams that'd like him in return for a back-end starter. Allen's glove-only profile fits better in a utility capacity. Probably need to work out a multi-year deal with HSK to keep him from opting out at that point

pitching chaos for everyone

• Will anyone pitch 7+ innings in one game this weekend?

Anthony Franco

• Haha Logan Webb goes Sunday at home against the Rockies. Might set the O/U at 8.2

john

• If Woodruff is out of the NLDS who takes the #3 start?  Quintana/Miz/Patrick all come with high risk.

Anthony Franco

• I think it's Patrick, maybe after an opener. In any case, not extending that third "starter" to go more than 3-4 innings. Get to the bullpen at the first sign of trouble

TheBeatlesShow

• Hey, Anthony.  Hope all is well.  Remind me, weren't the Tigers called 'the best team in baseball' around the middle of the season?  But the real questions:  If they do lose the division, where does that stack up against the greatest collapses of all time?  And, over the last month or so...or less than that, has Steven Vogt gotten himself a lot of votes for AL Mgr of the Year?
• 

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Steve Adams

• 'Tis Monday. 'Tis chat day. I'll get going at 2pm CT, but feel free to send in questions in advance if you prefer!
• Let's get underway!

Kirk

• thoughts on Texas going after Freddy Peralta in the winter?

Steve Adams

• I don't see why they wouldn't. I imagine lots of teams will be interested in him, though. The Brewers hold an $8MM option that they'll obviously pick up. It's a matter of whether they move him to extract some significant prospect value in return or whether they just ride out his final year and recoup a high draft pick for him post-2026.Typically, they have gone the trade route, but they did hang onto Willy Adames for his full control window -- and Peralta is even cheaper and arguably more valuable than some of the guys they did trade when they were down to a year (or just over) of club control -- Hader, Burnes, Williams.
• Texas will have Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Jack Leiter locked into rotation spots. Tyler Mahle, Patrick Corbin and Merrill Kelly are free agents. You can't feel all that great about the health outlook of either deGrom or Eovaldi, despite deGrom staying healthy this year.
• They have plenty of prospect depth and some interesting young big leaguers they could include (Kumar Rocker, Josh Jung come to mind as former top prospects who might be trending toward change-of-scenery territory).There's no reason to suggest they won't pursue him -- but nothing uniquely positions them as any sort of favorite, either.

The Mayor

• Is Scott Harris or A.J. Hinch's job on the line with the latest Tigers meltdown? Harris especially should be under fire from ownership for his trade deadline moves.

Scott Harris

• Look, I still have all my top prospects.  I thought our pitching looked good and needed minor tweeks.  Maybe I need an eye exam?

this little piggyback

• I root for the Mets and the Tigers. Please talk me off the ledge.

Darragh McDonald

• Hello, everyone. Anthony is off today, so I'm doing the Friday chat this week. Sorry to the Francoists out there.
• We'll be getting started a bit earlier than usual since I'm covering the afternoon news. Apologies to the West Coasters if that's annoying.
• Anyway, feel free to drop questions and I'll be back at 11 Central to answer them.
• Okay, happy Friday, everyone.
• If you're at work, I hope you're doing a good job pretending like you're doing something.
• Let's talk baseball.

Joe Baseball

• Will Zach Eflin will get a multi year contract if he doesn’t get a QO from Baltimore, or have to take a one year prove it deal? He should be fully recovered by January and he had back surgery, and his arm isn’t a problem. Thoughts?

Darragh McDonald

• I would guess one-year prove-it deal. He's been fairly injury-prone in his career and is coming off a pretty rough year.

Michael

• Do you think a trade between the Pirates and Mets for Mitch Keller is possible? Mets seem to have a glut of young infielders they could spare between Acuna, Baty, Mauricio, Acuna, etc that would be an immediate upgrade over what the Pirates have been trotting out there

Darragh McDonald

• I suppose there's a chance. Stearns kept adding more starters last offseason even when it seemed like they had plenty.
• Going into 2026, they've got McLean, Tong, Sproat, Holmes, Peterson, Senga, Megill, Manaea, Scott, and others.
• Doesn't seem like they need much more but I could have said the same thing last year when they kept adding Montas, Canning, etc.
• I wouldn't be surprised if Keller is available but I probably wouldn't pick the Mets as the most likely landing spot.