MLBTR Chats

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!

Curious George

• Who signs first? Framber or Ranger?

Mark P

• Who signs first?

  ---

  Ranger Suarez (51.3% | 641 votes)

  Framber Valdez (48.6% | 607 votes)

  ---

  Total Votes: 1248

secret souse

• What is the easiest path for Red Sox to dump money

Mark P

• Their projected payroll is $191.1MM, and their tax number is around $240MM.  Not huge figures considering this is the Red Sox we’re talking about, so my answer is “they don’t need to dump money to make any further notable moves.”

  However, it seems ownership feels differently.  The easiest path in terms of pure simplicity is to attach a prospect (either a pitcher or Casas) to Yoshida or Hicks, perhaps to a team like Colorado that needs all the young help it can get.  But, clubs are increasingly loath to give away young talent as sweeteners in salary dumps.

RedsHopeful

• What’s stopping the Reds from being in on Okamoto?  Seems like a great fit at 1B/DH along with Sal Stewart and have Steer as super utility again?

Mark P

• Good question. Maybe they are in on him, and this’ll be another outta-nowhere signing like Murakami to the ChiSox and Imai to Houston

Matt

• Okamoto going to sign during the chat?

Mark P

• Don’t jinx it!

Norbert

• Are you concerned with Ranger Suarez’s loss of velocity, or do you think he has the type of command that will allow him to continue getting weak contact for a few more years?

Mark P

• I think I’m higher on most on Suarez, since in my view, he was the clear choice as the best starter on this year’s FA market. He wasn’t exactly a high-velo guy to begin with, so a drop shouldn’t (in theory) impact his bread and butter abilities of generating grounders and soft contact.

Peralta

• The rumor mill quieted on Peralta. You think that picks back up now that the holidays are over or do you think the Brewers are more likely to give the season a go with him?

Mark P

• It always felt likelier that Milwaukee would just keep Peralta, since they’d need a ton in return to say yes to a trade.  It could be things get rolling a bit now that Imai is off the board, though it’s interesting to remember that the Astros were one of the teams reportedly interested in Peralta.  That may no longer be the case now that Imai and Burrows are on board.

Guest

• Why is no one talking about Okamoto to the Yankees?  He could platoon at 1st or 3rd and releve Domingues in rig,ht.

Mark P

• Okamoto himself probably wants to be more than a short-side platoon guy

Josh

• Do you see Ian Happ starting for the cubs this year?

Mark P

• Yes.  He had a no-trade clause, so he probably isn’t going anywhere.

NY Sports

• Any chance that a potential lockout for next year lowered the projected salary for Imai, Murakami and potentially Okamoto?

Mark P

• I don’t think it’s the looming lockout, necessarily, but more that this trio had more question marks than a lot of other premium players recently coming over from NPB.

Imai

• What are your thoughts on the Astros signing Imai? Was it a good signing to help fortify their rotation?

Mark P

• I like the deal a lot.  Potentially it’s a great bargain for the Astros, and if Imai pitches well, it’s just a one-year commitment since he would likely opt out next winter.

  Potentially, if Imai pitched well but not spectacularly well, he might also pass on his first opt-out just to avoid getting caught in limbo during a lockout

Ryan

• Is Emerson plus a lottery ticket for Donovan possible. Donovan is what the Mariners would hope Emerson could be.

Mark P

• Zero chance Emerson is traded.  He’s a top-10 prospect in baseball.

Josh

• Are the A’s contenders this year?

Mark P

• They need to do a lot more with their rotation before I can take them seriously as playoff candidates

Kyle

• Are you surprised that Gore hasn’t been traded? Will the Nats have to pair him with Abrams or Wood to get the sort of return they were hoping for?

Mark P

• Not terribly surprised.  This is another case where the Nationals don’t have to make a move right now, since Gore is controlled through 2028.  If another team stepped up with a huge offer, the Nats wouldn’t hesitate to deal Gore, but only in that circumstance.

  And Gore has more than enough value on his own that he wouldn’t need to be linked to another big trade chip.  And, needless to say, Wood isn’t going anywhere.

Alex

• Does Z Gallen fit into the braves “ace caliber” – final need?

Mark P

• Gallen’s rough 2025 season dips him out of the ace category, though he has shown ace-type stuff in the past.  That might be enough to get the Braves to roll the dice, especially if Gallen is open to a somewhat shorter-term deal to re-establish his market.

  Two more obstacles…..Gallen would cost Atlanta a draft pick, since he rejected a qualifying offer.  Gallen is also a Boras client, and Anthopoulos traditionally doesn’t do a lot of business with Boras.

Bob Nutting

• Are the Pirates wild card contenders if they get Okamoto or Suarez for 3B with that rotation?

Mark P

• I’d say so.  Their lineup would be a lot better and the pitching is still strong, so that might be enough for Pittsburgh to get over the playoff line amidst a number of NL teams with comparable weaknesses

Polar Bear

• The Mets are going to make some kind of move for a starting pitcher….right?

Mark P

• Sure, except it is becoming increasingly unclear if it’ll be the kind of frontline arm they need.

Pat

• Whether it be a trade forna player like Kwan or signing a big bat, do you think the Dodgers will add an OF before the season starts?

Mark P

• A trade (though probably not for Kwan specifically) is more likely than a big signing, but maybe I shouldn’t write that while Tucker is still available.

  Some level of longer-term outfield help might be less feasible since LA doesn’t want to block its younger outfielders on the way up.

Ateam

• Dodgers have a lot of young arms coming back from injury. What are the next steps? Stash them in the minors or trades?

Mark P

• Minor league stashing seems logical, as teams likely aren’t eager to give up a big return for pitchers just coming off long IL stints.  The Dodgers themselves probably want time to monitor these hurlers to evaluate their health, and to further gauge which ones they want to keep and which ones they might want to shop.
• Don’t forget, the Dodgers have needed all the rotation depth they can find over the last few years.  The team can also just stand pat.

Hot trade

• Gunnar Henderson for Joe Ryan.

Mark P

• That would indeed be hot, but the O’s are never trading Henderson for two years of Ryan

Ken

• Gore is only controlled through 2027.

Mark P

• Correct, that was a typo on my part.  But, two years of control is still a lot of time for Washington to explore trades.

Lance

• Hi Mark. Thanks for doing the chat today.

  Which free agent signed so far, do you believe, will have the most positive impact for their new team?

Mark P

• Since you specified ’new’ team, does that mean you’re asking about just the free agents who went elsewhere?  That narrows the field by quite a bit, given how many FAs stayed put.

  Feels like Alonso will take to Camden Yards like a duck to water.  But, as a Jays fan, I’m hoping the answer is that Cease helps lead Toronto to a championship

Frustrated Nats Fan

• How long do we have to wait to become even a fringe contender?

Mark P

• I wouldn’t have been surprised if the Nationals had been borderline contenders in 2025, yet things obviously went in the exact opposite direction.

  Seems like it’ll be at least two more seasons in the wilderness, though stranger things have happened in terms of unexpected turn-arounds.

steve

• Kristin Campbell was the minor league player of the year .  If one looks at the list of players who have won previously –you see a very successful group.   Why has everyone given up on campbell.    Has Boston mismanaged him?

Mark P

• The Sox certainly aren’t giving up on a player they’ve already signed to a hefty extension.  Fans can be a little too fickle when top prospects struggle early, even though the majority of top prospects routinely look shaky in their first time at the MLB level.  It would surprise nobody if Campbell suddenly broke out in 2026.

RoyalsCenter2026

• The Royals have been super quiet after being involved in so many rumors? Will it heat back up and will they get a big of bat or are they done?

Mark P

• Doubt they’re done, since they need another good hitter in that lineup

Brockmire

• What’s your take on the looming CBA quagmire?

Mark P

• I think it’s a shame that a lockout seems to be a foregone conclusion, and that the two sides seem fine with things reaching that point.  In a perfect world, you’d have the two sides say “look, we’re both making a lot of money here, so let’s start figuring things out now to keep everyone happy.”

Carrie Halas

• Were the Phillies genuinely in on Imai? If they wanted rotation depth that badly, why not pivot to Ranger?

Mark P

• It’s possible they might indeed consider reuniting with Suarez now that Imai is off the board.

  That said, it’s a little telling that there has been virtually no buzz about Suarez re-signing in Philly.  The team was publicly open about their desire to being back Schwarber and Realmuto, yet it was little more than boilerplate stuff in regards to Suarez.

Brother

• James Wood looks like a bust and the Nationals should sell while his value is still high, any thoughts?

Mark P

• Wood strikes out way too much, and his bat really cooled off in the second half.

  He also has a 125 wRC+ and 40 homers in his first 1025 PA in the majors.  Wood isn’t going anywhere, and is still a huge building block for Washington

NY Sports

• Would you say the off season has been quiet so far? It seems like there’s still a lot of players unsigned with roughly 6 weeks before catchers and pitchers report to spring training.

Mark P

• Six weeks is a lot of time.  Looking MLBTR’s top 50 as a guide, 29 of those 50 free agents have already signed, so there’s been a fair bit of movement even if a few of those guys were early-offseason qualifying offer accepting-types.

JeffyM

• if the Jays are able to get Bo, Tucker or Bregman, do Straw or Lukes have any trade value or are they more DFA candidates?

Mark P

• If they get Tucker specifically, Lukes is probably traded.  Straw sticks around in any scenario as a backup OF.

CJ J

• The Cubs seem to be sniffing around INFs.  If they sign one, who is the odd man out?  I have terrible feeling it’s Hoerner, even though he brings elite contact to a lineup that needs it.  Any chance, if the Cubs sign a Bregman or whomever, that Shaw is the odd man out and they could trade him for pitching?

Mark P

• Nico makes a ton of contact but it isn’t exactly quality contact.  He is also a free agent after the season, so it would make sense that the Cubs are looking to deal him now if Nico isn’t part of their future plans.
• That either opens up 2B for an acquisition, or perhaps they get Bregman and move Shaw to 2B

Cris E

• Does COL burn things down this winter or get some front office stuff settled first and move the vets at the break?

Mark P

• The Rockies don’t have many veterans left, and not much left in general for a fire sale.  Hard to have a teardown when the house has already burned to the ground, as they say.  (Or did I make that saying up?)

  I suspect DePodesta is viewing 2026 as an evaluation year, though naturally he’ll be open to any and all trade offers in the name of bringing younger talent into the organization.

Guest

• Is Carson Benge the real deal and should he start opening day in center?

Mark P

• There’s a lot to like about Benge’s potential but breaking camp seems like a reach.  He has only 24 Triple-A games on his resume and he didn’t hit well in Syracuse, so it feels like some more seasoning is required.  However, he is a lock to make his MLB debut in 2026, and if he gets on an early tear in Triple-A, the Mets could make him a quick call-up

Daniel

• Why do players wait so long to sign. If it was me I’d sign as soon as possible to get acclimated with my new squad.

Mark P

• If the offers aren’t interesting, players aren’t just going to grab the least-uninteresting lowball offer just for the sake of signing

Dana Brown’s a rental

• Yordan Alvarez has a 1.046 career OPS as a LF (896 PAs) and .919 as a DH.  Why can’t the Astros just home Paredes the everyday DH and 1B/3B backup?

Mark P

• The issue isn’t whether or not Alvarez can hit as an outfielder, it’s whether he can stay healthy in regular outfield duty.  And, he isn’t a good defensive player.

Pete C

• How do forecast the 2026 season for Rangers OF Evan Carter

Mark P

• First things first, Carter has to stay healthy.  That gives the Rangers a clear chance to evaluate a player who can still be a huge part of their future.

Radhippo

• Okamoto and Gallen enough to get the Angels in the playoffs??

Mark P

• I’d take a lot more than that

Mr Red Leg

• What would the Reds have to give up for Yandy Diaz?  Chase Petty?

Mark P

• 2026 is Diaz’s final guaranteed year, plus there’s a club option for 2027.  So two seasons of Diaz for Petty probably isn’t something Cincinnati is open to doing, though these could be elements of a multi-player swap

Jake K

• Rockies need to make some movements…Coby Mayo seems like a perfect fit considering the surplus of infielders on the O’s and the power upside….would love to see him in Coors

Mark P

• That probably doesn’t happen outside of a three-team trade, since I don’t think the Orioles would be willing to move Mayo for anyone in the Rockies’ organization

Guest

• Is boras the major problem to why the market is being held up?

Mark P

• As much as Boras usually has his clients wait on the market, this isn’t an absolute rule.  This winter alone, Cease was off the board very quickly.

Blue Heaven

• Dodgers said Sasaki will be in rotation in 2026. But if Stone and/or River Ryan outperforms in ST, should they add one of them to rotation, and move Sasaki to BP at least for early in the season?

Mark P

• As noted earlier, the Dodgers’ rotation has been constantly racked by injuries. So it’s possible a logjam just never really develops because at least one pitcher or another is on the IL.

Pizza pizza

• Tigers look like they aren’t going to move the needle with the lineup with a signing/trade. McGonigle will be with the big club at some point this season. Why not look at signing him to a pre debut extension and then using what has the potential to be major savings if he turns out to be the player they hope on

Mark P

• McGonigle seems like a decent candidate for a pre-career extension.  We know these types of deals are in Scott Harris’ wheelhouse since Keith was already locked up before his first MLB game.

Mariners

• What has surprised you most this off-season?

Mark P

• About Seattle’s offseason specifically?  I guess I thought they would’ve gotten more for dealing Harry Ford, but Ferrer is a nice bullpen add

Hello

• How can the scouts all be so wrong about players like Jordan Walker, or Jo Adell since he HAS to be mentioned in every chat?

Mark P

• Scouting players and identifying future stars is incredibly hard.  Still plenty of time for Walker to get clicking at the MLB level, just as it took Adell several years to finally have a breakout

Philip rivers

• Which player do you think could come back and put up reasonable numbers 5 years after retirement ?

Mark P

• If Barry Bonds signed as a DH-only bat/pinch-hitting specialist, I think he’d hit at least 20 homers
• Maybe he should do this just to restart his HOF clock!

Curious A’s Fan

• When was the last time a team did a pre-career (or very early career) extension with a pitcher?

Mark P

• These don’t happen too often.  Ashby’s extension with Milwaukee is the most recent, after some brief checking on the MLB Contract Tracker

Maple

• Why do teams non-tender payers only to have them sign for more money in free agency? Moreover, why do other teams not make an offer (cash considerations) for that player before they hit the market? There are alot of teams that would now love to have Pete Fairbanks for his projected arbitration salary that must be kicking themselves.

Mark P

• The Rays surely tested the market for Fairbanks before non-tendering him, and the offers weren’t up to par.  So if the Rays perceived that they would have difficulty trading Fairbanks at fair value, they opted to just cut him entirely by declining the option.

Spencer Jones

• Is LF mine to lose if Belli signs elsewhere?

Mark P

• Dominguez will get first dibs on the job

Cubs

• Are the cubs involved for Okamoto?

Mark P

• They were mentioned as one of the teams in the hunt.  The depth of their interest isn’t known, however.

Phillies

• Any chance to move Nola then circle back on Ranger?

Mark P

• Nola’s trade value is pretty minimal considering his contract and his rough 2025

Spud

• The Brewers have no depth at shortstop, and a marginal hitter at best manning the position. What are you hearing about the Kiner-Filefa market, and is there a chance he could fall to the Brewers?

Mark P

• IKF should fall within the Brewers’ price range for bench depth

Baby Mets

• Am I the only one who thinks the Mets will not sign any big name Free Agents and will go instead with their young and promising minor league players this year?

Mark P

• Oops, I loaded that next question before finishing my point on the previous question.

  IKF raises the talent floor on the roster, but I’m not sure he’s a realistic candidate to actually take over at SS or anything

• Re: the Mets’ youth movement.

  That would be an awfully bold move by a team that still has a mega-payroll and should be in win-now mode. Seems hard to believe that the Mets wouldn’t still have a big move in them before the winter is out.

Win Now

• With the A’s offense, why wouldn’t a mature, win now pitcher, want to join the A’s?

Mark P

• It’s a very hitter-friendly park, and the pitcher’s numbers may very well suffer

  It is also a very hitter-friendly minor league park, and the pitcher may not want to deal with the extra complication of playing in such a facility

Overpay

• Clearly the blue jays over paid for cease (and Santander last year). Will that have negative impact in the next few years?

Mark P

• It’s only an overpay if they don’t play well, so Santander will have to pick it up in 2026.  The Jays also have a good deal of money coming off the books after the 2026 season.
• That’s almost two hours of chattin’, so it’s time to wrap things up.  Thanks to everyone for their questions, and I’ll have more chatty goodness next weekend!
• 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-1-3-26

Greg

• Pirates agreed to O’Hearn deal on the 23rd. It’s the 28th now and still not official and no corresponding 40 man move. Is this abnormal?

Mark P

• Not over the holidays, when a lot of front offices are more or less shut down

Buster Posey

• Please make some sense of the Giants offseason. We buy real estate and movie theatres but refuse to spend money on the team. I don’t get it.

Mark P

• “What am I, chopped liver?” — Adrian Houser

  Don’t forget, last year’s offseason was also rather quiet apart from the Adames signing.  So it could be that Posey and company have one big move like that in mind, and the rest with be comparatively smaller additions like Houser

Tarik Skubal

• At this point, there’s 0% I get traded this offseason, right?

Mark P

• It’s not zero, but it’s quite unlikely

Joec

• Are you surprised that there isn’t much sandy alcantara trade rumors?

Mark P

• Not really.  The Marlins have been pretty open about their desire to keep him, even if the team isn’t hanging up the phone if someone happens to call with an offer.  Given how shaky Alcantara was last year, the offers aren’t going to be what Miami wants, and the Fish are now quietly turning from rebuild/cost-cutting mode into trying to contend

Mark

• would a Bello and Casas swap for Gore and Abram’s be a reasonable trade for both teams? Who would say no?

Mark P

• Washington says no.  Casas is a realistic trade chip if Gore or Abrams was dealt to Boston, but given that the Nats seem to be treading water or re-evaluating their rebuild, Bello probably isn’t a fit.

  If Gore or Abrams are actually moved, the Nats will be looking for younger and more controllable players

Guest

• Are the Pirates building around Paul Skenes? Does the Lowe trade and the O’Hearn signing signal that?

Mark P

• Most definitely. The Bucs realize they have something special in Skenes, and are being more aggressive than usual in trying to make a win-now push

Luis Arraez

• Where am I going? Will I ever play 2B again?

Mark P

• Probably not, given his defensive shortcomings.  It’s really tricky to predict a landing spot for Arraez since he has such a unique skillset, and most teams will be looking for more power from the 1B or DH positions.
• We’re going to pause the chat for a while, as we’ve got a bit of breaking news with the Orioles re-signing Zach Eflin. Keep submitting your questions, and the chat will resume later this evening.

  Ah, the risks of running a live chat during the offseason!  So much for a “quiet” Sunday evening…

• There we go, now back to the chat after that interruption (an Eflin-terruption, if you will?)

Ron

• which available starter is most likely to sign with the O’s?

Mark P

• Zach Eflin!  🙂

Tom

• What are the chances the Orioles are the team to land Framber Valdez?

Mark P

• Perhaps slightly less now that Eflin has filled another rotation hole, but he doesn’t solve the Orioles’ on-paper need for a clearcut ace.

  It’s true that between Bradish, Rogers, Baz, and now Eflin, that’s four starters the O’s might feel comfortable rolling out there in a playoff series, but you’d think the team would want to have lots of depth available

90 Reds

• Mark, please tell me the Reds have something bigger planned than JJ Bleday and Dane Myers.  As a fan, I am so disappointed.

Mark P

• This certainly won’t be it for the Reds, or at least one would certainly think not.  It’s a pair of depth acquisitions with upside, and maybe a sign that Cincinnati could be looking to move out of its incumbent outfield options

LA Knight

• Let me talk to ya, Wheres Bellinger signing and when?

Mark P

• YEAH

  The Yankees are probably still the favorites, but the Mets stand out as more and more of an intriguing alternative given how many veterans they’ve now cleared off the roster.  Signing Bellinger would both fill a big hole in the outfield, and give Polanco some cover if the 1B transition doesn’t go smoothly

King Felix

• Am I a Hall of Famer in your book?

Mark P

• He’s borderline for me, which I guess maybe makes me lean towards no since I’m generally a bit more of a small-Hall type

Astros

• Is Paredes trade inevitable

Mark P

• Hopefully not, since that would seem like something of a short-sighted move from Houston.  Apart from a healthy Yordan Alvarez, I think Paredes can be the most productive hitter in the Astros’ lineup next season.  Trading him to address this infield pileup would be a rough decision, even though he’s the most easily movable of the group

Joe Ryan

• I’m not getting traded this winter, am I?

Mark P

• Doesn’t seem likely.  The Twins have no real financial motivation to do so since Ryan is pretty inexpensive over his remaining arb years.  Obviously a rival team could step up with a gigantic offer, but barring such a scenario, Minnesota is probably keeping Ryan since the Twins think they can contend in 2026

MarioSoto

• Are you as disappointed in the Reds as I am this winter?

Mark P

• I haven’t been wowed by their moves or anything, but obligatory “it’s only late December” caveat

Casas

• I don’t understand why the Red Sox have seemingly given up on Casas. Yes, he’s gotten several season ending injuries the last few years. But, he’s a controllable young player with good power and good upside when healthy. Is Contreras a stopgap for Casas or is Tristan on the trade block?

Mark P

• The Red Sox would surely prefer to move Yoshida over Casas, but Casas (injuries notwithstanding) is a much easier player to trade.  Contreras is under contract through 2027, so he isn’t really a stopgap.

Joe Hardy

• Can the Athletics keep Langelier’s long term…they’re building a nice core and he’d be a nice piece to keep.

Mark P

• Since Langeliers is repped by Scott Boras, an extension seems highly unlikely.  But, Shea is arb-controlled through 2028, so the A’s don’t really have to worry about his future for some time yet

Bryan

• Arizona is not going to trade Martel. This is fan hype. I repeat Arizona is not going to trade Martel. Do you agree?

Mark P

• I wasn’t aware that 80’s-90’s wrestling star Rick “The Model” Martel even played for the Diamondbacks

Philthy Rotten

• If Realmuto does not re-sign, what would you think the Phillies plan B is?

Mark P

• Victor Caratini stands out as the obvious choice in free agency, but the pickings would be very slim for the Phillies.
• Which underlines the importance of Realmuto to the Phils in particular

Musical Chairs

• It seems like there is so much overlap of interest in Tucker / Bichette / Bregman / Bellinger that one signing really impacts the next. Which of those dominoes do you see falling first?

Mark P

• In theory Okamoto might technically be the first domino, just because he has his posting window up on January 4.  But, if Okamoto signs with Pittsburgh or San Diego or some other team that isn’t in on the bigger names you mentioned, it won’t exactly shake up the market.

  If I had to pick one, it might be Bichette back with Toronto.  There’s some obvious history there, and the Sox are the only other team really linked to Bo this winter.  And, if the Red Sox are really this reluctant about inking players to longer-term deals, that leaves the Jays as the best fit for Bichette’s contract demands

Bendix

• Does Ketel Marte make sense for Marlins? They have what D-Backs need most in pitching.

Mark P

• This would be a fascinating pivot for Miami, but I don’t think they’re quite there yet in terms of a big-swing trade like this

AstrosFAN

• Issac Paredes for Connelly Early straight up who says no?

Mark P

• Probably Boston

Hits Like Rays

• Is it just me, or do the Rays seem to be targeting strong defense and baserunning instead of power hitting in most of the position players they have acquired in this winter’s trades?  Is this a significant trend for them?

Mark P

• This isn’t at all a new thing for Tampa.  Defense and baserunning come cheaper than power, but run prevention and stealing runs on the basepaths can play just a big of a role in winning games

Kevin

• When will the Cards deal Brendan?  It is getting old hearing rumors and not trading him. I cannot imagine being his family!

Mark P

• Plenty of players have spoken about the difficulty of constantly being included in trade rumors, whether it’s in-season or during the offseason.  For Donovan, this is at least nothing new, since teams have been showing interest in him for years

Ken

• Barring a Kurtz or Wilson extension, is the A’s offseason done?

Mark P

• Not by a long shot.  Their rotation still needs work, and Severino is likely being traded

Chet Lemon

• With the Zombro promotion, do you think the Cubs can recreate the success with their veteran bullpen like they did last year? Seems like the Cubs are gambling that they’ll get the same position player production that they got last year. I like Ballesteros and Caissie but I’m not sure they can replace Tucker’s stats/threat in the lineup.

Mark P

• I like all of the Cubs’ bullpen moves, actually.  As much as Hoyer takes heat for not spending bigger in the bullpen specifically, he isn’t wrong about the year-to-year volatility of relief pitching.  He has stretched his pen budget a bit more than usual, but the end result is a good group of veterans with upside.

Kevin L

• The Yankees have been oddly quiet this offseason. Do you think it’s a result of the big names waiting to sign? Or do you believe they are content with their team as is?

Mark P

• They shouldn’t be standing pat with a team that wasn’t good enough to get it done in 2025.  I can see the Yankees also taking the approach of seeing if they can wait out the market for some of the bigger-name players, then seeing if they swoop in with a pricey (but relative “bargain”) of an offer

Mike Myers

• Is Jonathan India a potential trade target for Boston? Cheaper than Marte…

Mark P

• Cheaper, yeah, and also significantly less productive.  Hard to imagine India is on Boston’s radar.
• Time to wrap things up tonight, as this ended up being something of an abbreviated version of the chat.  Thanks to everyone who submitted a question, and we’ll roll the dice in seeing if more of a normal-sized chat can take place next weekend.
• 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-12-28-25

Dipoto

• How available are the elite 2B targets like Marte and Jazz?  Is it just smoke?

Mark P

• Seems like Marte is more available, albeit at a much higher price tag.  I’m not sure Chisholm is really “available” outside of the broad way in which teams are usually open to hearing offers about impending free agents.

Stevil

• It seems likely to me that acquiring Ketel Marte might mean taking Gurriel with him. What do you think?

Mark P

• Gurriel is owed $13MM in 2026, and there’s a $5MM buyout of his $14MM club option for 2027.

  Maybe the argument can be made that Marte is enough of a relative bargain that adding another $18MM to the tally still works out in another team’s favor, and maybe the math works if that other team isn’t terribly deep in prospects.  And, if the D’Backs really are doing something like trying to move Marte in order to sign Bregman, maybe they’d just like to clear as much payroll as possible.

  But, overall, teams don’t want to water down the value of a price trade asset (like Marte) by attaching an undesirable contract to the package.  Gurriel’s salary isn’t so onerous that Arizona can’t just eat it for one year left.

CardfaninIL

• What is the best return we can get for JoJo? And can put a top15 kid with Nolan to get a better return? Thx

Mark P

• Likewise, a rebuilding team like the Cardinals isn’t likely to move any kind of notable prospect along with Arenado just to help a trade go through.  The Cards have shown they’ll just eat some salary to accommodate these deals in order to help improve the returns.

grunt

• what would it cost to get santander from bluejays  for the reds

Mark P

• Hard to see a trade match there.  If you’re the Reds and you’re in need of offensive help, surely you’d want someone who a) isn’t so expensive, and b) isn’t coming off essentially a non-starter of a 2025 season.

GOATcloserEstabanYan

• How likely is it that Rays trade Yandy, Rasmussen, etc. and just go all in on a full blown rebuild?

Mark P

• The Rays don’t ever fully rebuild.  There’s enough talent on the roster that they still think they can contend in 2026, and never count out the Rays from suddenly swinging another trade to bring in a good talent, or someone else suddenly emerges from their minor league ranks as a regular

Alan Smithee

• Are Yankees is on Tucker at all and is Tucker objectively the better player than Bellinger or not?

Mark P

• Reports indicate that Tucker is a backup plan if Bellinger can’t be re-signed.  That’s kind of interesting framing that the far more expensive player is the “plan B” since in theory, Tucker is more difficult to sign.  But, the Yankees seem to have correctly gauged Tucker’s market as limited to just a few teams, so they have the ability to wait and see on both him and Bellinger.

  Objectively, Tucker is certainly the more consistent and better player than Bellinger, as evidenced by their numbers over the last few seasons.  Whether that’s worth, say, an extra $200MM gap or more in salary remains to be seen, in terms of the Yankees and other teams are evaluating the two

Luc

• Any chance Giants are back in on Imai?

Mark P

• They are, as per reports.  The Giants’ apparently unwillingness to commit to a long contract is an obstacle, yet if Imai’s market isn’t developing to the point that he’s getting truly larger offers, maybe SF thinks they can sneak in there with three or four years.

Kuiper

• Happy New Year! When will my Guards get a right handed bat if ever?

Mark P

• They were keen on Lane Thomas, is that something?

  Miguel Andujar would be a perfect fit for Cleveland….except his two best positions are also J-Ram and Kwan’s two positions.  Still, the Guardians could use him in RF or at 1B, or as a DH, or just any way to get Andujar into the lineup against lefty pitching

Stearns

• Are you in favor of seeing more trades like the Nimmo/Baty trades? It was especially surprising since Mets fans love Nimmo (and presumably Ranger fams too with Semien), but it’s kind of exciting to see veterans join a new team at the same time.

Mark P

• It was an interesting deal on many fronts.  As the writer who was on MLBTR duty when that trade broke, there were so many facets to address that my word count for that post ended up being pretty high, haha.

Jake

• Chances of Okamoto going to the Pirates?

Mark P

• Probably seems unlikely.  While the Bucs have been busy in adding offense (and willing to spend some money), Okamoto’s probably not going to Pittsburgh unless his market really collapses.

Dirt

• Thanks for the chat, Mark. What are your thoughts on Chris Bassitt to the Braves? Quality, durable arm, innings eater, no QO, veteran leadership, reportedly good in clubhouse. Seems like he would be a perfect fit at an affordable price?

Mark P

• Agreed.  Bassitt is a good fit on a few teams for that very reason, and we probably can’t even entirely rule out a return to Toronto yet.  But, you’re right that he’d check a lot of boxes for a Braves team that is in the weird spot of technically having “enough” pitching but also absolutely need another reliable arm.

Tatsayu Imai

• Who is favored to sign Imai? Do the Cubs have a legit chance?  There’s only a week left for him to sign.

Mark P

• There doesn’t appear to be a clear favorite for Imai, but the Cubs have been linked to him and would appear to have as much of a shot as anyone in the field.  The Cubs have a history of landing top-level Japanese talent, and Imai might fall within the Cubs’ “spend pretty big but not TOO big” price range

Joe Hardy

• Didn’t see Michael King coming back to San Diego and signing Song was interesting. What do you think happens with Chronenworth?

Mark P

• I actually felt there was a decent chance King would just accept the qualifying offer and stay in San Diego that way. But, in example #7903 of why I’d make a lousy player agent, King ended up testing the market and walked away with a much bigger payday while still ending up in his preferred spot.

Phanatic

• I keep wondering why the Phillies don’t just decide to walk away from JT. Combine the 16m or so you’ve got earmarked for him with the 10m for Bohm and you’re close to Bichette or Bregman.

Mark P

• First they’d need to find a trade partner to absorb all of Bohm’s salary.  Then they’d need to actually sign Bichette/Bregman.  Then they’d need to go out and find someone else to play catcher, since counting on Marchan and company is a big risk.

Guest

• I feel like the Tigers are done for the winter other than depth, do you think that too?

Mark P

• As conservative as Scott Harris has been with his transactions, I feel like Detroit’s got one bigger move in them this offseason.  Relatively standing pat would seem like a real mistake, given how this team still has some holes keeping it from being a real contender

White Sox Fan

• What kind of pitching return are the Sox looking for in a Luis Robert trade with the Reds? Chase Petty?

Mark P

• Chris Getz would sign off on that deal right now if Cincinnati offered Petty for Robert, but that’s not going to happen.  As rough as Petty’s 2025 season was, he is still highly regarded as a prospect, and not someone the Reds would be too willing to dangle for a player with as many question marks as Robert (and at his price tag).

Scott

• Do the Braves add another starter? Framber? Ranger?

Mark P

• Someone like Bassitt seems a lot more realistic spending-wise than one of the top FA arms

Pumpsie

• What’s your year-end feeling on the Jays? Happy that they played meaningful, memorable games into the November (!) spotlight after so many years in the wilderness, or totally bummed they didn’t win it all? I’m far more of the former!

Mark P

• I feel like I’ve had the same “man, that Game 7, argh!” conversation with about 50 people in the last two months, which then stretches into a 10-minute discussion over all the near-misses from that game (and Game 6, or even Game 3) and what the Blue Jays might do next.

  Objectively, you’re correct. The Jays exceeded expectations to such an absurd degree that it seems silly to not look back at 2025 as anything but a high point.  It’s just that ending things with such a crushing loss still leaves me needing time to process things, personally.

FedPav

• Would Tucker accept a short-term, high AAV deal to join a contender?

Mark P

• Hey look, it’s Andrew Friedman’s burner account!  🙂

  If Tucker’s market really doesn’t develop as expected, a shorter-term deal is a possibility.  But it’s not so late in the offseason that his camp needs to be panicking yet, and I suspect Tucker still lands a lengthy mega-deal.

SeaPilots

• Is there another move after Refsnyder?

Mark P

• Certainly.  Refsnyder is a good part-time bat, but landing an everyday second baseman seems like a need.

Doug

• I love McMahon defense at 3B, but how can the Yankees go through 2 more seasons with him and a platoon partner?  I mean he will still get the majority of starts.

Mark P

• Having a no-hit/all-glove guy in your lineup isn’t a bad thing, since McMahon’s defense is just that great.  Especially if you can work around it with hitting in the rest of the lineup, and a good RHH bat as a platoon partner.
• Is this necessarily how I would’ve addressed the 3B position if I was Cashman last summer?  No, but I can see the logic in bringing McMahon aboard.

Bob Veale

• How do u feel about what the Pirates done so far

Mark P

• I’ve been impressed.  The Buccos brought in a couple of proven veteran hitters, a very intriguing MLB-ready player in Garcia, and a bit of a lottery ticket with upside in Mangum.  And, they’ve done this while not dipping too deeply into their rotation mix.

Girl fan

• Big Christmas to the Padres?

Mark P

• Eh, maybe?  A flier of a waiver claim couldn’t hurt if San Diego wants to take a look at him in Spring Training.  But, Noel is a limited player, and the Padres can probably aim higher.

Matt Arnold

• FO is high on Jefferson Quero. If the Brewers were to trade Contreras would that be a complete shock – 2 years before free agency – and what chance you give that happening?

Mark P

• It would be a real surprise if it happened now.  The trade whispers about Contreras will get a lot louder by this time next year, but there’s very little chance the Brewers will deal an All-Star catcher now and roll with Quero + stopgap veteran catcher when they’re trying to win a World Series.

Joey walnuts

• who are the redsox waiting to trade Casas for

Mark P

• Between Casas’ lost 2025 season and Contreras now in Boston, rival teams have quite a bit of leverage on the Sox in trade talks.  The Red Sox don’t want to sell low on Casas and they don’t necessarily have to since they use him in the 1B/DH mix next year.  But, if you’re another team in talks about Casas, surely you have to ask “hey, if this guy is so good, why have you been shopping him for the better part of two years now?”

Hits Like Rays

• Should the Rays sign Luis Rengifo or Brendan Rodgers to play 2B this year and then see how their prospects develop?

Mark P

• Rengifo is one of my favourite bounce-back candidates of the entire free agent market.  IMO, he’s absolutely the kind of player the Rays (or a lot of teams) should be looking at.

Lars Nootbar

• I’m not going anywhere until the deadline, if at all, correct?

Mark P

• Probably not

Motor City Beach Bum

• With Keith playing good ball at 3B last year would it make sense for Detroit to sign Bellinger instead of a 3B target?

Mark P

• The Tigers are already so loaded with LH bats that I actually don’t love Bellinger as an ideal fit for them, even though in a vacuum he obviously makes the lineup better.

  It is fair to guess that Keith isn’t exactly going to be Brooks Robinson if he gets any extended time at third base.  Detroit may not want to take that kind of defensive risk with Keith in an everyday role, but there are enough moving parts and platoon holes on the roster for Hinch to mix and match things.

A for effort

• Are the A’s becoming a more desirable destination for free agents given their glut of young position player talent? Or in other words, do they still need to throw over-market money at players like Severino to get them to play in Sacramento, or do you think players will be more receptive this time around?

Mark P

• They’re still in “significant overpay” territory.  While I don’t doubt that players are taking note of what the A’s are doing from a competitive perspective, it is highly unlikely that any player with options elsewhere is going to sign to play in a minor league park for two (or more?) years

Tempy2DHall

• When a player is out for the year (think Darvish), is his salary still figured in team spending? Certainly, there must be insurance against that type of IL.

Mark P

• Most contracts are ensured in some way, so the clubs receive some financial compensation.  But, Darvish naturally still counts against the luxury tax and whatnot.

Chicago Sox Fan

• What do you see the White Sox doing with their soon to be LONG list of future SS?  They have Montgomery playing now, and Billy Carlson in the minors, plus they should be taking Cholowski with the #1 pick.

Mark P

• You can never have enough shortstop depth, especially since who knows how many of them will pan out.  Plus, most players drafted as shortstops have the skills to pretty easily transition to another position if a surplus actually does develop

who’s on 1st

• IF the Gardians and others are so cheap as to not spend big; find players that do some things real well. Like; the M’s did with Refsnyder

Mark P

• The Guardians have had enough consistent success that it’s hard to argue that their method doesn’t work.  And yet, splurging for even one proven bat would have helped this team immensely in recent years, and may even proved to be the difference in a playoff series or two.

Muarakami Market

• Why did Murakami not get the contract he wanted? What happened to his market?

Mark P

• It seems like the offers just weren’t there, or teams were too worried about Murakami’s strikeout rate to really push too hard on courting the slugger.  Jeff Passan reported that some teams did offer longer-term contracts but for relatively little AAV, so Murakami instead chose to bet on himself with the Chicago deal.
• Don’t forget, Murakami isn’t even 26 yet.  He can re-enter free agency heading into his age-28 season, and potentially score a much bigger contract if he has two years of solid MLB results behind him.

Me

• What is the knock on Comerica or the city of Detroit that they arent up for a near future ASG?

Mark P

• Comerica hosted back in 2005, so it isn’t “due” (if you look at All-Star nods in a broad 30-city way) for another decade or so.

JL

• What would a return for riley greene look like? Several years of control left, plus defense in LF, plus power. Would a team like the mets be interested?

Mark P

• The Mets and a ton of teams would obviously be in on Greene, who’s controlled through 2028.  But the natural response to your question is….why would the Tigers trade such a player?  If anything, I’d think there’s a better chance Detroit extends Greene.

Guest

• Do you think the Royals likely trade for an outfielder? or likely stick with their current roster?

Mark P

• I liked the Collins trade, but if I’m the Royals, I’m still looking for a better second outfielder than Lane Thomas.  There’s no proof yet that Caglianone can hit MLB pitching, and Isbel can’t hit (though Isbel is another “his glove is so good that a lack of offense is tolerable”) player

Joe

• Did the O’s make a mistake giving Mountcastle a contract, or does he still have enough value to get a low level prospect along with his salary?

Mark P

• If I was the O’s, I would’ve non-tendered Mountcastle and either gone with Mayo or gotten another 1B (like Alonso, or even a lower-level move like re-signing O’Hearn).

  I get that keeping Mountcastle gave the O’s some flexibility in not necessarily “having” to make a 1B move, yet it seemed pretty obvious that it was a position in need of a boost.  As noted earlier about the Red Sox and their lack of leverage with Casas, the Orioles now have even less bargaining power in finding to find a trade partner for Mountcastle.

On-The-Way-Out A’s Fan?

• Do you think anymore extensions will be coming for the A’s or do they focus their remaining, unknown resources towards pitching?

Mark P

• Wouldn’t be shocked if Jacob Wilson or even Kurtz is inked to a long-term deal.
• I’d be surprised if the A’s hadn’t at least had some talks with that duo.

  Langeliers is a Boras client, so he’s less likely of an extension candidate.

Dave

• Would Bello, Mayer, and Casas get the job done for Marte?

Mark P

• That’s an interesting offer that probably at least gets Arizona’s attention, since it (theoretically) checks off three boxes for them and frees up some salary.

thunderwriter

• Is Baz that good or did the Orioles get so many players for him because they accepted players who are so far from MLB ready?

Mark P

• Baz is less “good” in the sense of being a proven MLB starter than he is controllable with lots of upside.  Injuries have obviously impacted his career, but this still a pitcher who isn’t far removed from being a top-flight prospect, and he’s had some success in his big league career.
• Baltimore’s minor league depth helps them in a trade like this, since while they didn’t move any of their true blue-chippers, they were able to unload several pretty good prospects, plus the draft pick.

  From Tampa Bay’s perspective, if even one of those players or the draft pick turns into a productive big leaguer, the trade is at least a wash and maybe a big win.

Chris Getz

• I have so much payroll space can I please sign some actual talent? We’re on the verge of being half way descent

Mark P

• The White Sox are at least two years away from starting to really build towards being a competitive team.  And in terms of true bigger spending, that might not happen until Ishbia becomes the majority owner
• We’ve been going for about two hours, so it’s time to wrap things up like a gift under the tree.  Thanks for all the questions, and I hope everyone is having a very nice holiday season!
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