MLBTR Chats News & Rumors

Blue Jay Bobby

• He’ll probably been almost universally remembered as an Atlanta Brave, for me the first turning point in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays was the hiring of Bobby Cox as manager for the 1982 season.

Mark P

• No doubt that Cox played a huge role in the Jays’ first competitive teams, and their first AL East title.  It’s funny….I wonder how many fans ever remember Cox even managed the Jays, or worked anywhere other than in Atlanta

1st place Rays

• Huge fan of Chandler Simpson and the style of ball the Rays are playing (bunting, stealing bases, small ball).  Can they keep it up the rest of the season?

Mark P

• Smallball is hard to sustain over a long amount of time, and the Rays’ offense has been helped by the fact that their pitchers are keeping opponents in check.The very nature of low-scoring games means Tampa can’t catch all the breaks all the time, barring a whole lot of good fortune.  I’d like to see them add a more proven bat with some pop by the deadline, and then this team might really be able to make some noise.

Andujar

• When are the A’s scheduled to have their park done and move in?

Mark P

• The plan is Opening Day 2028

DOOOM

• How can the Tigers right the ship? Keith has no power, Torkleson is what he is, Greene has been amazing, but the support platoon is just not working anymore.

Mark P

• The support platoon has been hampered by the fact that the Tigers have basically half the roster on the injured list right now, even if the pitching has been hit harder than the position players.The challenge for the Tigers is to just at least tread water until they start getting healthier.  They’re far from the only AL team struggling right now, so as long as they can keep within striking distance, another late-season surge is possible

Gloves

• Is Buster in over his head?

Mark P

• Not much is working for the Giants right now, and in a sense it’s inexplicable because (on paper) the lineup shouldn’t be this bad.  But, coming off a relatively quiet offseason and the controversial managerial choice, it’s easy to wonder whether or not Posey’s plan for the team has already gone off the rails.
• This being Posey’s first time running a front office isn’t necessarily the issue, as he has plenty of experienced people working with him. But his misses have outnumbers the hits thus far.

Eric

• If The Cardinals somehow stay in the race at the deadline what do you see them doing

Mark P

• Add starting pitching.

Josh E

• You said that small ball isnt sustainable, could you elaborate on that a bit?  Im guessing it is more sustainable than needing to depend on power.  That seems to come and go more than a walk, a stolen base, a sac bunt and a sac fly..very curious to know your insights though

Mark P

• Put it this way…the sequence you just described requires four things to score one run.  Whereas a home run gets a run with just one swing.Consistently keeping the ball in play is certainly a recipe for success, as that contact can either go for a hit or the defense perhaps makes an error.  But playing in a constant state of having to grind out runs relies on multiple players staying reasonably productive over a longer period of time.

B

• You buying Mickey Moniak all the way through the season? What kind of value would he have at the trade deadline?

Mark P

• Moniak is having a terrific season, but he is also drastically outpacing his peripherals.  His .337 xwOBA is still above average, but far below his .434 wOBA.
• There’s also the Coors Field factor, as Moniak’s home OPS is about 400 points above his road OPS.All in all, rival teams are certainly taking Moniak’s success with a whole pillar of salt.  The Rockies aren’t likely to get that much for him on the trade market, even if Moniak can somehow sustain this type of production into July.

Type a URL

• Will the Pirates make the playoffs?

Mark P

• It doesn’t help that the entire NL Central has been competitive, making it tougher on the Bucs to really break through.  Pittsburgh fans probably won’t want to hear this, but posting a winning record is still a nice step forward for the Pirates, playoff berth or not

Eric

• Will Schlittler be able to keep these numbers up?

Mark P

• The ERA is bound to spike upwards from 1.35, but Schlittler’s Statcast page is a sea of red.  His production has been for real, and he looks like an absolute find for the Yankees and their minor league pipeline

Bernardo

• When Daniel Susan returns, and with Bailey being traded, who starts at the backstop position for the giants?

Guards4Life

• With the addition of Bailey, does Bo Naylor learn 1st base and share it with Manzardo in 2027?

Bernardo

• With Bailey being traded, is this an early sign the Giants are sellers?

Optimistic Giants Fan

• Your opinions on the Bailey trade? It just feels…weird, although I do like the Giants getting a draft pick for him

Mark P

• Lots of questions here about the very interesting Patrick Bailey trade, which I don’t see entirely as a sign that the Giants are waving the white flag on 2026.  Getting both a draft pick (29th overall, no less) and a decent SP prospect is a nice haul for a player who can’t hit, even if that player happens to be baseball’s best defensive catcher.Susac figures to start as long as his bat stays hot.  Rodriguez will get some looks behind the plate when he isn’t being used elsewhere around the diamond, and Haase probably sticks around as traditional backup catcher.

  For the Guardians, I wonder if Naylor might not be long for the organization.  The trade seems to signal that the Guards may be going with Bailey and Cooper Ingle, once they see what Ingle can do at the MLB level.  The addition of Bailey gives Cleveland some defensive support if Ingle’s glove is still a work in progress.

Evening mark

• If the Phillies are out of contention in July what would the reds have to give up for Duran?

Mark P

• I don’t think the Phils will be out of it, as the managerial change seems to have gotten things turned around.

Good Question

• Can the Phillies and Yankees trade their first pick? It falls in the Competitive Balance Round range but it’s delayed 10 spots.

Mark P

• Only the picks officially designated as Competitive Balance Round selections can be traded

Roch

• Do you see me falling?

Mark P

• Roch Kubatko has been doing fine work for MASNsports.com for years, and I see no reason why his quality would drop off now………oh, you probably mean Roch Cholowsky, prospective #1 overall pick in this year’s draft!  It all depends on how the White Sox view Cholowsky, since if he doesn’t go 1-1, I doubt he falls very fall.

Re: Nats

• Assuming the Nats are sellers at the deadline, what type of team would be most aggressive in pursuing CJ Abrams? I assume a contender would be concerned about putting him at SS with his defensive metrics

Mark P

• Abrams has played some second base in the past, but a midseason position change isn’t necessarily the easiest adjustment to make, even if going from SS to 2B is easier on paper.Between a position change, changing teams, and jumping onto a team expecting you to be the final piece of a contending puzzle, that might be a lot to have on Abrams’ plate, so there’s a psychological element to consider.  Or, Abrams may fully embrace the change, and continue to play well once he gets away from rebuilding Washington and onto a contender.
• Abrams’ penchant for cooling off after hot starts is the biggest key to his deadline trade value.  If his numbers start declining in June or July, a suitor will have to think about paying the Nats a premium trade package for a player who might just keep declining in the second half.

Alvarez Landing Spots

• If the Astros decide to trade Alvarez, who will be in the mix? And, who can afford Alvarez (prospect haul).

Mark P

• Alvarez is more or less a full-time DH who can play some left field, plus he has over $65MM still owed to him through 2028.So that eliminates the Dodgers, Yankees, and Phillies since their DH spots are spoken for, and the Cubs are probably in the same boat.  The salary likely takes Milwaukee and Tampa out of the running unless the Rays’ new ownership group decides YOLO.  This leaves the Braves and Padres as possible suitors within the NL, and it’s hard to gauge the AL fully since mostly everyone isn’t playing well.  The Rangers fit on paper except there is a zero percent chance Houston would trade Alvarez to Texas.
• After breaking all of that down, I should’ve prefaced by saying that I doubt Houston trades Alvarez at all.  Even if the Astros are out of contention and decide to sell to come extent, moving Alvarez is the kind of move the team would only make if it was entirely blowing things up, rather than retooling for 2027

Rob

• If the AL Central remains stagnant, do you see the White Sox being buyers at the deadline? Seem to have a logjam at SS/2B for prospects.

Mark P

• If the Sox are actually in the running, I can see them being buyers to some modest extent.  But, they’re not going to suddenly go all-out in loading up for a playoff run and short-circuit their rebuild.

Blue Jays

• Could we be in the mix of Alvarez (if the Astros do decide to trade him of course)

Mark P

• That would require one of Alvarez or Springer playing in left field every day, which seems risky.  It’s not out of the question given how aggressive the Jays have been, plus Springer is a free agent after the season.

Trade Proposal

• Eric Lauer for Cash Considerations…who wins?

Mark P

• You know it’s been a rough go for Lauer when I’m getting questions like this, just a couple of months after plenty of “why aren’t the Jays giving Lauer a shot in the rotation?” queries.If it wasn’t for the other rotation injuries, Lauer would’ve already been out of the starting five.  Lack of depth notwithstanding, the Jays probably can’t keep running him out there if he keeps having more performances like today.

Davis Martin

• I pitched well again today against a good hitting Mariners team.  Am I top a top 20 pitcher right now?  If so, should the Sox try to extend beyond the 1-year deal I am on now?

Mark P

• Martin isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2030 season, and he is already 29 years old.  From this perspective, there’s no real rush for the White Sox to lock him up beyond his arb years, so the team might just keep enjoying Martin’s work as a fantastic bargain

No Pop Dres

• I like that they’re tied for first but why can’t the Padres hit?

Mark P

• San Diego’s record is remarkable given how virtually their entire lineup is struggling.  Surely you’d think at least a couple of Tatis, Machado, Merrill, etc. will turn things around based on track record alone, and it is perhaps worth noting that the Padres are near the bottom of the league in team BABIP.

Paws the Tiger

• The team is stock piling injuries, when can we get a look at Max Clark?

Mark P

• Clark’s been only so-so at Triple-A, so the Tigers aren’t going to rush him to the majors just for the sake of filling injury holes.  If Clark gets on a sustained hot streak and starts to look like he’s ready, he will certainly be in Detroit before 2026 is over.

JD

• I know Soto is a great player and all – but in your opinion would the Mets sign him today to that same contract given the opportunity?

Mark P

• If the Mets were going through this disaster of a season and Soto (on another team in this reality) was a free agent after 2026?  The Mets absolutely still make that deal, since now they’re even more desperate.Even with 20-20 hindsight, Soto hasn’t at all been the Mets’ problem.

Angels fan

• Is the GM in trouble It’s not his fault

Mark P

• The Angels have a club option on Minasian’s services for 2027, and I’d say it’s a coin flip on whether or not it’s picked up. With Kurt Suzuki also on just a one-year deal, Moreno might want to entirely clean house and bring in a new GM and manager.You are also correct in saying that the state of the Angels isn’t Minasian’s fault.  Arte Moreno’s ownership style is the problem, but Moreno isn’t firing himself.

Dan B

• At what point should Craig Breslow  be accountable for the Chris Sale trade, trading Kyle Harrison away  and acquiring Caleb Durbin who doesn’t seem to be able to hit the ball in the air, instead of pursuing either Bregman or Paredes more agressively

Mark P

• The heat is absolutely on Breslow, especially now that Cora has been fired.  Unless the Red Sox turn things around in a hurry, Breslow is very likely out of a job, maybe even before season’s end

Arizona

• So the pitching has been borderline great this week. But the offense fell off a cliff we thought they’d already jumped from…. Is the only good team in the state just going to always be flawed like this?

Mark P

• I’m not sure what’s more frustrating for D’backs fans….if the team had continued its trend of big hitting with struggling pitching, or this suddenly reversal of a team with a borderline terrific bullpen but with an ice-cold lineup.

Fighting Fish

• I don’t understand why the Marlins keep Morel, when Ramirez should just DH full time, or even possibly transition to 1st Base

Mark P

• I don’t think Ramirez is really the answer either.  If Joe Mack can play well, having Mack as the starting catching and moving Hicks more or less full-time to 1B might work.  In general, however, Miami just seems like a team that should get a big corner IF bat if they’re in contention at the deadline, but that might not be feasible for payroll or roster construction reasons.

Junior Caminero Jr

• Do you find Tampa’s small ball fun to watch?  Stat heads seem to despise it.

Mark P

• Except when they’re using it to sweep the Blue Jays, I like the Rays’ style just fine.

O’s Fan

• Your joke about Roch Kubatko was great and such a Roch Kubatko thing to do

Mark P

• One more Roch Kubatko anecdote to share, which more a joke about me…At a Jays/Orioles spring training game a couple of years ago, I’m leaving the concession stand with a big bag of popcorn when I happen to notice Roch Kubatko nearby, checking his phone.  After citing Roch for years on MLBTR, I felt it would be fun to introduce myself in person, so I started walking in his direction….and promptly tripped, spilling my popcorn all over the ground.  At this point, I decided this wasn’t the best time for an introduction, and walked away.  🙂
• “Mark, did you go back to concessions and spend even more money on more popcorn?”…..no comment

O’s Fan

• Lots of MASN and local newspaper excitement regarding Taylor Ward’s 40 walks and high on base percentage so far. Which is great and all, but the o’s signed him for his home run power, as well, and he’s hit 1 so far this year. He walked twice and struck out looking twice today. He almost looks like he doesn’t want to swing. Am i being too cynical? Or is Ward’s high walk rate actually not as productive as the o’s need him to be with the bat?

Mark P

• Ward’s .262/.426/.376 is one of the more unusual slash lines you’ll ever see, and his walk rate is more than double his career average.I find it hard to get too upset over a player with a 138 wRC+, which would also be a career high for Ward.  He’s going his job by getting on base and not making outs, and the much bigger issue is the several other Orioles hitters who aren’t producing at all

Austin Hedges

• What about me? I’m the team leader for the Guardians and want to spend the rest of my career there.

Mark P

• fwiw, Hedges is having the best offensive season of his career, though it would be a shock if he keeps hitting anywhere close to this.In the bigger picture, the Guardians might think they can keep Hedges for lower-cost deals or even a minor league pact, rather than $4MM per year.  Or, having Bailey as an even better defensive catcher who is under team control is maybe Cleveland’s preferred option, as it allows them to keep up their standard of elite catcher defense

Patchogue

• When does Olson take a day off? 4-5 years from now maybe?

Mark P

• Olson’s consecutive games streak is now the 10th-longest in baseball history.  In yet another example of how unbelievable Cal Ripken’s streak was, Olson is still over 1800 games away from Ripken’s record.

Giants

• Will Posey be fired from the PBO job considering he’s a franchise legend and partial stake owner of the Giants? Also, when will someone from the coaching staff be let go after this disastrous start? Rarely any of them have actual pro ball experience

Mark P

• I suspect if it comes to that, Posey might resign rather than be “fired,” just so everyone can save face.  I don’t expect this to happen in 2026, by the way, as I suspect Posey will be given more time to right the ship.How the Giants may respond to the coaching staff is an interesting question.  Vitello was signed to a big contract, so a managerial change probably isn’t in the cards unless the season goes completely in the tank.  Bringing in new coaches may be one response, even if some fans may feel it’s a half-measure.
• Again, however, one wonders if it’s really the coaches’ fault that so many proven MLB hitters are suddenly in a collective slump.  Especially in this era when many players have their own personal swing gurus, rather than listening solely to what their coaches are saying

Evening mark

• Appreciate the response, I was more interested in what the cost might be for the reds to get a real closer.

Mark P

• Given the cost of acquiring closers at the deadline, the Reds’ move might be to pick up a high-leverage arm, if not necessarily a “closer.”  If Pagan isn’t the answer, maybe Santillan or Ashcraft gets the job for saves, or the Reds deploy a committee based on situations

Hello

• Does Volpe get moved at the trade deadline?

Mark P

• Can’t be ruled out.  Volpe would certainly draw interest as a change of scenery candidate, and would be an interesting trade chip for the Yankees to include as part of a package for someone that can help them win now

Ludwig’s Safety Squeeze

• Is Walt Weiss a better hands on manager than Snitker or is it just that the players this year are outperforming last year’s roster?

Mark P

• While the 2026 Braves have certainly had their share of injuries, they’re still much healthier than the 2025 club.  This year’s team also has Albies, Harris, and the wild card that is Dominic Smith all hitting like mad.

the chase is on

• how do you see delauter doing the rest of the year? can he keep up more walks than ks? was the power surge in march a fluke or indicative that he can hit for power and average as a stud?

Mark P

• The advanced metrics are all very positive for DeLauter, except for the admittedly important departments of hard-contact rate and barrel rate.  He doesn’t need to be a superstar in 2026, as the Guardians would be more than happy if he’s just a solid regular in his first real exposure to big league pitching

Kevin Cash

• Why aren’t more outlets taking my team seriously

Mark P

• If anything, flying under the radar seems to traditionally help the Rays.

Alek Thomas

• Why has nobody taken a chance on me yet?

Mark P

• I suspect several teams have been in touch with the D’Backs with trade offers, so the Snakes are now gauging their options
• I’d be surprised if Thomas leaves on just a straight waiver claim, as you’d think the D’Backs would be able to get some kind of player return

Mike

• Opinion on ryan waldschmidt of arizona

Mark P

• He is destined to be one of the top two players named –ldschmidt in Diamondbacks history

Zach

• Is Josh Jung for real or is it just early and will he level out?

Mark P

• Jung’s metrics are pretty good, but a .352 BABIP pretty much guarantees some regression.Still, he’s banked those hits already, and been arguably the Rangers’ MVP for helping keep the team afloat while most of the lineup has been struggling
• Ideally, as Jung inevitably cools off, one or two more of the Texas hitters will start heating up
• We’re two hours into the chat, so it’s time to wrap things up. Thanks so much for all the questions!
• 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-5-10-26

Steve Adams

• Orioles *could* still trade any of the three, but not for a ton, to your point. I don’t really get what their plan was with Mayo and Kjerstad. They kept signing/acquiring guys to plug in ahead of them on the depth chart but also always seemed loath to discuss them in trades. I guess Cowser at least got a shot — I just don’t think he’s a big league regular at this point.

m

• should the giants make a trade or two to upgrade the bullpen

Steve Adams

• They’ve performed better than I expected them to, but a lot of it is flimsy. Too many performances with no strikeouts and tons of walks (Brubaker, Gage) … that they somehow have the second-best bullpen ERA in the sport right now amazes me. I doubt that continues.They should absolutely be trying to bring in some arms, but that was true all offseason, both in the rotation and the ‘pen, and they chose to ignore the ‘pen entirely and go with low-upside options to round out the starting staff. Didn’t get it then, don’t get it now.

Sean Burke

• How am I not an average major league starter?

Steve Adams

• He’s probably the best of that group, but he’s still working with roughly average velo, a well below-average swinging-stirke rate and a below-average strikeout rate. Good BABIP and HR/FB fortune thus far. I suppose he could settle in as a 4.00 ERA-ish guy, so maybe it was a bit harsh to lump him in with the others, but the general point was that he’s due for a good bit of regression, especially if he can’t sustain the massive command gains he’s enjoyed this year.

Metso Ball Soup

• Why are most trades done at the deadline now? What happened to May-June trades?

Steve Adams

• Modern front offices wait until the last possible second with any and every deadline. They can’t even make run-of-the-mill DFAs in November until 30 seconds before the non-tender deadline. Everyone is obsessed with marginal gains and making sure you’re using as much data as possible to inform any decision.The expanded playoff field, of course, impacts that as well. If you can be around .500 come the deadline, you’re loosely in playoff contention, so not many clubs are willing to make sell-side trades early on.And those that ARE willing to do so can’t drum up a full market for their players, because so many teams are in wait-and-see mode until late July.

Chisox Fan

• Davis Martin has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year.

Steve Adams

• He has one of the best ERAs in baseball over 6-7 starts,  but that’s not the same thing as being one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Pine Tar Pete

• Is Jon Gray still out there looking for work or did he retire?

Steve Adams

• He had a thoracic outlet diagnosis late last season and was noncommittal at the time about continuing his career. He hasn’t formally retired, but if he were actively seeking a contract I have to think he’d have made it known he had the surgery, was setting up bullpens or showcases for scouts to watch, etc.

Forgive my unbelief

• The Cardinals aren’t for real are they?  Surely the young hitters cant keep bailing out the terrible rotation and BP???????

Cards Steve

• Do you see St Louis maintaining + .500 ball for the season, or will this eventually end?

Steve Adams

• A lot of these types of questions re: St. Louis.I think it’s a bottom-five rotation in the game, and the bullpen drops off hard after Riley O’Brien. I don’t see how they can stay in it with this pitching staff, but hey, Jordan Walker finally looks great and JJ Wetherholt is as advertised, so there are plenty of encouraging things about the Cards even if/when the wheels fall of for the pitching staff.

OhBo…

• How bad can a hitter be and still have a job in the majors this day and age?  I am looking at you Bo Naylor?

Steve Adams

• Be a great defensive catcher on a team that prioritizes catcher defense more than any team in MLB. Works out for not only Naylor but also Austin Hedges!

Brewer Fan

• At what point is Sal Frelick a problem? I love Sal, I know he is a great defender, but that bat is something awful.

Steve Adams

• If you want to cherry-pick, he’s at .270/.356/.432 over his past 50 PAs or so. I think he’s fine. He’s never going to be a great hitter, but he puts the ball in play a ton and has enough pop for 10-15 homers with plus defense and good baserunning.He’s hitting too many grounders and he hit a bunch of pop-ups early on, both of which have dragged down his BABIP (.211), but I generally think he’ll be a solid regular, even if it’s glove-over-hit

wirefan

• Assuming both cole and Rodon make it back soon….  Weathers to the pen? Can’t see warren losing his spot

Steve Adams

• I assume whoever goes to the ‘pen — Warren or Weathers — will only be their short term. Another injury will create a need at some point. Both Weathers and Warren are pitching too well to be “demoted,” but I suppose them’s the breaks. Good problem to have for Cashman & Co.

JeffyM82

• If Skubal doesn’t make it back to an MLB mound this year, what does his free agency look like?  Will a team give him a longterm high AAV deal just based on the resume?  Or does he accept the QO or a 1 year deal?

Steve Adams

• Definitely won’t take a QO. I’m sure he’d have plenty of high-AAV, two- and three-year opt-out deals put in front of him, plus probably some teams willing to go long-term (but at a lesser rate than if he’d just been healthy all season).I tend to think he’s still going to end up getting paid a ton. We’ll see how the rehab goes, of course. If he comes back throwing 92-93 and gets clobbered for a 5.50 ERA in his final 10 starts or something, well…. yeah. My opinion changes then, ha.In general, he’s just so talented, and this isn’t something so scary as a capsule tear in his shoulder or a ligament, etc.

Tony

• Is Erceg still the closer in KC when Estevez returns?

Steve Adams

• I’d prefer Erceg to Estevez, but Erceg’s command has been awful this season, too. Assuming you’re asking for fantasy purposes, I’d just pick up Daniel Lynch for the rate stats and hope Kansas City eventually moves him into the ninth.

bmcferren

• Nick Gonzales is playing out of his shoes?

Steve Adams

• Feels very fluky to me. BABIP north of .400, no power, poor walk rate. Makes a decent amount of contact, but he’s averaging 86.7 mph off the bat with a grounder rate over 50%. It’s not a recipe for keeping this up

Doc Metal

• Do you think Thomas White will be promoted to the Marlins rotation in the second half? Thanks Steve

Steve Adams

• I’d think sooner than that. Sounds like it’ll be Garrett or Snelling this weekend in Paddack’s old spot, but injuries will pop up and White’s probably just better than some of the guys on the current staff already (Junk, specifically)

Chris

• Who gets called up 1st Colt Emerson or Aiden Miller?

Steve Adams

• Emerson. Miller has been out all year with a back injury.

o-birds

• Mike Elias has made a mess of the Orioles, pitching wins games and he did nothing to improve the rotation Baz and Bassit haven’t been that good , it’s still early but are the Orioles still in it?

Steve Adams

• I mean, I wouldn’t say he did nothing. He added Baz and Bassitt, as you said. I liked Baz as an upside play but thought they paid a pretty steep price. Hasn’t panned out obviously. I loved the Bassitt signing in a vacuum, but for the O’s, I’d rather have seen them go out and add a more concrete upgrade.I do think it’s fair to say his pitching additions were underwhelming, which has too frequently been the case for the O’s. I know they made multi-year offers to Ranger Suarez and Corbin Burnes in free agency, but they haven’t won the bidding on a notable free agent pitcher or paid up in a trade for anyone who’s controllable long-term — and to what end? Yes, they’ve avoided parting with a lot of prospects … but as noted before, a lot of those prospects no longer look to be very good.
• This isn’t a knock on Elias specifically, but today’s brand of GM/president of bb ops feels pretty risk-averse. They seem like they’d much prefer to buy low on someone and have that go up in smoke than spend money/prospects on a more sure thing. Both are pitfall-laden paths, but Elias is far from the only BB ops leader who errs toward this end of the spectrum. Most of the league operates like this.Need some more Prellers, Dipotos and Dombrowskis to come in and mix things up.

Sell Jim Crane

• Do you think the Astros will sell at the deadline? I feel that Crane is the Jerry Jones of this sport and will never rebuild.

Steve Adams

• I feel like they SHOULD.I also agree with you that Crane feels like an owner who will scoff at such a notion and dig his heels in further, haha.

Josh

• When a player is on waivers or “on the trade block”, how do other teams know? Is there an overarching list/database, or are front offices talking with each other about these transactions?

Steve Adams

• Teams are made aware of every player hitting outright waivers and have 48 hours to decide on placing a claim.Trade stuff is less formal and more just calling/texting around, that sort of thing.

Ebenezer_Batflip

• What happened to Bo Bichette? He was an elite hit tool guy with huge doubles power, and now he looks very lost.

Steve Adams

• Broken record, but way too many grounders — in part because he’s chasing at a crazy rate. Hit tool is still good. Strikeout rate’s below average, and over the past month his K% is like 17. He’s hitting .265/.306/.354 over his past 120 PAs, which is bad, but trending up from his terrible start.Part of me just wonders whether there’s an element of trying to do too much and force his way out of not only his own personal slump but the team-wide malaise. He’s still hitting the ball hard … he’s just beating 60% of his batted balls into the ground. His GB% is up like 10 to 12 points over last year, last I looked.I think Bichette’s too talented a hitter not to correct things, but it’s been about as bad a start to his Mets tenure as you could draw up

City of Angels

• Is Alec Manoah done? His Low A outing looked brutal.

Steve Adams

• I’ve been out on Manoah for awhile (although despite not being a believer, I still thought the Rox should’ve claimed him last year when he was on waivers just because the org needs so much pitching depth; ditto the Angels … but they wound up with him anyhow, and maybe he’s showing me now why they passed the first time around)

Cards roost

• Noot is starting a rehab, when ready who’s sent down?  Scott?

Steve Adams

• It should be. I get loving the defense, but I have far more faith in Church’s ability to be an overall contributor

Jac

• Do you see the Yankees keeping Dominguez in the MLB if he performs – once Stanton returns?

Steve Adams

• Only if another injury opens up an everyday role for him.

Beariner

• My panic level with the Mariners is pretty low. Am I crazy?

Steve Adams

• I don’t think so. My panic level with them is also low.

Moises Ballesteros

• Why am I getting no love for ROY? I may lead the NL as a rookie in Batting this year!

Steve Adams

• He has 60-70 fewer plate appearances than Wetherholt and Stewart, and he’s not going to provide much defensive value with most of his work coming at DH.Also, Nolan McLean.

The Goat

• Is Anthony Volpe trade bait or do you see him taking over second base next year?

Steve Adams

• I don’t think he’s necessarily “trade bait,” but I also have to think the Yankees will be open to the idea in a way they would not have been two years ago. Not hard to see him working his way back into the plans still, but yeah, his stock is down quite a ways.

Beano

• 1 great start. 1 ok start. 1 bad start – what’s the future for JR Ritchie?

Steve Adams

• Long term, he’s in that rotation for me. But regarding the immediate future, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him optioned with Perez getting some starts or the Braves giving more looks to Fuentes. It all feels pretty fluid, and there’s no reason to keep trotting him out there if he’s going to struggle like he has his past couple times out.We’ll probably see a revolving door at the end of that rotation for awhile, and I imagine each of Ritchie, Perez and Fuentes is probably going to end up making 10+ starts this season based on how the rest of the group holds up.

Parker Messick

• Am I for real?

Steve Adams

• I don’t think he’s a 2.40 ERA guy, but I’m absolutely buying him as a legitimate big league starter — and one who Cleveland should be comfortable trotting out for a playoff start if they get there.
• I would go so far as to say he’s the Guardians’ best starter
• (I’m also just not a big Gavin Williams guy; command is so far from even being average)

Kevin

• Chafin to Cards?

Steve Adams

• Sure, but you could basically plug him in anywhere and I wouldn’t blink. He’s not going to be expensive, he has some track record. He does seem to prefer midwest teams, given that he has the farm and family up in that region.

KevHead

• Does Owen Cassie get sent down to work on his contact rate? He’s striking out way too much!

Steve Adams

• He’s always going to strike out a lot, but yeah, 42% is untenable and if he doesn’t turn it around quickly I think he’ll be sent down to get back on track.

Allen

• What do the giants do with devers?

Steve Adams

• There’s not much they can do. I’ve said a few times in these chats that I wonder if he’s fully healthy. The decline is so sharp, and he had the back injury last summer. If he’s healthy and this is what he is now, then  …. yikes.

Murakami

• Good afternoon Steve, at this point he’s got a nice lead in the ROY award in the AL.  Give me your opinion on whether or not the Sox will shop him at the deadline, if he keeps up his current trajectory.

Steve Adams

• Depends on how the rest of the team’s performing. If they’re 8-9 games out of a playoff spot, it’d be malpractice to not listen and see if a team’s willing to send them the type of high-end pitching they really need.But hey, if he’s still raking and they just want to extend him long-term to cement him as part of the core, then I applaud that, too. Just pick a lane. Worst-case scenario would be to carry him all season, do another winter full of half-measures, then head into 2027 as a vaguely-trying-to-contend-but-still-sort-of-rebuilding club, then he gets hurt or has a big regression.

Abe

• between Schlittler, Warren, and Weathers, which do you expect to cool off the most?

Steve Adams

• Schlittler’s the best of the three. I like Weathers over Warren, but not by a huge margin. I just think Weathers is more capable of sustaining his current strikeout rate.

OhBo…

• Well, you respond as if there’s no possible limits to how poor he can be as a hitter.  Bo Naylor has an OPS of .388 (bottom of the AL) and his defensive metrics are only ok this year. While catching is not an easily replaced position, at some point he’s going to have to produce something.  The team is at .500…

Steve Adams

• I don’t think he should be on the roster at all (sorry, Bo!) — just saying that the Guardians seem to not care one iota about catcher offense. Hence the constant Hedges re-signings, choosing not to upgrade over Naylor

McGonigle

• But does Murakami have the lead in ROY conversation? Seems like a 4-horse race to me. Messick, McGonigle, Delauter, and Murakami.

Steve Adams

• Yeah I glazed over that more than I should have. McGonigle and Messick are right there. DeLauter’s probably a step behind, but he was my preseason pick so he’ll obviously go on a tear and win the award outright in a dominant sweep of all 30 first place votes. Naturally.
• (Kidding, since I picked him he’ll finish like 11th)

Chris Antonetti

• Of Parker Messick, Gavin Williams, Chase DeLauter, and Travis Bazzana, I can only afford to sign two to long-term extensions? Which two?

Steve Adams

• Messick, DeLauter for me. Could see Bazzana, but I don’t know, pure 2Bs rarely get paid so he’d have to be an exceptional one. Which he might be! But I am just the high guy on Messick and Delauter in general.

who’s on 1st

• could/sould the M’s do another “Robbie ray” type trade with Luis Castillo? maybe with…..the Giants?

Steve Adams

• I just don’t share all the Castillo doom and gloom. Obviously he’s sitting on a 6-something ERA right now, which sucks, but his rate stats, velocity, chase rate … it’s all pretty closely in line with last year. He’s got a .367 BABIP and a crazy-low 58% strand rate. Granted, he’s giving up more hard contact, but I think he’ll be fine. He’s not 2022 Luis Castillo anymore, of course, but I don’t see anything to make me think he’s demonstrably worse than 2025 Luis Castillo, which was still a nice solid pitcher.

Chris Antonetti

• Why down on Gavin Williams, a stud?

Steve Adams

• Ninety-three pitchers in MLB have 250+ innings dating back to 2024. Only three have a walk rate higher than 10%, and only one has a walk rate north of 11%.

Tim

• any news on why the tigers fired Gabe Alvarez their triple a coach

Steve Adams

• Nope. Just saw the vague cryptic announcement like everyone else.

atleastwetried

• Feel like Chafin will be a Brewer with the Zerpa news and no real idea if Koenig will be back.

Steve Adams

• They have Ashby, Hall, Drohan, Fitzpatrick … could still end up there, don’t get me wrong, but LHRP is an area of depth for the Brewers so I don’t think they’re going to fall over themselves to get him in the org or anything after the Zerpa injury
• Ok, I have to wrap up for the week. I’m on X @Adams_Steve and Bluesky @adams-steve.bsky.social.If you want more opinions/analysis from the MLBTR team, signing up for our Trade Rumors Front Office package gives you twice-weekly subscriber-only chats, exclusive articles, ad-free viewing, access to our suite of tools (contract database, GM tracker, agency database, forthcoming payroll pages), fantasy baseball advice and more.You can read more and sign up here.Have a great week everyone! Thanks for chatting.

Steve Adams

• I don’t think that’s happening. If they don’t turn this season around, they’ll surely listen on rentals and maybe even guys signed/controlled through 2027.But they have Schwarber, Turner and Harper signed into the 2030s. They just extended Luzardo and Sanchez. Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter are up and contributing (well … the latter has been pretty inconsistent in his small sample). Aidan Miller’s probably not far off.

  There’s too much money tied up long term and too many notable young pieces reaching the roster in the short term. If anything, they’d kind of walk the line on a middle ground.

LazerRamón

• What kind of contract do you see for Ramón Laureano and do you see him resigning or trying out FA again?

Steve Adams

• Our Contract Tracker is pretty good for drumming up comps based on players’ position, age, etc.
  https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/contracttrackerLaureano’s going to be 32 in year one of a FA contract, which will cap the length at three years, probably. He probably falls in line somewhere with the $42MM for Profar/Haniger — maybe up to the $50MM received by Tyler O’Neill.

  So I’ll hedge and say something like 3/45, assuming his production holds.

Ingle

• Travis up now, I can’t be long after I get back from the injury list. Cleveland bar for catchers hitting is so low, Ingle will look like Johnny bench back there

Steve Adams

• The Guardians don’t seem to care if their catchers hit or not. They keep re-signing Austin Hedges, after all, and he might be the worst hitter in baseball.Ingle also went on the injured list a few days ago with a hip issue. I wouldn’t expect a call-up to be imminent, even though I’d probably already have had him on the roster over Naylor/Hedges.

The Skipper

• It’s not safe being a manager.

Steve Adams

• Pretty much every manager takes the job knowing it’s going to end with their firing

Billy

• What do the Royals need to do to get back in the playoff hunt?

Steve Adams

• I just don’t see that happening with this group. I didn’t pick them to make the playoffs before the season started, and now they’re in an 11-17 hole. I suppose the entire AL Central is weak enough that maybe they could get there, but the bullpen has been so bad and the lineup remains so top-heavy. This wasn’t a team that could afford a step back offensively from any of its top bats, but Vinnie and Sal Perez have been terrible thus far, while Witt and Garcia have had lesser seasons.I think Pasquantino will be fine eventually, but I also think some of the guys who are currently hitting (e.g. Kyle Isbel) are due for a huge crash that’ll offset some of that.

  Carter Jensen looks awesome though!

Lefty Shellhammer

• Devers is going to snap out of this horrendous start soon right?

Steve Adams

• I’m just not convinced he’s healthy. He had the disk injury in his lower back last summer and seemingly never did anything to have it corrected. Exit velo is way down. Contact rate, especially in the strike zone, is down. He’s chasing a ton more. Bat speed’s down noticeably from 2024.

Reds fan 14

• As of right now who’s your pick for ROY  in national League

Steve Adams

• Coinflip between Nolan McLean and Sal Stewart
• Probably slight lean toward Stewart, but it’s pretty early and I doubt things will be so close (one way or another) by season’s end.

Men Behaving Adley

• Has Colton Cowser cemented his future as “Kevin Keirmeier Lite”? More power but less glove and never going to hit enough?

Steve Adams

• I don’t like the Kiermaier comp. KK was one of the best defensive CFs in recent memory. Cowser is at best adequate there but probably below-average and better suited in a corner. He’s also consistently running strikeout rates north of 30%, which Kiermaier never did.I think Kiermaier’s just … better? At least right now. I’m honestly not all that high on Cowser in general and am not convinced he’s a regular.

Bobby Cox

• I know you liked the Yaz signing but he can’t hit at all. Terrible especially bs LH. You think we are good with Dubon in LF once Kim comes back or do we get a bat. Dubon trade of the yr.

Steve Adams

• I did not like the Yaz signing, haha. Perhaps thinking of Anthony Franco or Mark Polishuk? They gave Yaz probably 3x what I’d have paid him.That said, Yastrzemski’s hitting the ball decently hard with no results to show for it. He’s a good defender in the OF corners. Dubon is making Esteury Ruiz levels of hard contact (i.e. poor) and skating by with a .333 average on balls in play (and the highest strikeout rate he’s run since 2021).

  I think their numbers are bound to begin trending closer to one another before long, and I’d probably pick Yaz if asked to choose who’ll end up more productive on the season overall. (Still didn’t really like the signing though, haha)

Pads Fan

• I would love your thoughts on the Giolito signing?

Steve Adams

• Surprised how light the commitment was. I’m sure he had larger offers — or interest at larger numbers, if we’re being technical — earlier in the offseason. But even now, how do the Astros not beat that number? Or the Jays? Or any of the other teams in dire need of pitching?I’m not huge on Giolito in general, but there’s nothing to dislike about it from the Padres’ vantage point.

Believ—Land

• Do you think Bazzana is ready? I was kind of thinking he was just hitting his stride in AAA, and should remain there?

Steve Adams

• I’d probably have had him on the Opening Day roster over Arias.

Sophia

• Two managers down, 28 to go. Who gets the boot next?

Steve Adams

• Hard not to watch Houston and Queens carefully in the next week

David

• Why does there always seem such a desire to relegate Hyeseong Kim to the bench or minors when he’s hitting .300, plays good defense, and is speedy?

Steve Adams

• Kim does run and defend well, but the offense is tied up entirely in a .400 BABIP to this point in his career, which comes in spite of bottom-of-the-scale exit velos, hard-hit rates, etc.I don’t think he’s an impact hitter, and I imagine that’ll bear out before long over a larger sample. I doubt the Dodgers think he’s an everyday bat either.

Cosmo Kramer

• How about Trevor Story to the Braves… I think the Sox wouldn’t ask for much of a return, just take the Salary or least 60% of it.

Steve Adams

• I don’t see why Atlanta would want to do that.

ultramod2

• Seems like it would be pretty tough on Espada to can him when literally all his best pitchers are injured. But I guess baseball is a pretty tough business.

Steve Adams

• Jim Crane basically shoved James Click out the door as GM after he won a World Series. He chose not to extend either Espada or GM Dana Brown prior to the season, even though both are entering the final year of their contract.
• I don’t think “yeah but everyone’s hurt” is going to keep Espada safe if Crane gets frustrated and wants to make a change.

Bullpen Fever

• Miller is unhittable.  Morejon is throwing 101.  How good is this Padres bullpen?

Steve Adams

• The best in baseball. Said it before the season. Opinion hasn’t changed.

Think about this…

• Will Cora get another managing job somewhere? Would the cardinals make sense given his connection to Chaim bloom?

Steve Adams

• Based on reporting surrounding Bloom’s exit from Boston, I think Cora returning to Boston might be likelier than Cora going to St. Louis, haha

Savannah Bazzanas

• Expectations for Bazzana?  Who loses the most playing time with his arrival?

Steve Adams

• Tons of walks and extra-base hits near the top of the Cleveland lineup for a good while.Probably Gabriel Arias. I don’t understand the organization’s fascination with him in general.

Pasquale

• Kevin McGonigle ROY? Are Tigers saving Clark til late in season to protect his possible ROY for next season?

Steve Adams

• He’s in the running. Obviously way too soon to tell. So many great rookies in the AL … McGonigle, Murakami, Messick, Jensen, DeLauter (my preseason pick), Early, etc.
• I think Clark will be up this summer.

JeffyM82

• Do the Jays DFA Eloy and/or Sosa when Barger and Lukes are healthy?  Do you think either would clear waivers?

Steve Adams

• Eloy would. I’m sure he’s just a placeholder while everyone mends.Sosa, they at least gave up a low-level lotto ticket for, so maybe they want to hold him … but I don’t know, I thought he was trending toward a DFA in Chicago anyhow and was surprised Toronto gave anything up to get him.

Moneyball

• Thoughts on Carlos Cortes? I have always thought the A’s have or are going to have a position player logjam – is he good enough for them to start using some of that depth to make a play for some better pitching?

Steve Adams

• I have no clue what to make of Cortes. Honestly. Ha. He just stopped chasing, stopped whiffing … seemingly by will. It’s only 67 PAs, but it’s hard to fake that level of hit tool/plate discipline even in a sample that small.I don’t think he’s going to push them to a trade or anything, though. They’re not getting anything out of Butler and Rooker so far in ’26. Soderstrom has been fine but nowhere near 2025 levels.

  If the outfield were stacked with guys who were producing so well it was hard to see where Cortes could fit, it’d be one thing. Right now, that’s not the case.

  Fwiw, some of that better pitching is going to come internally. Jamie Arnold and Gage Jump aren’t far off.

Wasteful Rocktimism

• Anything major to be gleaned from Rockies turnaround of Senzi and Dollander in the early going?

Steve Adams

• Both look awesome. Senzatela is going to have genuine trade value this summer, which is something I never thought I’d say.Rockies fans will hunt me down and threaten my family, but screw it, I’d put Dollander out there this summer, too. The farm is terrible, they need tons of help, and the return would be absurd. Won’t happen, but as an enjoyer of baseball chaos, I am rooting for it.

  From a bigger-picture perspective, it seems like the new leadership is already better at incorporating data and improving players than the prior ever was.

Bryce Eldridge

• At what date do the Giants gain an extra year of eligibility? And will he get called up that same week? His K rate is high, but he surely doesn’t have much else to prove in AAA. He is who he is at this point…

Steve Adams

• Enough time has already passed that he can’t get a full year of service in 2026.
• Eldridge is running a 68% contact rate against Triple-A pitching. The average major league hitter’s contact rate is 76.7%. It’s not just a “high” strikeout rate. I think they’re right to worry that he’d be among the worst in MLB in terms of contact% and strikeout%, and I don’t blame them for wanting to see him improve those trends.

Think about this…

• Bazzana, Wetherholt, and McGonigle all profile very similarly. How would you rank them in order of who you’d rather have on your team.

Steve Adams

• They’ll all be good but I’m taking McGonigle pretty comfortably

Brewers fan

• Juan brito trade to the brewers for Luis matos who says no

Steve Adams

• Matos might clear waivers. No one’s giving up anything other than cash for him. Certainly not Brito

White Sox starting bats bats

• Is Everson Pereira going to be one of them for the rest of the year?

Steve Adams

• No, I’m not buying the hot start. It’s 69 PAs and he’s K’ing at a 30% clip with poor contact numbers, a massive chase rate and low-end batted ball quality.
• Good for him for finally getting some real MLB work and having a bit of success, but I’m not at all bullish on his chances of keeping it up.

matt

• Should the Phillies market Jhoan Duran? its a hard decision because they havent had a tough closer, but if they could get a potential everyday pre-arb bat from him, it could do wonders for the long term

Steve Adams

• If they’re not in contention this summer, I’d be listening on guys signed/controlled through ’27, which includes Duran, Brad Keller, Marsh, Stott

Dave Dombrowski

• Austin Hedges the worst hitter in MLB? Alec Bohm says hello.

Steve Adams

• This year, sure. But Hedges has been near or at the bottom of the league for several seasons. He has a 36 wRC+ dating back to 2023 (worst in MLB among players with 400+ PAs)

Dodger fan Jeff

• Since you think Kim isn’t loved by the Dodgers, do you think he has any trade value?  His contract is reasonable and has several years left.

Steve Adams

• I think they like Kim just fine. I just they probably don’t view him as an everyday bat. He’s being paid like a bench guy, and he’s a fine bench guy there who can play multiple spots, run a little bit, etc.

Tim Jones

• Is Michael Busch okay?  He’s looked awful so far this season.  Will we start seeing Matt Shaw play more first base even against righties if this continues?

Steve Adams

• I’m not super concerned about Busch. He’s hitting .281/.349/.421 over his past 2+ weeks (63 PAs). The batted-ball quality is shockingly low, but I wonder if some of that is just attributable to chasing more balls out of frustration. His contact numbers, walk rate, strikeout rate, etc. are all right in line with last year

Don Zimmer

• Injuries aside, will the Cubs ever pay for a real Bullpen?

Steve Adams

• Seems pretty clear they don’t like the idea of paying multiple years for relievers in most cases — Maton deal notwithstanding

Bucco Basement

• I am not seeing much hope for the Red Sox to come back and compete. If they have a poor May, do you think it’s possible they move Chapman and/or Duran and, if so, how can the Pirates get one or both of them (I’m much more interested in Chapman but Duran would be a great add, too)?

Steve Adams

• Chapman yeah. Duran would be hard to sell low on, unless he turns things around. Kiner-Falefa, Coulombe, Sonny Gray would all be names to watch, too

Smells Like Team Spirit

• Who gets (or should get) called up first?  Charlie Condon or Ryan Waldschmidt?

Steve Adams

• Waldschmidt’s hitting better and playing for the org (D-backs) that’s trying to win right now. I think Colorado will call Condon up at some point, but there’s no rush and I half wonder whether they’ll keep him down to try for 2027 PPI considerations.

Bird

• Why extend baz before rogers

Steve Adams

• Presumably because Baz — three years from free agency — was open to it and Rogers — six months from free agency — was not.
• At least not in a price range the O’s felt was reasonable.
• Alright. I’m on X @Adams_Steve and Bluesky @adams-steve.bsky.social. Always open to more questions there. Considering there were a couple people repeatedly bombarding me with the same question and then eventual insults, haha, it probably bears repeating that we get hundreds and often more than 1000 people in these chats, so I’m never going to get to all of the questions. Apologies for that.If you want more opinions and analysis from the MLBTR team, you can look into our Front Office subscription package, which gets you ad-free viewing, exclusive weekly articles, two weekly chats for subscribers only, fantasy baseball advice, access to all of our tools/databases (contract tracker, GM tracker, agency database, forthcoming team-by-team payroll info) and more.

  Learn more and sign up here.

  Thanks all. Have a great week!

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!
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