MLBTR Chats

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!
• 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-12-26-25

nym fan

• what in gods name are the mets thinking letting alonso and diaz walk?

Mark P

• Seems like Stearns has been pretty ready to let Alonso walk for over a year now, and signing him to any sort of truly long-term contract never seemed to be the Mets’ plan.  Same with Diaz, as I suspect the Mets didn’t want to take the risk of paying big money deeper into his 30’s

  Obviously letting both go is a risk unto itself, since that’s a lot of high-caliber talent that now has to be replaced.  Polanco can only replace a portion of Alonso’s offense, and that’s assuming Polanco can replicate what he did in 2025.  Trying to build a pen out of strategic spare parts carries a lot of question marks, and that tactic tends to work better if you have a stabilizing closer like Diaz (or, like Hader or Williams for Stearns in Milwaukee)

Front Office

• What is your initial reaction to Colorado’s new Front Office and Coaching staff?

Mark P

• A step in the right direction.  It’s funny, some people speculated on Byrnes as the Rockies’ next front office boss since he worked for them back in the day, but he’ll instead return as the number two behind DePodesta.

  Sure, there’s the oddity of DePodesta being out of baseball for the last decade, but the bottom line is that these are some new voices who can bring some fresh ideas into an organization that badly needs a shake-up.

draft

• The draft is supposed to help competitive balance. How does ending up with a team like the SF Giants picking 4th help ?

Mark P

• That’s the magic of the draft lottery.  And, given how the Giants have had just one winning season in the last nine years, maybe they need the extra help!

Park M

• idc if CY said he isn’t shopping Seager, he didn’t say he’s untouchable. Could Seager bring back Anthony +?

Mark P

• There is no world where the Red Sox trade Roman Anthony.  Zero.
• If the Red Sox actually did offer Anthony for Seager, then Young would quickly change his mind about Seager’s availability.

Dan S.

• Any word on how teams are feeling about Michael King’s durability? Does 3/75 still feel like the right gamble? Would there be an opt-out?

Mark P

• I think a lot of teams would happily take a three-year deal on King, with the added AAV perhaps a necessary cost.

Ghost of Mike Rizzo

• What would it take for the Nats to move Gore? With Toboni’s focus so far on coaching and analytics, wouldn’t it make more sense to develop Gore into a better pitcher, and try to move him at deadline or next year?

Mark P

• I think the Nationals have that same idea, as it would take a huge offer to get them to swap Gore right now.  There’s no real immediate incentive for the Nats to move Gore unless another team really levels up with something Toboni can’t refuse

Blue Jays fan

• If the jays don’t sign Bo or Tucker is there a plan B or do they just go with a lineup of 1. Springer 2. Lukes 3. Vladdy 4. Santander 5. Barger 6. Kirk 7. Varsho 8. Clement 9. Gimenez

Oil Can Boyd

• You want to get back to the world series. Does Tucker fill the void of Bo’s 200 hits ability?

Mark P

• Toronto absolutely needs to add another bat to that lineup.  Going with that lineup means that you’re putting a lot of faith in everyone to match or top their 2025 numbers, and counting on Santander to have enough of a bounce-back year that he can replicate Bichette’s contributions.
• If forced to pick one, I’d take Tucker over Bichette.  He’s just a better overall offensive force, and his LH bat works better in the Blue Jays’ lineup

Kyle

• How serious do you think the Red Sox are in their interest in Michael King? Curious how they’d make that work and still be able to get two bats

Mark P

• No reason to think they don’t have legitimate interest.  If King did get signed, then the Red Sox get more serious about shopping their young pitching depth for offense.

Guest

• Long term preference – Nick Kurtz or Roman Anthony.

Mark P

• Who would you rather have over the long term?

  ---

  Roman Anthony (49.0% | 941 votes)

  Nick Kurtz (50.9% | 978 votes)

  ---

  Total Votes: 1919

Guest

• Kind of a role player, but has anyone shown interest in Dominic Smith?  He had a resurgence with SF last year. Great dude, easy to root for.

Mark P

• Smith probably isn’t going to get much attention until a lot of the bigger, everyday player types land contracts.  Smith is indeed coming off a nice year, but most every team probably views him as a part-timer at best

Shaker Moseby

• How much of a fantasy is it to hope the Jays sign both Tucker and Bo?  And if that fantasy comes true, what would you do with Clement and Barger?

Mark P

• This wild scenario isn’t happening, as much as the Jays are in all-in mode.

  If it somehow did happen, the lineup is Bichette at 2B (presuably?), Barger 3B, Gimenez SS, Clement getting at-bats against lefties spelling either Barger/Gimenez, Tucker in one corner OF spot, and Santander/Springer in the other OF corner and the DH spot.

  Realistically, the Jays would probably then try to unload Santander for as much of a salary dump as possible, to save some money and to open up at-bats

Guest

• What do you think of the Tyler Rogers deal?  I thought we were looking for a closer, but…

Mark P

• I loved that signing for the Jays.  Rogers just gets results, and he brings a lot of durability to the bullpen.
• I also wonder if the Jays made that signing in part as free advertising for Rogers Communications, haha

Joe

• why do guys use baseball reference instead of FanGraphs for player pages?

Mark P

• We’ve been using the B-Ref player tracker for years and years, and since it has worked just fine for us, I don’t think there’s any impetus to change?  But, we reference both B-Ref and Fangraphs all the time….heck, I’ve got a Fangraphs page open right now

Major League Bros

• HEY MARK BRO… how many pull-ups can you do?

Mark P

• I can pull up stats on that Fangraphs tab but that’s about it

Steven Kwan

• Are fans overvaluing Steven Kwan? He has had health issues in each of the last two seasons and his sprint speed is plummeting. I’m sure front offices are taking that into consideration, but are teams willing to “overpay” for a good leadoff bat? Guardians have been noted as having a high asking price for him last trade deadline. Was that at any way in compensation for losing Clase’s trade value?

Mark P

• It may surprise some fans to learn that Kwan had only a 99 wRC+ last year, and he had a similar number in 2023 while posting much more impressive offensive seasons in 2022 and 2024.

  So in that even-odd sense, he’s due for another big season next year!  But, you’re also leaving out the fact that Kwan is an elite defender, and his injury history is pretty light in comparison to most players.

  The Guardians’ financial situation means they’re always open to moving any player nearing free agency, but don’t forget….the Guards are also always trying to win, and Kwan has filled as outsized void as basically the only reliable player in Cleveland’s outfield for a few years now.

  My stance has always been that Kwan will be dealt next winter when he’s a year away from free agency, but that could potentially change if the younger OFs have started to emerge enough that the Guards felt comfortable moving Kwan at the deadline

• That….was a lot more words than I realized I was writing, haha

Angel Fan

• Who closing out games for us next season, Thought it would have been a no brainer to bring back Jansen. He said he liked playing here and only got a 1M dollar raise from the tigers

Mark P

• Jansen may have preferred the idea of playing for a winning team that will help him get to 500 saves in much quicker fashion.  Due to their lack of success, the Angels aren’t going to win a ton of bidding wars unless they’ve got the clear top offer.

  As to who could step in, it’s asking a lot for Joyce or Stephenson to become the new closer, yet teams have often turned to any number of random relievers to close games.  Chances are the Angels bring in someone with a decent ninth-inning track record, but a committee might not be out of the question.

JaysVladdy

• I think the Rays had a mutual option with Fairbanks. Considering the level of interest other teams have in him, why didn’t the Rays accept the $11 million option and then trade him afterward?

Mark P

• Good question.  This was what I think most pundits figured the Rays would do, yet it seems like the Rays’ early forays into the trade market didn’t yield all that much interest.  Or, teams that were keen on Fairbanks might be open to paying him $11MM but not giving up prospects to Tampa to obtain him.
• That $11MM weighs more heavily on the Rays’ budget than for most teams, yet it would seem like Fairbanks would still have been reasonably easy to move at full salary.  Or, Tampa Bay might have linked him to another trade chip in a multi-player deal?

Josh

• I’m not a Mclain believer, does he have any trade value for the Reds?

Mark P

• It would be a major sell-low situation for the Reds, so I doubt they’d have much interest in a trade.

Marky Mark

• Mark Happy Weekend Chat!! So what is on ye ol’ Playlist this week?

Mark P

• “Keep It Between The Lines” by Sturgill Simpson

Murakami

• There’s only about a week left for me to sign and there’s been barely any rumors about interest in signing me? Does my market end up shifting to a shorter term deal?

Mark P

• It’s been pretty quiet on the Murakami front, but Alonso leaving the market shakes up the 1B market.  It could be that Murakami’s camp is keeping a tight lid on rumors, moreso than interest is mild.

Rick Rude

• Bold prediction for the rest of the Rays offseason?

Mark P

• Lowe and Baz are both traded

Not Breslow

• Asking for a friend. After the postseason push are the Red Sox fumbling the offseason so far? Any trade recommendations to right the ship? Im seeing a lot of negativity from the fanbase.

Mark P

• Gray and Oviedo are very noteworthy pickups.  Keep in mind that Sox fans were having the same criticisms until Crochet was acquired at the winter meetings last year, and even then the criticism continued until Bregman signed in February.

  Boston’s roster is in good shape at the moment, they’ve already made the rotation better, and there’s still plenty of time for more significant moves.

Bobby Cox

• You like the Yaz signing? I dont love it, good vs rh but a 4th outfielder and Eli white was good for us

Mark P

• Really good move by the Braves. Yaz provides a lot of OF and bench depth, raises the team’s talent floor.

rando

• Is it me or does it feel like the international/NPB signings have been oddly quiet? Aside from the usual west coast + some east teams. being interested, haven’t really heard any momentum

Mark P

• Imai/Okamoto/Murakami don’t have the same big-name buzz of some of the other recent NPB additions.  Plus, I do wonder if some of the rumor mill is muted due to fan perception that the Dodgers will somehow sign all of these guys.

Snakes

• Why would any GM trade away Marte. He is on a team friendly contract

Mark P

• It could be that there’s some heat to the rumors of clubhouse discord over Marte.  Or, the D’Backs are simply open to offers, just in case some team makes a crazy bid that can’t be refused.

  Chris Young made comments to this effect today, talking about Corey Seager….all front offices “check in” on star players, just out of due diligence and just in case.  Like, take this scenario…

  GM #1: Hi, what would it take for me get your best player?
  GM #2: Haha, you and every other team, buddy! Ok, I’ll play along, what would you be willing to offer?
  GM1: I’ll offer prospect X and prospect Y, and eat the entire contract.
  GM2: …haha, I like your thinking, but I’ll still pass. Take care!

  /hangs up phone

  GM2 to his staff: Holy crow, they were willing to give X and Y?!  How long should I wait before calling back?!

Guest

• Yanks had a quiet winter meetings. Something in the works or are they going to run it back again next year?

Mark P

• The Yankees feel (with cause) that they’re in good shape already for 2026, and can afford to be relatively patient in seeing how the market develops on a number of fronts.  Who knows, maybe they’ll sign Bellinger or King tomorrow, or they’ll swing some trade that wasn’t even known to be on their radar.

Bucco B

• What’s it going to take for a FA to sign in the ‘Burgh? No one wants to play in that beautiful ballpark? For a losing organization?!

His excellence, Mark Polishuk

• Are the Pirates for real with their interest in high end free agents? Or this a mirage to say they tried for the fanbase?

Guest

• What do you think is the biggest realistic target left for the Bucs? And do you think they’ll actually make any kind of splash?

Mark P

• It only takes one Jayson Werth-esque signing to change a perception of a team for other free agents.  The real question now is that if the Pirates were willing to pay Schwarber $120MM, that theoretically means they have $120MM in spending capacity over the next four years.  So why not use most or all of that money on two or even one big bat, and really try to go for it while Skenes is still on the roster?

Cards in NY

• What kind of return can we expect to see for Romero based on what seattle gave up for Ferrer

Mark P

• Ferrer is a high-velo strikeout pitcher who comes with multiple years of team control.  Romero is a grounder specialist with so-so strikeout numbers, a lot of walks, and only one year remaining of team control.

  In short, the Cardinals will be getting a heck of a lot less than Harry Ford in a trade return.

Jerry R.

• Was it probably a mistake for the White Sox to pick up Luis Robert’s club option for the year? 20m is quite a lot for him on a low-spending team, and it even looks like an obstacle to a trade that nets decent prospects. What’s the deal, you think?

Mark P

• There seems to still be enough interest that Robert will probably get dealt.  I can understand Chicago’s logic in not wanting to just cut him for nothing, and if Robert does end up staying put this winter but then has a strong first half, he’ll get a good return at the deadline.

Ray Oyler

• You got anything to say about the athletics tonight or are you gonna talk about the beads?

Mark P

• Kurtz is narrowly beating Anthony in the poll, so that’s something!

  Perhaps just by dint of their unusual geographic situation, there are fewer A’s rumors than for most teams, so there usually isn’t a ton to really discuss.  Leiter is an okay signing for them.  Severino should be included in every discussion about any “unwanted contract swap” since he’s an interesting trade chip, and it’ll be interesting to see where he lands and for what return

Fred Bird

• When will the Arenado saga end? Cards can’t move forward with him on the team

Mark P

• Arenado is one of the more difficult players to move, so if anything, it would’ve been more surprising if the Cardinals had dealt him by Dec. 14

Caught

• Answering CBA question, you snuck in a 67. I caught ya

Mark P

• lol, that was pure happenstance.  I am too old for that meme stuff.

JB Reds

• I’m upset Schwarber didn’t sign with Reds obviously.  But ownership saying the main reason they tried is because he would boost ticket sales it about as bad as “where are you gonna go”….

Mark P

• Wouldn’t the Reds signing ANY major player bring in extra attendance?  Like, what fan is saying “well, I’ll order a season ticket package because Schwarber is from the Cincy area, but I won’t do it for Cody Bellinger”?

John

• Alonso the fix to the orioles underperforming lineup?

Mark P

• It makes retaining Mountcastle look like even more of a head-scratcher, but I like the signing.  Perfectly fair to wonder if Alonso will be productive over the full five years, but he should absolutely make the O’s a better team in 2026.

Giants

• There was a lot of talk that the Giants aren’t interested in spending long term on a pitcher, but now we have reports from a trustworthy local Giants reporter Susan Slusser that she spoke to agents and the Giants are in fact talking to agents and pursuing the “top starters”. I’m assuming she meant Framber Imai and Ranger. Were the Giants just throwing out a smokescreen with all the “we arent going to commit to long term 100 mil+ starter deals”, or is Posey just doing his own thing separate from ownership

Mark P

• I think every owner/chairman would prefer to not sign pitchers (or anyone) to pricey long-term contracts.  And, Greg Johnson didn’t expressly say that the Giants would never sign such deals, just that it wasn’t his preference.

  This is a team that has added Chapman, Adames, and Devers just within the last 15 months, so it’s not like the Giants are adverse to spending.  It’s just that SF may be more willing to open the checkbook for a hitter than for a pitcher.  As to the reports of the Giants checking in on available starters, that’s at the very least a due diligence move, or maybe some explorations to see if any of these pitchers are open to a shorter-term deal.

Ebenezer_Batflip

• Do you think the Padres move Miller?

Mark P

• Doubtful, after giving such a ton to the A’s at the deadline.  Miller is both controllable and relatively inexpensive for now, plus he is both the anchor of the Padres’ bullpen and still a potential candidate to move back into the rotation if SD wants to roll the dice.

  The fact that credible reporters like the Athletic’s crew were noting that story makes it at least some kind of a possibility, but I do enjoy how most reports about the Padres include some version of “A.J. Preller floats a lot of wild offers or trade ideas, so bear with us.”

Stros

• Where do you think Christian walker plays next year? Seems like the Astros have get rid of him given the logjam at the corners. Would a McNeil for walker trade make sense for the Mets?

Mark P

• Since the Mets plan to use Polanco at first base, Walker probably isn’t realistic at this point.  McNeil-for-Walker doesn’t totally work either since that locks McNeil into just OF work, which is a slightly inefficient use of his skillset.

  Walker is another player that probably isn’t being dealt outside of “unfavorable contract swap” territory.  Which leaves the Astros in kind of a bind unless someone gets hurt in Spring Training.

Rays Fan

• It seems like the Nationals have exactly what we need in Abrams and Ruiz.  What kind of a package would they require back for that duo?

Mark P

• Ruiz is owed a lot of money on his contract, and his bat has gone ice-cold over the last two seasons as he’s dealt with injuries.  Doesn’t seem like a fit for Tampa at all.

  Abrams is a better fit in theory, but I don’t see the Rays meeting the Nats’ big asking price for the remaining three years of Abrams’ control.

Colton T

• Do you think Seattle was smart by not matching Met’s offer for Polanco?

Mark P

• Polanco had a good season and would’ve been a good fit returning to Seattle’s lineup, plus there’s the added value of what he brought to their clubhouse. For a $20MM AAV, however, I’m not sure I’m too broken up if I’m a Mariners fan.

  Really, retaining Naylor was the biggest need for the Seattle offseason.  Polanco or Suarez would’ve been gravy, and we shouldn’t rule out Suarez still possibly returning.

Guest

• Tork for hunter greene. Who says no

Mark P

• Cincinnati.  Greene is far more valuable

Guest

• Poll results- have you ever had a poll closer than the Kurtz/Anthony poll?

Mark P

• Currently 50.7% for Kurtz, and that’s about as narrow a margin I can remember in any pure 1-v-1 poll question

Philly Love

• The Phils are an extremely loyal organization always looking to bring back their aging stars.  Although I love the loyalty, mixing in young players is the biggest key to any organization.  I’d love to see Crawford be able to play CF instead of settling for LF and Miller start at 3rd but ultimately play SS moving Turner out to the OF.  Thoughts?

Mark P

• Philly will give Crawford every chance at sticking in CF, and he can play at least a decent center field, that’s a particularly enormous win for the team.  Given all the big contracts on their books, getting help from the farm system is key to adding some inexpensive depth and quality to the roster, since the Phillies can’t just spend their way to filling every roster hole.

Trip

• Are the Braves done adding to the bullpen?

Mark P

• I thought they were done just by re-signing Iglesias, so the Suarez deal really caught me off guard.  One would imagine the rest of Atlanta’s bullpen adds will be minor league signings or very low-guarantee MLB deals, given how much has already been invested in Iglesias/Suarez

Ritch

• Is Detroit going after Verlander?

Mark P

• Strangely no buzz at all about Verlander thus far, though perhaps he’s taking his time to evaluate what I’m guessing are a limited amount of preferred landing spots.  Verlander’s not going to sign with the Rockies or someone just to keep pitching — he wants to join a team with a decent-to-great chance at contending in 2026.

  The rotation market as a whole hasn’t really picked up steam yet apart from Cease.  Probably a few more of the bigger names need to find contracts before teams start to really look at second-tier, shorter-term options like Verlander

MoonBeamMcSwine

• GE Mark…Who gets the accolades as GM for signing the most valuable extension during this offseason.. runner ups?

Mark P

• Last year’s title went to Jerry Dipoto, for wisely locking up Cal Raleigh just before Raleigh had the season of his life.
• I’ll provide more of an answer in April, since most extensions get worked out once the bigger offseason business is through

Bobby

• Scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most likely. How likely is it that the Dodgers will trade Teoscar Hernandez this offseason? I feel like he would not yield a great return (propects at most) and his postseason bat carries a lot of value.

Mark P

• Teo’s postseason numbers aren’t great, just a career .792 OPS.  LA probably wouldn’t mind flipping Hernandez elsewhere to open up an outfield spot and free up some money, since even the Dodgers have a budget.  Now, the Dodgers would then surely re-invest those savings into another name player, potentially another outfielder L.A. thinks is a better long-term investment.

Friend

• Severino for Cronenworth straight

Mark P

• I feel like this was mentioned in a recent chat.  Makes sense on paper, but it could be that the A’s are wary of locking Cronenworth in at second base, since Kurtz/Rooker have 1B/DH spoken for

Me

• Verlander to Detroit HAS TO happen, right?

Mark P

• Oh yeah, I guess I didn’t address the Verlander/Detroit possibility in that last JV question.  Oops!

  It would be fun to see it happen, and the Tigers both need pitching and have a preference for shorter-term signings.  It’s a match on paper, but who knows how Harris and company might feel about Verlander, or if Verlander has interest in returning to Motown

Chatman

• Have you seen running man?

Mark P

• The new one, not yet.  The old one, several times.  Richard Dawson was legit robbed of an Oscar nomination.

Curious A’s Fan

• Trading Severino would mean having to overpay for another SP. Why do that?

Mark P

• Severino openly hates playing at the ballpark, the A’s can’t love that he is so public with his displeasure, and Severino doesn’t pitch well at home anyway, so his value to the team is limited.
• We’ve over two hours into this chat now, so 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-12-14-25

guest

• how series are the red sox in their pursuit of Bichette and Marte?

Mark P

• Marte seems more likely just because there have been rumblings that the Sox are being wary about spending.  Y’know, since the BOSTON RED SOX might not turn a profit if player payroll is too high.

  Now that I’m done scoffing, this doesn’t mean Marte is a likely add, but just that he’s perhaps “more” likely than Bichette.  The Red Sox now have built up some rotation depth and might be more open to moving pitching for Marte

Giants Fan

• Do you see the Giants really signing Kyle Shwarber and trading Bryce Eldridge?

Mark P

• No to the first, maybe to the second

Nolan

• Hello, if you were Scott Harris, would you deal Skubal this offseason? I worry our fanbase would be calling for him to be fired, even though I think he has done a good job so far for the Tigers.

Mark P

• I’d keep him, since it’s a lot easier to win the World Series when you’ve got a star ace at the front of your pitching staff.

RoyalsCenter2024

• With the news of royals wanting to sign Adam Frazier and Yaz is it understandable for fans to worry that might be all they do for the outfield? Or should the Royals not be worried?

Mark P

• I find it hard to believe that KC would consider Yaz/Frazier to be a suitable answer to their outfield problems.  Bringing back one to address one OF slot and then obtaining a bigger everyday type for another OF slot would be far more helpful.

Hagen

• Do you think the dodgers could work a trade for Ketel Marte? Why or why not? What would be a ideal trade?

Mark P

• If Marte is dealt at all, it sure won’t be to the Dodgers, of all teams.

RocktheRed

• Now that Harry Ford is a Nat, what happens to Kilbert Ruiz?

Mark P

• Ruiz’s trade value is pretty low right now, given his contract and his lack of production.  What I could see the Nats doing is shopping him as part of an unwelcome contract swap, or perhaps as salary offset as part of a larger trade.  Like, a catcher-needy team sends a big contract or two to the Washington along with some prospect depth, and the Nats move Ruiz out as part of the return to help even out the money.

Walter

• is there a world where the Jays sign Tucker AND Bo Bichette?

Mark P

• That seems a bridge too far, even considering how aggressive the Jays have been about spending.  They’d have to figure out some way to unload at least one other big contract (i.e. Santander, Berrios) to make that feasible.

Matt S

• Would you have voted for Jeff Kent for the Hall of Fame?  I’m disappointed Murphy and Mattingly didn’t make it.

Mark P

• Kent, Delgado, Bonds, and Clemens were the four of the eight candidates that clear the HOF bar in my book.

  In terms of actual votes, it’s more of a “read the room” situation.  Remember, each member of this committee can only vote for as many as three candidates.  So if I’m at the meeting and hear like eight or nine people openly say they’re not voting for Bonds/Clemens, then I’m probably not going to bother putting both on my list, since neither are getting elected.  At most I’d vote for one, then spend two votes on Kent and Delgado.

Sox Fan

• Would Mayer straight up be enough to get Joe Ryan?

Mark P

• The Twins might want a couple of low-level lottery ticket guys included just so the pressure isn’t entirely on Mayer, but if he’s the centerpiece, I think Minnesota leans towards saying yes

mcg

• Will we have more Breaking News tonight besides Kent going into Hallmto.

Mark P

• From past experience, the first night of the Winter Meetings is usually not very busy news-wise, as everyone is getting there and settling into the hotel.  Not wanting to step on the HOF announcement is also a factor, possibly.

  Now, as I write this, watch some big blockbuster trade happen, lol.  Good thing Charlie Wright and I are both on MLBTR duty tonight, giving me some flexibility to run this chat!

Bill B

• What can the Phillies reasonably expect to receive for trading Castelanos and Bohm

Mark P

• Barring a bad contract swap, I think the Phils will end up just releasing Castellanos and eating the money.  Bohm could bring back a decent but unspectacular return, like a reliever or something.

Dana Brown 4 Advice

• Can I get a catcher in the Rule 5?

Mark P

• Taking a catcher in the R5 is an added risk because since you can’t send him down to the minors, you’re putting a lot of faith in an unproven player if your starter ends up getting hurt.

  Yainer is a pretty good starting option already, so the Astros are much more likely to play it safe and just sign a veteran backup

Guardians fan

• Chances Guards sign Alonso or Bellinger with how little they have committed in payroll?

Mark P

• As much as this makes sense, the Guardians simply aren’t willing to make those financial splashes in free agency.  It would take a real market collapse for either of those guys to get into Cleveland’s price range.

Dr. socks

• No clue why pirates bothered to offer schwarbs a contract.  Maybe to make it look like they are actually trying

Mark P

• To be fair, you can’t criticize the Pirates for not trying to spend on bigger free agents and then turn around and roll your eyes when they do make the attempt.  It doesn’t seem likely that Schwarber will end up in Pittsburgh, but it costs the Bucs nothing to ask, or make an offer.

fascinating

• Are teams allowed to negotiate with players on other teams prior to making a trade agreement? I seem to remember the Dodgers conditional agreement to trade for Glasnow was dependent on whether or not he would sign an extension. Is this permitted? Thinking about my Giants trading Eldridge for someone on a one year deal like Peralta but only making the move of Freddy agrees to an extension first.

Mark P

• This is allowed, under certain circumstances like the one you mentioned.

Paxton

• Does Mitch Keller to the D-Backs for Ketel Marte makes sense for both team?

Mark P

• Keller is a perfectly decent starter, but the D’Backs would want way more than “perfectly decent” back in exchange for Marte

Boras

• Do you think Alonso will hold out until near or spring training this year like he did last year? It sounded like larger offers kept disappearing that were below what his expectations were as the offseason went on and had to settle for the mets deal which was lower than what was originally offered earlier in the offseason.

Mark P

• Knowing Boras, he’s got a new game plan in place given how last offseason went, and he has more of an idea about how the market as a whole evaluates Alonso.  And, that market may have changed since Alonso is no longer tied to a qualifying offer, and because he’s coming off a much better platform year.

Troy

• is Otto Lopez a trade option for the Braves at SS? They could even pursue Sandy in a package deal. Thoughts?

Mark P

• The Marlins probably aren’t trading Alcantara at all, and if they did, it definitely won’t be to a division rival.

  Secondly, this is the first time I’ve heard Alcantara described as an add-on in The Otto Lopez Trade, lol

Tiger Lover

• Do you think the Tigers will make any moves at the meetings, or, is it all smoke we are hearing?

Mark P

• This is true of the Tigers and every other team, but if they don’t do anything major (or at all) over the next four days, their offseason isn’t a bust.  There are still months to make transactions.

  Undoubtedly the Tigers will explore some things at the Meetings, but if they don’t close on a notable move, it isn’t the end of the world.

TheHurricaneBen

• Do you think the Cardinals will make a trade this week? Lot of smoke around Donovan and KC

Mark P

• Derrick Goold made the interesting point in a recent piece that the Cards, Rays, and D’Backs are all shopping second basemen to some extent, leaving the market a little clogged.

  Now, that doesn’t mean St. Louis wouldn’t or couldn’t be the first to make a trade here, since there’s so much interest in Donovan that the Cards have probably already received a few interesting offers….it’s just a question of whether any of these offers are deemed enough, or if Chaim Blooms thinks more than be found in a counter-offer, or from another team entirely.

Cashman

• am I finally going to make a real move this offseason

Mark P

• Fried, Bellinger, Devin Williams, and the umpteen other huge moves Cashman has made over his long career aren’t “real moves”?

Pete

• Are the Giants really not interested in committing big money to top free agent SPs or is just a bargaining strategy

Mark P

• Every team would prefer to not sign pitchers to long-term deals, since the majority of them turn out to be poor investments.  That said, just enough of them turn out great that several teams still feel willing to take the plunge.

  I don’t doubt that the Giants would so big on a starting pitcher if they’re really particularly keen on a guy, but maybe nobody in this year’s market strikes their fancy.

buhlake

• Would it make sense for the Rangers to try and bring back Garcia for much less if they can’t find another outfielder?

Mark P

• I think the ship has sailed on Garcia in Texas.

IM

• I keep seeing suggestions on MacKenzie Gore to the Orioles trades…are the Nats and O’s likely to hook up on any trade, much less for someone like Gore?

Mark P

• Highly unlikely.  Even after the ownership change, there’s way too much bad blood between the two organizations.

Mariners

• Why do you think that Harry ford’s value was so comparatively low? He was traded, along with someone else, for a young, intriguing but unproven reliever, and not even to be a closer. Do you think the could have gotten more for ford?

Mark P

• It was a fascinating trade, since I agree with you that it seemed like the M’s would be able to get a lot more back for Ford.  That said, perhaps it’s a sign of just how much the market value controllable relievers with Ferrer’s stuff.  Plus, the Mariners are certainly in “last piece of the puzzle” mode.  A LH reliever was a clear need for them, so perhaps they felt giving up Ford was worth it to land a pitcher like Ferrer they so clearly coveted

Dbacks Fan

• Since Ketel is an MVP level player and on a defeated team friendly deal for only a few more years, is any return good enough to actually trade him? I know the Snakes need pitching but can the return include a controllable mlb established arm and a quality bat at the corner infield?

Mark P

• It feels like that unless there’s a lot of smoke behind those reports of clubhouse discontent, there’s no reason for Arizona to move a star player like Marte.  And like I said earlier, I doubt they send him anywhere unless they receive an absurd trade offer.

  It costs the D’Backs nothing to at least listen to trade offers, even if they aren’t actually shopping Marte themselves.

CT

• Ruiz for Cronenworth?

Mark P

• San Diego did some to mind when I was floating that Ruiz scenario earlier.  But, Cronenworth is still a useful player, if overpaid within SD’s payroll limitations.  Ruiz can’t be relied on as a starting catcher, so he wouldn’t be much of an answer to the Padres’ search

Pete

• Super bowl predictions?

Mark P

• Rams over Broncos

Mr. Red

• Is there a player who, when signed, would be the first “domino” and other signings would quickly follow? How about the same for a traded player? Or does it even work like that?

Mark P

• This is pretty common in many offseasons.  This year, Schwarber leaving the market will get a lot of teams turning their attention more fully to other hitters.

Kyle

• Coulda package of Donovan and Arenado make sense for Boston, assuming STL takes on enough of the money? Donovan and Mayer have both had their injury issues, and Arenado wouldn’t be the worst backup option. Would STL even consider moving both in the same deal?

Mark P

• There’s no way the Cards are diminishing the return on Donovan by linking him to Arenado.  If they were in the same deal, the Cardinals also aren’t eating any of Arenado’s salary….but by the same token, STL isn’t moving Donovan just to unload Arenado’s money

Marky Mark

• Mark, you’ve been ignoring me buddy! Weekend Chat Nation want to know – what’s on your playlist?

Mark P

• (Fast) Slow Disco, by St. Vincent

Cubs Fan

• What are the chances of Imai to the Cubs?

Mark P

• Seems like a distinct possibility.  The Cubs have a good history of signing Japanese players, and Imai’s price tag is expected to fall within the range Chicago is comfortable paying

Ivy Walls

• Any idea how much of the Cubs rumored interest is legitimate and how much is agents and media trying to generate interest?

Mark P

• No reason to doubt the Cubs aren’t making calls or checking in on a wide range of players.  Only the front office knows which players are highest on their target list, and which are being contacted out of due diligence.

J

• Will the Rays sign a big name free agent or at least extend caminero?

Mark P

• 1. No way
  2. They hadn’t any talks with Caminero as of last August, as per his agent Rafa Nieves.  Certainly you’d think Tampa would have interest in locking Junior up, but as Nieves pointed out, the triple factors of the team sale/the ballpark mess/Wander Franco’s contract may have kept the Rays from delving into extension talks

Dallas

• How often does a team make a move that even the MLBTR writers can’t understand or endorse?

Mark P

• Happens every once in a while.  As someone who couldn’t fathom for about a year why the Orioles made that Trevor Rogers trade, we’ll often find ourselves eating our words!

Guest

• Any substance to trade talks involving Barger, or is it pure speculation on the media’s part?

Mark P

• Between Barger’s breakout at the plate and his roster value in being able to capably play both 3B and RF, I would be very surprised if the Blue Jays moved him
• I don’t doubt that tons of teams are asking the Jays about Barger, but expect him in Toronto on Opening Day

Guest

• What was the reasoning behind optioning Yariel given that the 40 man wasn’t full?

Mark P

• I think the Jays have a few things percolating and may need multiple 40-man roster spots soon.  That’s what makes the timing of the Yariel outright so intriguing.

Nick Krall

• Should I send Brady Singer packing for a middle of the order hitter if I can’t sign Schwarber?

Mark P

• Not sure if Singer can bring back such a quality bat, but yeah, he’d probably the most expendable member of the Reds staff

Gavin Cordes

• could the padres get a return on Conenworth or is it just a salary dump if they trade him?

Mark P

• It wouldn’t be a salary dump, since as mentioned earlier, Cronenworth is a decent player.  (He had an under-the-radar 117 wRC+ last year.). I think Preller is creative enough to work out some kind of undesirable contract swap that addresses another team’s needs while perhaps bringing back some pitching to San Diego

Billings

• Did Delgado’s performance in this year’s HOF voting bode well for him getting in eventually?

Mark P

• I wonder how many people looked at Delgado’s numbers and went “man, he was really good!  Who knew?!”  It seemed like Delgado was overshadowed because he played in the steroid era, yet he might now be getting his day in the sun via these Era Committee votes.  Hard to imagine he won’t be included on the next ballot in 2028 after getting nine votes this time.

Angels Fan

• Can Okamoto realistically play 3B long term for us?

Mark P

• Okamoto isn’t considered to be Scott Rolen or anything, but it seems like the majority of scouts feel he’s at least a decent third baseman.  So in terms of fielding, the Angels shouldn’t have any huge concerns.

George

• What free agent do you think is worth Atlanta giving up the PPI pick?

Mark P

• Of the nine QO free agents, Cease is already signed, and we can safely rule out Tucker, Schwarber, and Diaz.

  That leaves Suarez, Valdez, King, Gallen, and Bichette.  Any of the pitchers would help stabilize Atlanta’s rotation, and obviously Bichette fills the shortstop hole in a big way if the Braves are okay with his shaky defense. From a pure need standpoint, Bichette seems like the best fit, but frankly, I doubt the Braves are going to be splurging for any of these guys.  Maybe Gallen or King since their markets could be more limited.

JustanotherAstrosfan

• Do you see the Astros at least throwing a “good faith” offer at Framber like we did with Bregman and Correa before they left? Like 5/175? That would be the largest contract Jim Crane ever handed out and if so, chances he takes it?

Mark P

• We only had Valdez at five years/$150MM on our top 50 list, so if the Astros made that offer, I suspect he’d happily take it.

  But, it seems like there just hasn’t been any real buzz linking Valdez back with Houston.  It seems like when the Astros want to keep a guy, they lock him up earlier, not let him hit the open market.

Miles Smiles

• Best Hitchcock film:  Vertigo, Psycho, the Birds, North by Northwest, or Rear Window?

Mark P

• I’m not a huge Hitchcock guy, but Rear Window is one of the best movies ever made

Byron Buxton

• How likely do you think it is, really, that I am in Minnesota next year?

Mark P

• I think it’s very likely.  The Twins seem to be holding off on moving Buxton, Ryan, and Lopez, plus Buxton had reservations anyway about waiving his no-trade clause

Jayvion

• Why is Lou Whitaker not a hall of famer already? Why was he left off the ballot entirely?

Mark P

• Great question.  It’s inexplicable to me that Whitaker isn’t already in.

  Alan Trammell was one of the members of this year’s Era Committee, and it’s funny to imagine him loudly complaining about Whitaker whenever every candidate is mentioned.

  “Jeff Kent, great second baseman, eh?  Hey, you know who’s also a great second baseman?!”
  “Bonds and Clemens, eh?  Hey, you know who’s a great player that didn’t take PEDs?”
  “Murphy and Mattingly, great stars of the 80’s, eh?  Hey, you know who was also a great star in the 80’s and who actually won a World Series?”

Richard

• why does it seem like the ms do not want to start Cole Young? Just because he is young? He was a top prospect and still full of potential. This is what good teams do draft and bring up prospects ……. What am i missing?

Mark P

• The Mariners think they can win the World Series next year.  Having Polanco or a more established 2B in the lineup gives the M’s a better chance at that goal than rolling the dice on Young as a reliable everyday player.

  And, who’s to say Young won’t end up being a big part of Seattle’s 2026 plans?  It’s still early.

Arte Moreno

• Do you think with Ryne Sandberg and now Jeff Kent getting into the HOF that it paves the path for Bobby Grich and Lou Whitaker? Both have higher WAR and JAWS rankings

Mark P

• Grich is another guy who is overdue for Cooperstown.  Hopefully he shows up on the next “Classic Baseball” ballot.

  Also, man, it makes me feel old that everything before 1980 is considered “Classic Baseball”

Brew Crew

• Did Woodruff accepting the QO throw a curve ball to the Brewers offseason plans?

Mark P

• Teams don’t issue a QO unless they’re prepared for a scenario where the player could accept.  Especially if you’re a team like the Brewers who are operating with a limited budget.  They know Woodruff better than anyone and they must’ve thought there was a real chance he would accept.

Mr Red Leg

• When I first saw that the Reds were interested in Schwarber, admittedly I just rolled my eyes. I’ve been a Reds fan for a long time, and they aren’t likely to spend that kind of money. However, after thinking about it, I actually think that they have a legitimate chance of pulling it off. If there was ever a time that ownership would sign off on extra spending, I think it would be for Shwarber.  This is their time to strike.  He seems to want to go there,  considering that he is from the area. They wouldn’t have to outbid other teams to get him to sign. I think that if their offer was competitive, he would accept. Also, they have some ways that they could shed some payroll by trading Singer, Lux, Trevino, etc.  They could even defer some money, as they have done before.  I think attendance would get a big boost and the  image of the ownership group would get a boost as well. Am I crazy for thinking that this is feasible?

Mark P

• They will have to outbid other teams, namely one specific team in the Phillies.  If the Phils are willing to top basically any offer Schwarber receives, the Reds are out of luck.

  It does seem like Schwarber is a special case for the Reds due to his hometown ties.  Unfortunately for them, Schwarber probably isn’t likely to take a hometown discount since he also loved his time in Philly

Guest

• Do you think it’s a possibility the Orioles use Jordan Westburg to acquire a center fielder or a starting pitcher?

Mark P

• Feels like Westburg is someone Baltimore sees as a building block, not a trade chip
• Time to wrap things up for the evening.  Thanks so much for all of your questions, and let’s all strap in for what might be a very fun and newsworthy Winter Meetings!
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