The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, pinch-hitting host Mark Polishuk is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- MLBTR continues previewing the free agent class, with a focus on which starters and relievers might be flying a bit under the radar as quality signings for 2024 (0:50)
- The Padres are planning to reduce payroll next season, and could some broader front office changes also be coming? (11:00)
- After another losing season and with the possible departure of Shohei Ohtani, would the Angels explore rebuilding (and trading Mike Trout) to get the franchise back on track? (15:06)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- Will the Twins re-sign Sonny Gray or Tyler Mahle, and what kind of contracts could each pitcher land in free agency?(23:03)
- Could the Braves’ pitching injuries short-circuit their postseason chances? (28:48)
Check out our past episodes!
- Front Office Changes in Boston and New York, and the New Rays Stadium Agreement — listen here
- Free Agent Class Preview: Catcher and First Base, Germán Márquez Extension and the Dodgers’ Rotation — listen here
- Waiver Claim Fallout, September Call-Ups and the Biggest Strength of Each Playoff Contender — listen here
btw, Brad Elder is a former PGA Tour golfer, and for some reason his name always sticks in my head when referring to Bryce Elder.
Who needs Trout when you have a faster, cheaper, and younger version of him in Wyatt Langford at AAA?
trout -power hr hitter injured in the later years – sounds like a yankee.
If the Padre rumors are untrue, it is probably in Seidler’s best interest to get in front of this. By not disputing Acee’s report, it kind of verifies it.
Plus it also doesn’t help that The Athletic ran article a week or two ago, about the trouble with Preller and his relationship with Bob Melvin and the players.
Seidler is not well. He’s acting like quite a few stage four people that I’ve known in my past and he’s been acting worse for a good year. Local reports are that day-to-day decisions are currently being made by his ownership organization as he is recovering from a “medical procedure” over the last month.
Seidler’s more recent comments are quite disjointed (he went on a bit of a rant about how homeless people are treated when being asked about the Padres, for example). He has been looking more frail and the whites of his eyes have darkened in recent months.
He has been spending money like a drunken sailor… Or a seriously ill man who wasn’t going to be taking his money with him. That’s my gut feeling. His undying love of AJ Preller needs to be questioned as well.
Trading Trout would have to either be a salary dump or they would have to send a lot of money with him. No one is taking on that contract and sending good players back.
When I suggested this a few years ago, the LAA were decidedly less than enthusiastic about my suggestion. I wonder how they feel now?
Why would they look forward to trading a franchise icon coming back from a hand injury who could possibly help for a WC run? After all, Moreno decided to buy at the deadline so the Angels can end their playoffs drought. Trout is still an excellent player when healthy so I don’t see why that outlook would change going forward. It’s not like his salary is impeding the Moreno’s offseason M.O. – whatever that might be.
You nailed it YBC, and to add to what you have. You don’t trade The Icon Trout and pay down his salary in trade, he’s worth every penny when it come down to the fans he putts in Arte’s seats. Especially if you lose Ohtani. The bottom line, Trouts “still” potential baseball numbers and fan draw, he’s worth every penny to the Angels.
Hint: what are you going to do? throw in 10m per year, he’s worth more than that to the Angels, and you better believe he’s still a 25m value BB player.
As I said, this was several years ago. You could see the direction this was taking. He’s averaged 104 games for the past 6 seasons. He is certainly a franchise icon, but without a single playoff win in his career. It’s been 14 years since they won a playoff game and 8 consecutive sub-.500 seasons.
Doesn’t the ‘icon’ thing get old after a while?
That’s easy to say in hindsight. I bet you were thinking the same about Mookie Betts when the Dodgers acquired him and then gave him a contract extension. Trout’s injuries alone is not the reason the Angels haven’t won. It’s Moreno’s refusal to spend on pitching.
The “icon thing” doesn’t get old. Just ask their respective fans. Does Ted Williams not having a WS ring diminish his career?
I didn’t mean they should trade him. I wouldn’t. The article mentioned trading him in the context of helping a rebuild. I’m simply saying it would be a salary dump and not a move to improve the roster if they did trade him.
Wouldn’t shock me if trout and ohtani stay in LA. The dodgers lol
Did you literally laugh out loud after typing that?
It would shock me if Ohtani stayed in Anaheim. Why would he want to stay on a well below average, top heavy team that would have little payroll flexibility, pitching or depth?
Good analysis on the Angels. There has to be a major change in strategy otherwise it will be the same thing in 2024 and beyond. Mark’s gentle comments about Moreno’s involvement in baseball decisions were spot on. He is the common denominator through a half dozen or so GMs over 20 years. I believe once his cash cow Ohtani signs elsewhere, the team will be sold for $3b to a buyer he lined up last winter.
There was. a Pad’s fan going off about the Braves choosing Arcia at the beginning of the year.. Going on and on how wrong it was to downgrade to Arcia and speaking of payroll and cause and effect was meaningless. How wrong the Braves fans were to think it terms of the team fitting together financially. Shouldn’t the Braves fans just want the best player in every position? Yes we do. We want that. How the team fits together today and tomorrow is also a consideration. Which maybe the Pads are starting to consider as well.
The number one chat discussion should be the need for the robot umpires as soon as possible. Tennis has been improved by using automatic line calls. Baseball will be similarly improved. The capricious vagaries of these human called balls and strikes is making the game hard to watch.