Anthony Franco
- Hey everyone, hope you've enjoyed your week! Looking forward to another of these, let's get going
Dave Dombrowski
- How much has Kyle Schwarber raised his salary now? Does 4/140 keep him in Philly and away from FA? Does the uncertainty regarding Wheeler push me to make a strong offer to Ranger Suarez? And will there be enough left to resign JTR, the real rock of the pitching staff? Do you think that John Middleton will back a payroll approaching $400M?
Anthony Franco
- Yeah I have to imagine 4/140 would get it done before he hits the market. Still don't see Philly going to 35M annually especially at their luxury tax status, but I do think he's got a shot at five years that could approach that guarantee
- DH who is soon to be 33 is a profile the market hates but Schwarber's pretty clearly in a different tier from the Santander/Teoscar group. You could point to Alonso's quiet market last year as a counterargument, but Schwarber's walk year is so much better than Alonso's 2024
- I don't think the Wheeler injury dramatically changes things on Ranger. Never seemed all that likely to me that they'd re-sign him for nine figures, even after trading Abel. I think they're just more likely to be in on an Adrian Houser type who can serve as a fifth starter or long man once Painter is in the rotation
Slick
- Are the Nationals looking at another five years of rebuilding? From top to bottom this team appears to be in disarray.
Anthony Franco
- I'm not as pessimistic on a core with Wood, Abrams, Gore, etc. but based on Steve's forthcoming Front Office post this week, I think he's more in your camp
- He's about to drop like 2000 words on this topic
Mariners
- What are your thoughts on the Robles suspension? Fair? Too long? Too short?
Anthony Franco
- Start at 10, drop to seven seems fine. I feel like Contreras should have been at that level as well though, so I guess you could argue it's inconsistent
Chris
- More likely to rebound in 2026: Braves or Orioles?
Anthony Franco
- Tough one. I think I'd take Baltimore. Atlanta's got more high-end talent coming back, especially on the pitching staff, but they're probably going to put a lot on Sale, Schwellenbach and López to stay healthy in a way that concerns me
- The O's have a lot of heavy lifting to do this offseason, especially in the bullpen, but I think they're a little more well equipped to navigate 162 with in-house depth
JeffyM82
- Bo Bichette 2025 total hits over/under Bo Bichette total free agent contract (millions). Where are you putting your money? Bo Currently has 169 hits with 28 games remaining.
Anthony Franco
- Ha yeah I'll take the hits. I like this one though, reasonable argument either way
-
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MLBTR Chat Transcript
Steve Adams
- Good morning! I need to get the chat wrapped up a bit before 2pm today, so moving the start time up ever so slightly, from the usual 1pm CT to 12:45pm. As always, feel free to ask questions in advance if you prefer.
- Greetings! Let’s get rolling
Cincinnati kid.
- If the reds fail to make the playoffs I see McLain and Stephenson as trade bait. Would you consider dealing DeLaCruz to someone like the Yankees or dodgers since management will never give him the contract he’s expecting to get
Steve Adams
- Stephenson for sure, if not a non-tender candidate. The Reds extended Trevino and have Alfredo Duno climbing the minor league ladder. Stephenson is controlled only one more year and due a raise that’ll take him north of $6MM in a season where he’s taken huge steps back at the plate and spent significant time on the IL. I don’t think there’d be a ton of surplus value, but I do think he’s a viable change-of-scenery candidate.As for McLain, it’s hard for me to imagine them selling so low on him, but I suppose if they could move him for a genuine upgrade in the outfield (with much lesser team control), maybe you entertain that thought.I generally don’t think it’s wise to just staunchly say any individual player is off limits — always listen — but it’d be hard to move Elly, who’s still controlled four more years.
Guest
- Is Kyle Tucker still the biggest Free Agent this winter ?
Steve Adams
- Yeah. If anything, I think the previously hush-hush fracture in his finger kind of quells some concern about why he’d struggled so much. Of course his numbers are going to take a hit. But he’s still a 29-year-old with plus power who at his best walks more than he strikes out and plays a fine right field. No one on the market can match his earning power.
FP
- Will we see Jonah Tong in MLB this season?
Steve Adams
- I think there’s enough smoke there that we should expect it, yeah.
Tigers
- Tigers should trade skubal this offseason #1 to get as much value as possible and #2 because a 10 yr+ deal could kill you in the later years
Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript
Steve Adams
- Good afternoon! I'll get going at 2pm CT, but feel free to ask a question ahead of time if you like.
- Hello! Let's get underway
small mouth bass
- For 2026, could the Jays opt for slick middle infield - Gimenez + Clement - and go hard after Bregman to play 3rd (with Barger going to RF)?
Steve Adams
- I don't see any reason the Jays wouldn't be on Bregman this offseason. He's a good fit for the roster, they have plenty of cash coming off the books, they'll be firmly in win-now mode, the cost won't be beyond their comfort level, etc.That said, I don't think that means you need to resign yourself to Gimenez/Clement up the middle. Second basemen generally aren't paid that richly in free agency. Gleyber Torres is probably going to be the top earner among this year's group, but I don't think he's going to get nine figures or anything. They could look for a bounceback from Luis Rengifo or look into trading for Brandon Lowe or Ozzie Albies. There are lots of paths to consider.
Unqualified Reds GM
- Nick Lodolo for Jarren Duran. What/who else needs to be tossed in for this to happen?
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Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript
Anthony Franco
- Hey everyone, hope you've enjoyed your week!
- Have a bunch going on today so I need to keep this one at an hour
Olereb
- Who do you see the Braves targeting to upgrade at ss, also do you see the Braves trying to rid themselves of Justin Profar?
Anthony Franco
- Bichette would be uncharacteristic for them but they've got Iglesias and Ozuna coming off the books short term and there's a case they need to move off their usual operating procedure of prioritizing trades/extensions based on how poorly they've played this year
- Albies doesn't look like a core piece anymore, so they'd be able to slide Bo over to second in a couple years if he can't stick at SS long term. Trade market at the position has been bad for a while. Sox would probably move Story to make room for Marcelo Mayer (eh), could try to get the Royals to give up Maikel Garcia but it'd take a lot
- Profar's mashing since he's been back. They'd need a new left fielder if they trade him. I'm sure they're not happy with how things went down, but keeping him at 2/30 seems fine to me
Sam
- What's the Twins' offseason ahead look like? Will it be frugal once again due to the Pohlads retaining ownership of the team, or will they decide to start spending again (a la Correa) to try to get back into contention?
Anthony Franco
- I have a hard time seeing them kick up spending dramatically. Teams almost never follow up a massive teardown by throwing a bunch of money at it and trying again
- I expect Ryan and Jeffers to go at least. Feels like they could hold Pablo into next season because of the injury impacting his trade value. Then backfill with a bunch of smaller deals in the bullpen (similar to last winter's Rangers approach) at catcher, and for a right-handed outfield bat
- They brought back enough upper level talent, particularly in the rotation, that I could see a path to contention in 2027. Much harder for me to envision it next season
Brian
- with Samuel Basallo now locked up long term, what are chances the O's trade Adley this offseason?
Anthony Franco
- I don't think the Basallo extension moves the odds much. They had him under team control for six seasons and knew how good he was already
- They can coexist with the DH but Rutschman's offensive decline has made it feel for a while that he's running out of time there. Guess I'd put the odds of an offseason trade at 55%? Feels like at least 75% chance he's dealt by the 2026-27 offseason
The best evah
- Can you explain what makes Mackenzie Gore so attractive to MLB teams? Despite a higher K/9 this year compared to previous years (10.7), he has a career 4.01 ERA and (as far as I can tell) striking out half a batter more per nine seems to be the only thing he's improved in his game this year. To throw out another data point, Will Warren is a year younger and sporting a HR9/BB9/K9 of 1.0/3.9/10.1, compared to Gore's 1.2/3.4/10.7. Is Warren half a strikeout per nine away from being seen in a similar light to Gore?
Anthony Franco
- I'm sure there are plenty of teams that really like Warren but Gore throws two MPH harder from the left side, and there's a huge gap in swinging strikes on a per-pitch basis. Gore's eighth among pitchers with 100+ IP with a 13.4% swinging strike rate. Warren is 69th at 9.5%
- Warren gets a ton of called strikes, so they're pretty close in overall strikeout rate, but that's a little tougher to bank on year over year. Gore getting tons of whiffs with plus stuff from the left side feels like a higher upside play
- Also feels like Gore's results are weighed down a little bit pitching in front of a Nationals infield that is by far the worst in MLB. It's a good shout though. Warren's good, just a tier down below Gore for me
-
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MLBTR Chat Transcript
Steve Adams
- Good morning! We’ll get going at 1:00 CT, give or take a couple minutes, but feel free to begin sending in questions ahead of time if you prefer.
- Greetings! Let’s get going
Doug Sisk
- What happens to Frankie Montas’ 2026 player option if the Mets release him before the end of the 2025 season?
Steve Adams
- The player option is guaranteed money. He’d make next year’s $17MM and count against the luxury tax whether he’s on the roster or not.
OsKnows
- Mountcastle’s time as an O almost over?
Steve Adams
- I do think he’ll be traded this offseason (or perhaps just non-tendered if he really struggles down the stretch, but he’s hitting well since returning from the IL anyhow). I’d expect first base to primarily be a combination of Mayo and Basallo next year. Mountcastle only has one year of club control left and will probably make more than $8MM. O’s can move him and put that money toward pitching instead.
Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: Today, 2pm CT
Steve Adams
- Good afternoon! I'll get going at 2pm CT, but feel free to send in questions ahead of time, as usual.
- Greetings!
- Let's begin
RAGBRAI
- Does Gallen get a QO from AZ and if so does he take it? What would he get on the open market with a respectable ROS?
Steve Adams
- They'll give him a QO. His decision probably hinges somewhat on how he finishes, though I expect him to decline it. Gallen feels like he's going to be the next relatively high-profile starting pitcher/Boras client to sign a two-year deal with an opt-out. If he finishes poorly enough, maybe he accepts or (more surprisingly) doesn't get a QO. But I think if the D-backs saw any real scenario where they wouldn't give him the qualifying offer, he'd have been traded in July.
- Obviously, a major injury changes that calculus, but short of that, I'd be surprised if he doesn't get one.
- If he accepts that, it's not the end of the world. They paid Jordan Montgomery $22MM not to throw a pitch for them in 2025. A similarly priced gamble on a Gallen rebound isn't a terrible bet.
Brad
- How many major league free agent contracts have surplus value? I feel like the percentage is much lower than you think.
Steve Adams
- By definition, very few of them are going to provide surplus value. Free agency is an auction, and most teams tap out of the bidding because they feel the price has exceeded the player's value. On some one-year deals or some mid-range free agent deals, you can find some bargains, but it's only natural for the weightier free-agent deals to come in to provide minimal surplus value -- if any at all.
JM
- Why can a player stay under club control after he's released and granted free agency? For instance (if reports are correct), Nathaniel Lowe is a free agent and will sign today with the Red Sox, after the Nats DFAed and released him upon clearing waivers. But those same reports say the Sox will have a final arb year of club control in 2026 (though likely non-tender him anyway). Once a free agent (after a release or a non-tender), not always a free agent?
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MLBTR Chat Transcript
Mark P
- Let’s open up the Weekend Chat! We’ll delve into the bees, beads, and baseball after we get a few questions in the queue…
BhamBrave
- What sort of deal is Marcel Ozuna looking at after this season?
Mark P
- One year, worth maybe around $10MM or so?
He’s entering his age-35 season, and is coming off a solid year that has seen him greatly increase his walk rate, even as his other numbers are basically all down from 2024. (Though still above average.) He’s a DH-only player, and his past off-the-field issues will also limit his market to some extent.
Kyle Schwarber
- Do you think i’ll resign with Philly?
Mark P
- Yes. The Phillies have shown a tendency to retain their favored internal free agents, and Schwarber is beloved by everyone from ownership on down.
intl signings
- What is a better strategy in the intl signing period- sign one top prospect using most of your pool or sign a few second tier guys and spread the risk ? Should you alternate the two strategies ?
Mark P
- It’s hard to say since the international market is such a crapshoot. When dealing with prospects at such a young age, it’s so hard to view a kid as such a “sure thing” that it’s worth committing most of your pool towards a signing. We’ve seen plenty of highly-touted int’l signings over the years fizzle out in the minors, let alone in the big leagues.
Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript
Darragh McDonald
- Hello, subscribers.
- Thank you, as always, for being so wonderful to us. It is greatly appreciated.
- Anthony is off this week. Sorry you're stuck with me.
- Let's talk baseball.
Arthur Dent
- What’s your prediction on how things are going to shake out in the AL West? Can the Stros tread water enough the rest of the season to take the division?
Darragh McDonald
- It's obviously pretty tight but I would lean Seattle at the moment.
- Houston has had so many injuries. They've somehow managed to win in spite of them, but it's possible there's a point where they run out of steam.
- Seattle, on the other hand, made some nice deadline upgrades and has some juice.
- Just a guess though. It could obviously go either way. Can't predict this sport. Baseball is dumb/amazing like that.
Wyatt Langford extension?
- With Roman Anthony getting extended by the Red Sox, have you heard anything re: Chris Young looking into signing Wyatt Langford to a long term deal? I think this would be a great time to do it before he breaks out and before players like Acuña will be seeking new contracts. Thoughts? What would his deal look like?
Darragh McDonald
- I haven't heard anything concrete but it would make sense for them to try. He's only going to get more expensive as he pushes towards free agency.
- He'll have two years of service after this year. The top guys in that service class are Tatis and Witt, who got to $300ish.
- Langford hasn't quite got to the superstar level of those guys, however.
- He'd probably come in underneath them right now. But like I said, he'll get more expensive if he keeps playing well and pushing towards the open market.
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MLBTR Chat Transcript
Steve Adams
- Good morning! We’ll get going at 1pm CT, but as always, feel free to submit questions ahead of time.
- Good afternoon! Quiet day and I’m finished eating lunch, so let’s get underway early.
Piratus maximus
- What is Pittsburgh doing? Trading Hayes looks like starting over. Will Cruz still be around when they’re competitive again?
Steve Adams
- I don’t think dumping the rest of an unwanted Hayes contract constitutes starting over. If they traded Paul Skenes, that would’ve been starting over.Cruz only has three years of club control after this one, and I don’t expect the Bucs to compete in 2026, so I’d lean toward him being traded before the Pirates are genuinely competitive again, though.
He Hate Me
- So, just saving money this off-season and still trying to compete in 2026? Or do the Twins enact a full tear-down, including trades of cost-controlled talent like Joe Ryan (whose value could plummet with an injury in 2026)?
Steve Adams
- I don’t think we can really know which direction they’ll go until their sale process has been completed. If they don’t have a new owner in place — or at least an agreement with a buyer — by the offseason, I’d expect each of Joe Ryan, Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach and Bailey Ober (among others) to be kicked around the trade market this winter — especially the first two.
Frisco Kid
- What are your thoughts about the Giants promoting Bryce Eldridge to the majors?
Steve Adams
- He only has 150ish PAs in AAA and they’ve been good, not great, with a 32% strikeout rate. I get the frustration with the big league club and the excitement to see the org’s top prospect, but a 20-year-old who’s K’ing in nearly a third of his Triple-A plate appearances seems like he’d be overmatched in the majors.Plus, calling him up would mean adding him to the 40-man two years earlier than they need to in order to protect him from the Rule 5. You’re eating up a 40-man roster spot for the coming offseason.
Earlier in the year, I thought the Giants would call up Eldridge if they were contending and he was mashing in AAA. I tend to think now that the better move is to wait until 2026. It’s not like he’s absolutely forcing the issue with dominant play in Sacramento.
Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript
Steve Adams
- Good afternoon! We'll get going at 2pm CT, but feel free to submit questions ahead of time if you prefer! Talk to everyone in a bit.
- Hello! Let's get underway
Dirt
- Michael Harris has gotten on track but Ozzie still isn't doing much with the bat. With Nacho Alvarez getting seasoned, do you think the Braves will pick up the option on Albies, then trade him or just let him walk? What will AA do about the starting rotation?
Steve Adams
- I don't see any scenario where the Braves just buy him out and let him walk to save what would be a net $4MM. Even if they're just done with him, a team would absolutely trade for Albies at a year and $7MM -- especially with a subsequent option for the same amount.Terrible year (well, yearS, plural) or not, Albies is a 28-year-old former All-Star 2B with multiple 30-homer seasons under his belt.Conversely, open up our Contract Tracker -- included with your subscription! -- to check out what kind of position players a year and $7MM can buy you in free agency:
- https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/contracttracker?name=&team=0&position=H...
- You're looking at bounceback shots in the dark for mid-30s veterans like AJ Pollock, Tommy Pham, Carlos Santana, Robinson Chirinos, etc. It's just not a compelling group, and it's only exacerbated in recent years as the general cost of signing free agents has increased.Add in the value the second $7MM option brings if Albies rebounds next year, and he'd still have legitimate trade value, even coming off a down year.
- That's not to say they'd get a top-100 prospect or any kind of real farm-altering prospect, but they could get something with some actual value and not just completely need to dump the money he's owed.
Who gets to The Show 1st?
- Who gets to The Show first? Bubba Chandler or Jonah Tong? When and why?
Steve Adams
-
- Chandler. He's been in Triple-A for a full year now. Tong hasn't thrown a pitch in AAA (he's being promoted there today).
- I'd imagine that after August 15, once there are few enough remaining days on the calendar that prospects who are called up can retain their rookie status heading into 2026, Chandler's developmental issues will magically be sorted out and he'll be in the majors
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