MLBTR Chats News & Rumors

Ben

• Are you buying Gore and Leiter’s strong starts?

Steve Adams

• I mean, it’s one start for both, unless you’re including spring training. But Leiter was my AL ROY pick last year, and while he didn’t get there obviously, I thought he had a pretty encouraging season overall. He’s continued that into 2026.If you’ve followed any prior chats, I’m very bullish on Gore in general. So I don’t really care much about his one start with Texas so far, but I think he has ace-caliber stuff and spent about half of last season pitching like a true No. 1. I’d prefer Gore between the two, but I think both will have strong seasons in the middle of a good Texas rotation.

Bailey Ober

• Do they need to stick a fork in me?

Steve Adams

• Average fastball being sub-90 doesn’t feel good, especially after the hip injury last year really dogged him. I was optimistic for a rebound, since Ober really has only had that one truly awful stretch last June, but when the Twins beat was tracking the number of pitches that cracked 89 mph during spring training, my optimism waned.

Red Sux

• Pretty much every new addition to the Red Sox had an atrocious weekend, which one should we be most worried about?

Steve Adams

• None of them? It’s four games.

Nick

• Any idea when AJ Switch Shawver may be ready to return?

Steve Adams

• He didn’t have surgery until mid-June last year. I would be surprised if he returned before the trade deadline.Mid to late August seems like a reasonable target.

Gregg

• The Nats are looking good with a good bullpen and some breakout stars like Joey Wiemer and Daylen Lile, making them have their great 3-1 start. Do you think that the Nats could have a sneaky good season?

Steve Adams

• I don’t. The pitching depth and quality are poor. Lile can hit but is a surprisingly poor defender. The lineup has far too many holes. Good for Wiemer for his hot start to the season, but we’re talking 13 plate appearances. We have 38x as many from the preceding few seasons telling us this isn’t going to hold. He can hit lefties though!

Sad White Sox Fan

• What’s going on with Korey Lee? Had a great spring, yet the White Sox DFA’d him and picked up Reese McGuire instead

Steve Adams

• He’s 27, has never hit much, was out of minor league options and doesn’t grade well in terms of blocking balls in the dirt or framing. He always looked like a long shot to stick around, 47 solid spring plate appearances notwithstanding. McGuire has a comparable or better track record at the plate and plays better defense.I doubt another club is going to claim Lee and plug him right onto its 40-man roster, so he might stay in the org via outright anyhow.

Don Zimmer

• What team is the odds-on early favorite to trade for Matt Shaw at the deadline?

Steve Adams

• I don’t think it’s really a foregone conclusion — at least not this summer. He’s going to play five or six positions, with all four infield spots and the outfield corners probably in play. People are going to get hurt. He’ll get his ABs.Long-term, I think a trade makes perfectly good sense, but since quality depth is going to be hard to come by following the deadline, I’d assume the Cubs just hang onto him for the utility role this year.

Guest

• Overreactions; who are your picks for MVP, Cy Young and RoY

Steve Adams

• We send our staff predictions out to Trade Rumors subscribers every year! (Cheap plug)My very wrong picks, as set in place on March 24:

  AL East: Blue Jays
  AL Central: Tigers
  AL West: Mariners
  Wild Card: Orioles
  Wild Card: Yankees
  Wild Card: Red Sox

  NL East: Phillies
  NL Central: Cubs
  NL West: Dodgers
  Wild Card: Brewers
  Wild Card: Mets
  Wild Card: Reds

  AL MVP: Gunnar Henderson
  NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani

  AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal
  NL Cy Young: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

  AL ROY: Chase DeLauter
  NL ROY: Konnor Griffin

  World Series: Mariners over Dodgers

It’s early

• How come no one ever asks your picks for Manager of the Year?

Steve Adams

• “Manager of the Year” is basically just the award that goes to the manager of whichever playoff team is the biggest surprise, haha. Actually quantifying what makes a manager good or bad is impossible, since 90% of that happens behind closed doors in the clubhouse.

Yankeespitching

• Will Konnor be up by Memorial Day?

Steve Adams

• I still think there’s a decent chance he’s up before April 9, since he could still get a full year of service then and still be PPI eligible for the next few seasons.

Moreno

• How can the Angels continuously be so bad? They have learned nothing over the 10 year pitfall

Steve Adams

• They have an owner who has no interest in rebuilding and no interest in winning. Kind of impressive, really.They seem to prioritize drafting fast-moving players over higher-ceiling but longer-term development projects. Not sure if that’s because their player development system hasn’t been productive and they’d thus rather take products who are closer to finished, or because Moreno is impatient, or because they feel the need to plug gaps on the roster (which are borne out of poor/infrequent spending and those player development failures)
• There are self-fulfilling prophecy vibes there; but Arte Moreno has been the constant throughout it all.

It’s early

• Yea, but how come NO ONE ever asks your picks? And while we’re there, what are they?

Steve Adams

• I have given zero thought to manager of the year, haha. I don’t know. Terry Francona and Craig Albernaz. Sure?

Mike

• When will Emerson be called up?  Today, tomorrow, end of the month?

Steve Adams

• I’m surprised it’s not immediate, but seems like they wanted to get the deal done but plan to let him keep getting regular reps in AAA for the time being. can’t really remember an instance of signing someone long-term and then just saying “Ok, now back to AAA with you,” but I get it. Emerson is 20 and had all of six games in Triple-A to his credit prior to the current season
• I don’t think the Mariners even know that answer; probably depends on health for the rest of the roster. But now that Emerson will go on the 40-man, I’m sure there’ll be no hesitation to bring him up if a need arises.

Bozz

• if the Astros and Braves are seeking a lefty outfielder-they should-would they take Reynolds from the Pirates or is his contract too big?

Steve Adams

• No one’s taking on the entirety of that contract. Pirates are trying to win right now anyway, and since they’d get no return, dumping one of their better bats wouldn’t be prudent anyhow.

Doghouse Riley

• Was the Matos DFA any kind of surprise? He’s only 24. Should the Giants not have started his clock so soon?. Thanks Steve,

Steve Adams

• I wasn’t surprised by it, but I’ve been out on Matos and Luciano for awhile now. Frustrating outcome for Giants fans on that last wave of long-term hopefuls (Matos, Luciano, Harrison, Whisnhunt, etc. — at least they kind of got Devers out of Harrison? …Kind of.)

Braves fan

• Can you explain the option system?

Steve Adams

• As soon as a player is added to his team’s 40-man roster, they get three option years over him. Players can be optioned to the minors at any point. Being optioned and staying down for 20 days burns an option year.A player who is optioned cannot be recalled for at least 10 days unless he is directly replacing an injured player.

  Players can be optioned five times within a given season/option year (which is new to the most recent CBA; there was previously no cap). But being optioned multiple times in a season only burns one option year.

Jay

• Who are some of the big names you think will be traded at the deadline?

Steve Adams

• Joe Ryan. Perhaps CJ Abrams. Sandy Alcantara maybe. Drew Rasmussen, I could see. Nick Pivetta? Luis Arraez? Just trying to think of some “names” with a decent chance to go

Jennifer Kalloy

• When Travis Bazzana gets called up, who plays SS for the Guardians?

Steve Adams

• Whichever of Rocchio/Arias is healthier and producing more. I doubt they have a set plan right now, and I cannot believe they entered the season without making an infield addition.

Matty Arnold

• Sproat got railed his first appearance with us. What do you see the rotation looking like in September? 1. Woodruff 2. Priester 3. Harrison 4. Henderson 5. Patrick? Or some other young guys going to break thru?

Steve Adams

• Sproat getting hit hard in one start doesn’t really mean anything; the September rotation will come down to health. Nothing’s set beyond Woodruff and Misiorowski.If you’re asking who I think their next-best options are, then I’d say Priester and probably Henderson, with Harrison/Patrick/Sproat/Gasser all vying for innings. But the Brewers are going to have 8+ guys make ten or more starts this season, and the performance/development of everyone beyond Woody/Miz will dictate who’s getting those crucial September innings.

LouBrock’sBride

• Who has the most stolen bases in 2026?

Steve Adams

• Chandler Simpson?

John

• Chances Harper gets traded if the Phillies aren’t in the hunt?

Steve Adams

• Nope

The Big Q

• What do you mean kind of? I’d say the Giants objectively got Devers out of Harrison

Steve Adams

• They first and foremost got Devers out of being willing to take on all of Devers’ contract.

Cards

• Gorman a potential trade candidate if he’s hitting at the deadline?

Steve Adams

• I’d imagine so, but at this point I have doubts that Gorman will ever really hit. He’s never posted even a 70% contact rate in the majors. League average is around 77%. There’s just so much chase and swing-and-miss in his offensive approach.

J. JUNG FUNK?

• I was counting on a big rebound for Josh Jung in fantasy but was my optimism unfounded?   Does he get a long leash or no?

Steve Adams

• Said at last year’s deadline and throughout the winter, but Josh Jung feels like a change-of-scenery candidate to me. The Rangers have clearly been frustrated with his inability to refine his approach — Chris Young practically said as much last summer — and the results aren’t really improving.I don’t think Jung is immune from being optioned, and I could see a rebuilding or budget-conscious club taking a look this summer.

  His leash probably got longer when Sebastian Walcott was injured, but Jung doesn’t feel like a long-term piece there anymore — at least from my vantage point.

Minor/Major

• Why extend Emmerson now? Shouldn’t they have waited to see if he could hit in the bigs? Lots of guys tear the cover off the ball in the minors, but can’t hit for beans in the majors. Why chance being stuck with someone like that?

Steve Adams

• Because if he comes up and hits for even a couple months, the price tag could more than double. Julio Rodriguez signed for $210MM guaranteed before he finished his rookie season.Teams are increasingly confident in their ability to be correct with high-profile, MLB-ready bats. Emerson is generally regarded as one of the 10 to 15 best prospects in the sport.

  Besides, how much riskier is it to give a 20-year-old an eight-year deal at $95MM than to sign 29-year-old first baseman for that same guarantee over a shorter term?

  Josh Naylor has shown that he can hit in the majors, but aging curves are real and tell us anyone could begin dropping off in their 30s.

  I think the Emerson deal strikes people as riskiER, but it’s really just a different type of risk. The Mariners probably project him to be worth more than double the $95MM.

The ghost of Joe Charboneau

• Is Sal Stewart for real?

Steve Adams

• I mean, no one is a “for real” .700 hitter, but yeah, Stewart can hit. He’s hit at pretty much every level, including with the Reds in his late call-up last season.

Guest

• Braves would probably be better served by taking on Masataka Yoshida’s contract since they have the room (this year thanks to Profar and next year) while the Red Sox tack on some of their pitching to facilitate the deal.  (Seen this floated around with names included one/couple of Crawford, Sandoval, Bennett, and Tolle, as examples.) Obviously attaching assets to contract dumps are easier said than done, but the Red Sox have already done it before, and the Braves could use the pitching.

Steve Adams

• If the Braves had the money to take on Yoshida’s contract, I assume they’d have just signed Giolito by now (or that they would’ve signed Littell before he went to D.C.)
• Also, there’s no way anyone is taking on that entire Yoshida contract, and there’s no way the Sox are dumping Tolle to shed a bad contract.
• Sandoval would make some sense, but he’s still on the IL and, again, the Braves sure aren’t acting like a team with a ton of cash to spend, even after the Profar suspension.

Brewers Fan

• Would you rather give Pratt $50 million or Emerson $95? Which fanbase should feel better about the deal their team gave out?

Steve Adams

• Emerson

Gukas Liolito

• Speaking of Giolito, are teams hesitant to make a move for him? I’m surprised he hasn’t signed anywhere yet

Steve Adams

• I’ve given up trying to understand why he’s unsigned. His camp has been tight-lipped on whatever’s going on. I find it hard to believe some team wouldn’t have offered him like $10-14MM late in the offseason, but who knows? It’s a weird situation.

Guest

• poor Giants fans forget they also put James Tibbs III in the Devers deal. Giants basically got hosed in this deal, Posey was a helluva player. GM? Not so much better than average.

Steve Adams

• The Red Sox then turned and immediately traded Tibbs to get a couple months of Dustin May. I know he had a big spring and is out to a strong minor league start, but it’s pretty fair to say multiple teams soured on Tibbs real quickly. We’ll see whether he’s another Dodger gem or if this is just some early noise. Given how much he struck out this spring, I’m not all that optimistic.

Mike Elias

• Who can I realistically hope to extend next?

Steve Adams

• Dylan Beavers? I think the ship has generally sailed on Henderson, Rutschman, Bradish, Rogers, etc. Westburg is hurt, potentially done for the year. I guess Jackson Holliday, but I don’t know that a Boras-repped former No. 1 pick who’ll be a 26-year-old free agent is signing when his stock isn’t at its peak, so I’d lean against that, too.

Jake

• Which pitcher should the Royals sign long term; Ragins or Bubic?  Both have had injury issues, but Bubic is more consistent and Ragins struggles to get past 5 innings; I vote Bubic.

Steve Adams

• Bubic is six months from free agency and probably feels an extension would be selling himself short after last season’s injury.Also, Ragans averaged 5 2/3 innings pitched per start over the past two seasons, which is pretty solid by today’s standards.

  All depends on price, of course, but in a vacuum I’d take Ragans for the next five or so years

Seth Hernandez

• If I’m “lights out” and the pirates are relevant, could I get the call?

Steve Adams

• He’s 19 and hasn’t even pitched a minor league game yet. I’d be shocked if Hernandez was a consideration  this year.

Wayward

• How does Emersons extension potentially impact a Griffin deal?

Steve Adams

• I don’t really think it does. Griffin’s the better prospect and was already reported to be discussing a larger deal than the one Emerson signed.

South Side

• Has the ship sailed on Lenyn Sosa as a regular?

Steve Adams

• I was unaware this ship was ever a thing. I don’t think anyone with a 3% walk rate has much hope of being a regular.

No Cruz Control

• Cruz is a worse fielder in CF. I say move him back to SS and play Mangum in CF everyday. Better yet: get KG in Pitt for the home opener and DH Cruz!!!

Steve Adams

• Can’t really DH Cruz when they paid Ozuna $12MM, but I agree that CF feels untenable. Could move Cruz to a corner, with Mangum in CF, but then you’ve got to figure out how to work in both O’Hearn and Reynolds, neither of whom should even sniff center field.Cruz is one of the most tantaliziing sets of tools I’ve ever seen, but the lack of a defensive home, coupled with the Pirates having to bring in a bunch of guys with minimal defensive value to fill out their offense, makes it tough to figure out what to do with him this season.
• Alright, I’ve got to wrap up. I’m on X @adams_steve and Bluesky at @adams-steve.bsky.social.Thanks for the questions! If you want more input from the MLBTR team and access to our suite of tools (contract database/tracker, agency database, GM tracker), plus ad-free viewing, extra articles, exclusive chats and fantasy baseball advice, you can sign up for a Trade Rumors Front Office subscription here.

  Enjoy your week!

Big Sal

• I’m looking better than advertised. What kind of extension do I receive this year? And do you see one of my teammates in Elly and Matt getting extended as well?

Mark P

• The Reds probably don’t have interest in extending McLain until they know what they actually have in him.  McLain, for his part, wouldn’t want to take a lowball deal from the Reds since he surely feels he has better baseball in him.

  Elly is a Boras client, so the chances of an extension are basically zero.  He already turned down a big offer from the Reds in the 2024-25 offseason: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/elly-de-la-cruz-declined-franch…

• As for Stewart, an early-career extension could still be possible, if the Reds are truly confident in him as a cornerstone.  Again, one big opening series shouldn’t automatically lock Stewart as a superstar.

Weatherholt

• Is JJ Wetherholt a legit Rookie of the Year Canidate also how hyped should St Louis be about him?

Mark P

• He’s a consensus top-10 prospect, and it wouldn’t at all be a surprise if he was the NLROY.  The Cardinals and their fans may not have a ton to root for this year, but watching Wetherholt develop should be a big plus

Steve

• Being out of options can be a career death sentence. Do some GM’s manage options better than others? That is, they avoid using up a player’s option years to the point where they’re DFA’d at 24. Obviously it has to do with performance but there has to be some method to it

Mark P

• It’s certainly a tricky web to weave, considering how a PBO/GM has to be looking at the status of dozens upon dozens of players in the organization.  As we just saw on Opening Day, a lot of roster decisions were made with an eye towards option status, rather than a pure “who are the best 26 guys?” call.

  The bottom line is that for most GMs who aren’t in clear rebuild mode, the focus is winning games right now. They won’t hesitate to bring a player up if that player is a better fit to fill a direct and immediate need, even if that might burn their last option.  Some execs are former players and know all too well how being out-of-options can impact a player’s career, but at the end of the day, it’s a tough business.

Dread Pirate Roberts

• What is the biggest issue with trade proposals from chatters?

Mark P

• A lot of them tend to be “my team lands a star for two non-prospects and some roster dead weight. Who says no?”

Ken

• Biggest surprise from the first series of games?

Mark P

• Not a “surprise,” but the Marlins needs to go back to the teal jerseys full-time.  They look amazing.

Disgrunted A’s fan

• What are the odds that Forst, Kotsay, Aldrete, etc. will finally get fired?

Mark P

• Again, it’s just one series.  And if anything, the A’s staff has done a good job in trying circumstances over the last few years of rebuilding this team back into a possible contender.

Paul

• Would holding the wbc in mid season work. Maybe eliminate the all star game that year and you could get more players

Mark P

• As others have pointed out, a midseason WBC means that every international league also has to pause in July.  It’d be such a huge undertaking that I’m not sure it’s entirely feasible, since even mid-year, you would never get a true “best possible roster” for every nation due to injuries or injury concerns

Drew

• Bonds had 575 plate appearances against Hall of Fame pitchers; he hit .292 with only 7 strikeouts.

Mark P

• Hot take: Barry Bonds was a great hitter

KMG

• This is the dawning of the Age of McGonigle, the Age of McGonigle

Mark P

• Move over Barry Bonds, here comes McGonigle!

Blackout Gatling

• biggest overaction after the first weekend that you actually think is legit?

Mark P

• The Blue Jays should’ve improved the left-handed side of their relief corps

Al east fan

• Who wins the division this year

Mark P

• According to about 39% of MLBTR readers, Toronto
  https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/03/poll-who-will-win-the-al-east-3…

Red sox

• Alex Cora’s recent quotes about the outfield logjam seem frustrated. They have to make a trade sooner than later, no?

Mark P

• Cora’s not going to come right out and say that Yoshida isn’t really a priority, even though that’s obviously the case.  Getting Yoshida playing time and hopefully production is the only way he can gain any trade value, however, which puts the Sox in a bit of a spot.

  An injury immediately solves any depth problem, and it could be that the Sox don’t want to find themselves short-handed if they made a trade and then someone else got hurt.

Scott boras

• Have I ever let a client take a big money extension before hitting the open market

Mark P

• Sure, plenty of times
  https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/contracttracker?name=&team=0&position=0…
• “Plenty” is perhaps the wrong word choice since Boras has had tons of clients over the years, and the large, large majority have tested free agency.  There have been just enough extensions that it isn’t a total guarantee, but by and large, you can count on “Boras guys” to become free agents
• Had to pause the chat for a few minutes to update the Leo Jimenez post, as the deal is now official with Garrett Acton being DFA’ed

Ken

• Should the A’s keep batting Kurtz in the leadoff spot? Does it just not matter (not in an existential sense)?

Mark P

• I don’t think it really matters.  You want one of your best hitters going up top, and Kurtz certainly qualifies.

RobertM

• Over/under on Murakami being traded at the July deadline?

Mark P

• Highly unlikely.  If he’s playing well, the White Sox are more likely to explore an extension than a trade.  I’m not sure it’d be a great look for Chicago’s future recruitment of Japanese talents if Murakami was signed and then quickly dealt.

ChiTownMusicGuy

• What tunes are you playing today?

Mark P

• At the moment, my playlist has “Song of the Future” from U2’s new EP

Cleveland

• Are you aboard the Delauter train? He looks like Cleveland’s best hitting prospect since Sizemore.

Mark P

• What a start, eh?  Again, it’s only one series, so things could quickly turn once pitchers and coaches get more looks at him.
• But if any team could really use one of their position-player prospects to finally stick in a big way, it’s the Guardians

Am i wrong?

• I’m a Yankees fan. I didn’t put the Mets in the top ten of my power rankings because of their question marks and also put the Yankees at two because of their high upside if everyone stays healthy. All of my friends are calling me “biased” and “crazy”. Am I wrong?

Mark P

• Neither of those takes are outlandish at all

Quisenberry

• Everyone says the royals have pitching depth, I disagree. Injured often or old..noah Cameron, the exception, or AAAA. Agree?

Mark P

• KC may agree, which is why they didn’t budge on moving any of their top arms or even a depth arm in exchange for hitting help.

  I’m higher on the Royals’ rotation than you, just because even someone like Cameron just has to be a decent fifth starter at the MLB level.  They’re not asking him to do more than that if everyone’s healthy.

Cardinals

• Are we capable of a playoff push with this roster?   What is a big area of need?

Mark P

• Starting pitching, consistent hitting throughout the lineup, high-leverage bullpen help, and for at least two other NL Central teams to totally fall apart.

  If you’re thinking these are pretty big “areas of need,” you’re right!  The Cardinals would need a ton to go right to actually contend.  The aim should be getting close to .500 and establishing some players as clear-cut building blocks.

Cubs

• Thoughts on the latest extensions

Mark P

• Like both moves in a vacuum.  I think I wrote in a chat a few weeks ago that Nico was the likeliest of the trio of him, Suzuki, and Happ to be extended, even if I ultimately thought all three would probably leave.  Uh, do I get partial credit for being right?!
• The PCA extension, in particular, could be a steal if he develops into a more consistent hitter.

Zach

• With all the extensions going on lately do you see a Langford extension happening soon? If so how long would it be?

Mark P

• Langford becomes arb-eligible next winter, and a free agent after 2029, when he’s entering his age-28 season.  Texas would surely want an extension that covers at least 3-4 of those free agent years, but for Langford, he might want to go whole hog with a decade-long “face of the franchise” type of contract.

  Maybe some opt-outs could also be part of the mix, but overall, I’d expect at least a six-year extension at minimum.  Who knows if a deal may or may not be reached, and the next CBA could be a factor.  Langford might prefer to lock in some money and security now before free agency or payroll structure is perhaps altered in some form.

Royals

• Did anyone claim Luis Matos?

Mark P

• Not yet

Zach

• Are we seeing the Trout comeback? (Even though it is early)

Mark P

• I think I speak for all fans* in saying that it’d be great for Trout to have more full and healthy seasons, in order to see if he has some more HOF-level years left in the tank

  = maybe not Astros, Mariners, Rangers, or A’s fans

Chaim Bloom

• When do I start to get and consider offers on jojo Romero?  Blue Jays…..

Luke

• Do the Blue Jays just go out and get JoJo Romero?  What would it take?

Mark P

• Romero still being a Cardinal is one of the big surprises of the 2025-26 offseason.  Plenty of teams were linked to him in trade speculation, though the Jays weren’t one of them.

  Romero isn’t a perfect pitcher by any means, as he has had control issues and has allowed more than his share of homers.  It could be that the Cards were simply asking for more than other clubs were willing to give up for a good (but not great) reliever

The Big Q

• You’ve linked a lot of other MLBTR posts here, is it ever difficult to find them on the spot?

Mark P

• Not with our handy-dandy search bar, located above the ‘top stories’ menu!

Ryan S

• Seems like Estevez has something wrong. Who’s closing for you? Lange or Erceg? I know the OF has been a subject since seems like 1901, but they didn’t do enough. Can they fix it?

Mark P

• Estevez’s ankle contusion doesn’t seem super-serious, but if he did need an IL stint, Erceg would be the next man up.
• As for the outfield, maybe something shakes loose on the trade front well before the deadline, since waiting until the end of July might be too late.  Or, maybe I’ll be surprised and Lane Thomas has a bounce-back year to prove me and many others wrong.

JR

• What do you make of Baz extension?

Mark P

• It was an awfully bold move, and one that I probably wouldn’t have made if I was the Orioles.  Waiting for Baz to pitch well and stay healthy over the 2026 season would’ve upped the price tag on any extension talks, but also given the O’s more security that they were making the right call in locking Baz up.

  That said, the O’s have signed so few extensions that it says something that they were willing to go the extra mile for Baz so soon after the trade.  They clearly love what they’ve seen, and think the big healthy breakout year is coming right away.

Doritos Locos Tacos

• Does Jackson Jobe pitch in August/September this year?

Mark P

• That’s the plan for August, as Scott Harris said today. Jobe had his TJ surgery last June, so that 14-month rebab timeline fits.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

• Beginning rant.  If MLB wants to increase viewership why are they making it so difficult to watch games? I have had to sign up for two new apps just to watch M’s games. Games are on Netflix, Peacock, Apple and I’m sure at some point ESPN and Fox will be in the mix. Out of market games now cost even more to watch on MzlB. Hard to bring in new fans when it’s this difficult to watch. Hard to keep us old fans engaged with all these hoops to jump through. End rant.

Mark P

• The flip side of this is that if you’re a casual fan who randomly decides one night “hey, let’s check out a ballgame,” you’ll probably be able to find one even if your viewing habits are limited to just one app.

  It’s surely annoying that one can’t watch literally all of their teams’ games, yet MLB is also seemingly accounting for the fact that it’s pretty rare for someone to follow literally every one of the 162-game schedule.

Tim

• What is the difference between selecting a contract and being called up?

Mark P

• Selecting a contract means a player is being added to the 40-man roster, as well as usually the active roster.  Being called up is when a player is already on the 40-man man.

Tim

• Lou Whitaker, Bobby grich HOF?

Mark P

• Yes and yes

Tigers

• If the Tigers are contending, as expected, come the break, where do you see them trying to improve?

Mark P

• Obviously any number of injuries and under-performance might skew these needs, but as it stands, I’d say bullpen and outfield depth

Nate

• Think the Phillies ever play Harper in the OF again? I never got why they kept him at 1B once he got healthy again

Mark P

• The thinking seems to be that keeping Harper at first base will keep him healthier.  Harper has offered to go back to the outfield if necessary, though the Phils seem resistant

Cubbies

• I know I know, it’s one series and I’m not actually worried. But just out of curiosity, we miss the playoffs. Craig has to be on the hit seat no?

Mark P

• Firing Counsell means that the Cubs have to eat the last two years and $16MM of his contract.  Which I guess can’t be ruled out if the team has a truly disappointing year, since expectations are high.
• If it’s a winning record and a near-miss, Counsell likely stays

Brewer Fan

• It’s the white Sox I know,  but by that same logic it’s also the Nats so… Brewers just going to ho hum their way to exceeding expectations again eh?

Mark P

• Nobody should be counting out the Brewers. They’re still a playoff team in my view.

Rangers44

• I feel like the Rangers are not getting enough love for the rotation. DeGrom, Eovaldi, Leiter, Gore is a pretty great top four and they were arguably baseballs best rotation by the numbers last year. Yet I have seen almost no lists with them in the top 6 or 7 even. Gore was a sneaky good add

Mark P

• It’s a very strong rotation on paper, yet the obvious issues are the health of JDG/Eovaldi, and Leiter’s lack of an established track record

Bobby Cox

• Dom Smith big knock. Although with Murphy and Kim back in May any shot he stays on roster? Also we adding Lucas G if rehabs dont go as planned?

Mark P

• Murphy replaces Heim and Kim replaces one of Farmer or Smith, most likely.  Smith and Farmer are both playing for their jobs for now, and Smith has an edge since he’ll get more at-bats in the DH role.

Canada

• Bigger fan of The Hip or Rush?

Mark P

• The Hip

David

• How long a leash does Roki have in the rotation?

Mark P

• “Once everyone is healthy” seems like more of a theoretical state than a reality for the Dodgers, but assuming Snell returns soon, Sasaki/Sheehan will be the odd man out.

  I also wouldn’t rule out some modified six-man rotation for most of the season, in order to keep everyone fresh, accommodate Ohtani, and line everything up for October

Rangers Rotation

• Gore also has a lack of established track record and I saw them 6th in Fangraphs WAR ranking

Mark P

• Gore is weirdly the pitcher I’m most sure about in the Texas rotation.  His floor is the type of season he posted in Washington, and I think he can pitch better in a new environment and on a team trying to win.

Natitude

• What’s the industry buzz on the disappointing progress of Dylan Crews?

Mark P

• Since Joey Wiemer is apparently going to win the MVP this year, the Nats had to send Crews down to make way for their new superstar!

  Serious answer….figuring out what they have in Crews is surely one of the chief priorities of Washington’s new front office and development staff.  Simply getting some extended Triple-A time to play and post big numbers might help Crews regain some confidence, and allow him to make a smoother adjustment when he’s inevitably called up at some point in 2026

• It’s possible some rival teams see Crews as a bust already, but there are surely way more teams that would jump at the chance to acquire him if the Nats somehow made him available

Rick

• Who has more saves at the end of the year Sands or Rogers

Mark P

• My guess is Sands

Chris

• interesting you even mentioned u2, are they recording, touring, wtaf its been a decade

Mark P

• U2 are my favorite band, so don’t get me started, since I can talk about them as much as I can talk baseball.  The plan seems to be a new full album this fall, and a tour next year.

Guest

• With the extensions what’s next. Trade Shaw and/or Alcantara,? It’s seems Shaw has to go.

Mark P

• Using Shaw as an outfielder might be his ticket to staying in Wrigleyville, since I still expect Suzuki and Happ to be gone next winter.
• Conversely, the Cubs could try to trade Shaw for an established veteran outfielder

Giants Fan

• Another miserable season?

Mark P

• “Only one series, no reason to panic”

Lou Albino

• What can we expect out of Zack Wheeler this year?

Mark P

• Wheeler is already making rehab starts, and a return before the end of April seems to be in the cards if all goes well.

  It’s a great sign that he’ll be back this relatively quickly, so perhaps that augers well for Wheeler pitching close to his old self upon his return.  Even if he’s not all the way there, like 70% of Wheeler is still better than a lot of other pitchers, so the Phillies will happily take it

Balloon Man Dan

• A solid first half give Javy Baez any trade value at the ASB?

Mark P

• Very unlikely

Ebenezer_Batflip

• Mets fans booing Bichette is bad even for new yorkers, right?

Mark P

• Maybe they just misread his name on the scoreboard?

Bendix

• Are the Cubs going to regret trading Owen Caissie?

Mark P

• Not if Cabrera pitches well.  A win-win for all parties is the ideal goal.  As noted earlier, of course, the Cubs may suddenly be pretty short in the outfield by 2027, so it was an interesting decision to part with Caissie in particular.  Might’ve just been that he was the guy Miami wanted and wouldn’t budge.
• We’re two hours in now, so it’s time to wrap things up.  Thanks so much for all the questions, as there was probably a backlog due to the lack of a chat last weekend.  (Things simply got too busy on the news front, with teams making their end-of-camp roster moves.)
• 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-3-29-26

The Var-show

• Varsho has looked really strong this spring. Do u expect a strong performance with free agency coming up?

Steve Adams

• I expect a strong performance because I think Daulton Varsho is a good baseball player. I don’t really buy into the notion that players can will themselves into a big performance ahead of free agency. If they can, someone should’ve given Zac Gallen the memo!

Guest

• Have you updated your percentage in re Konnor Griffin going north with the Pirates?

Steve Adams

• I don’t fully recall what I said last time I was asked, but it’s become more likely to me as camp has gone along and at this point I am expecting it.

NO

• Not Mike Vasil 🙁 How much money is he getting paid this season?

Steve Adams

• League minimum is $780K, and he has a year of service, so probably a couple thousand more than that.

Giolito

• Atlanta or San Diego where will I sign?

Steve Adams

• If Giolito were going to sign in Atlanta, it’d have happened by now. And it doesn’t seem like the Padres have the money for another big addition, though I suppose they could do some insane mutual option structure where they sign him for like a year and $13MM, with only $2MM coming in 2026 salary plus an $11MM buyout on a $25MM option or something, just to kick most of the salary down the road by a year.

Guest

• News on Seyia?

Steve Adams

• Cubs haven’t divulged the MRI results yet. When they do, we’ll have it up quckly.

Guest

• I know Mark spoke on it Sunday, do think Colt Emerson starts at SS for the M’s with JP’s shoulder issue?

Steve Adams

• I don’t. There’s no indication Crawford is dealing with a significant injury. The MRI was already clean. If he requires any downtime, it’s not going to be long. I imagine you’d be looking at Leo Rivas at SS with Miles Mastrobuoni making the club in a utility role, something like that.If the Mariners surprisingly announce there’s a more serious injury at play for JPC, then perhaps, but I don’t think Crawford missing two to three weeks prompts them to break the glass on Emerson, who’s still only 20 and only has 40 games over A-ball under his belt.

Tauchman

• Is he opting out and who gets him if so?  Sneaky pick up for a team if he becomes available?

Steve Adams

• He should absolutely opt out if the Mets aren’t going to carry him. They’ve not yet made that call.I was surprised both to see Tauchman non-tendered and settle for a minor league deal. Astros seem like the easiest fit if he opts out, but I think Tauchman would be a nice affordable upgrade for most clubs. Good player — the market clearly doesn’t love him though.

Walter

• If Wetherholt and Griffin do make their MLB debut on Opening Day, How much pressure is their for Bazzana and Condon to make their debuts in 26?

Steve Adams

• The Rockies and Guardians aren’t going to rush Condon or Bazzana to the majors before they think either is ready just because others from the top end of the 2024 draft are already in the majors.Fwiw, I’d be borderline shocked at this point if the Cardinals send Wetherholt down. Griffin feels likelier than not to me. Bazzana would’ve been defensible, and I bet the Guardians don’t wait too terribly long. Condon just isn’t as far along or ready as the other three, and the Rockies have zero incentive to rush him when they’re going to lose 100 games anyhow.

Best free agent

• Outside of Giolito, who is the best free agent still remaining?

Steve Adams

• Michael Kopech?

Murph

• Who takes the 4th outfielder spot for San fran?

Steve Adams

• I assume Luis Matos, since he’s out of minor league options and outperforming Drew Gilbert (who has options remaining)

Reds Fan Here

• A solid bounce back year for Matt McLain in 2026!  Looking very good in Spring Training.  What other young Reds do you anticipate having a solid 2026?

Steve Adams

• He looks outstanding this spring. I don’t care about the .500 average really; we’re talking all of 43 plate appearances. I do care more about the greater number of walks than strikeouts, the sky-high Statcast numbers (93.6 mph EV, 58% hard-hit) … still a tiny sample, of course, but those things are harder to fake. His chase rate off the plate is way down, contact in the zone way up.McLain looked great as a rookie before he ruined his shoulder. I wouldn’t expect some kind of MVP-level season out of him or anything, but he seems healthy now — and if he’s healthy, I expect him to hit.

  Terry Francona already said he’s going to bat McLain second this year, so it sure seems like the Reds are convinced he’s back to 100%. Hard not to be with how he’s played. Really encouraging spring for Cincinnati fans.

314

• Nelson Velasquez making opening day roster?

Steve Adams

• Cardinals beat seems to think so. Not hard to see why with how he’s hit and their oft-stated goal of adding a RHH outfielder (which they never did beyond minor league signings like this)

Ross Gload

• Does Bazzana really need more experience in AAA, or is this just service time manipulation? The Guards need all the offensive help they can get, so it will be key to put their best hitters on the major league roster such as him and Delauter.

Steve Adams

• I imagine they genuinely think it’d benefit him. They’re going to carry DeLauter, as you said. If it were pure ST shenanigans, they could send him down, too.I’m surprised he’s not at least sticking around until the end of camp though. More surprised that the Guardians continue to think Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio is a tenable middle infield / that they did literally nothing to improve the offense this winter.

RoxTalks

• Not that I think Condon should be up at all costs by Opening Day, but I think he will be in Denver in ’26. He posted a 131 wRC+ in the minors last year and a 187 mark in 18 games in ST. I know he stuck out 26% of the time in ’25, but hes cut that down to 19% in ST and is drawing walks at solid clips across A, AA, and ST. Just for fun, he’s also slugging north of .700 this spring (in like 40 PA).

Steve Adams

• Certainly could be. But he also K’ed at a 28.5% clip in AA. Also doesn’t need to be added to the 40-man to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft before the 2027-28 offseason, so they could keep him down all season and have him break camp in ’27 as a potential PPI generator.

Bondora

• Who do you think will have the worst rotation in the league this year? Im thinking cardinals or White Sox…

Steve Adams

• Nats, Rockies and Angels are all worse than those two, for me.

Guest

• Is Moises Ballesteros still eligible for rookie status this season?

Steve Adams

• Yup

Travis

• Do the Braves reward Ritchie for a strong spring training with making opening day roster or protect their SP depth by sending him down?

Steve Adams

• I’d lean toward preserving the depth, especially with three rotation candidates already out relatively long-term (or very long term, in Wentz’s case)

ZacharyA

• If there was a WBC-style tournament for U.S. states, which 4 states would end up in the semifinals?

Steve Adams

• Georgia, California, Texas and Florida?

Bondora

• Who do you view as the giants second best bullpen arm outside of walker?

Steve Adams

• Genuinely not sure they have another even league-average reliever after that. Their complete ignoring of the bullpen this winter is insane to me and one of the reasons I have them third or fourth in the NL West.

Dills in 2026!!

• If Suzuki is going to be out and Tauchman opts out, should the Cubs bring him back?

Steve Adams

• I imagine he could find a spot with more opportunity than a couple weeks at Wrigley while Suzuki mends. If it’s a longer-term issue, then it’d make a little more sense, but they could just give Kevin Alcantara a look as well in that scenario.

Moreno

• Saw your response saying the Angels are worse than the White Sox in rotation, we have Soriano, Kikuchi, Rodriguez, and Detmers, what do you mean?

Steve Adams

• Not expecting much of anything from Rodriguez. I like Detmers’ arm but he hasn’t gotten it done as a starter and I don’t trust the Angels to coax it out of him. The depth behind Soriano/Kikuchi — both solid to good starters — is really weak

Krall

• With the Ferguson injury and the way he’s playing, could Hagen Danner get a spot on the Reds Bullpen at least Temporarily

Steve Adams

• Sure. He’s looked good, had a nice spring, has been an intriguing guy in the past when healthy. He’s out of minor league options though, so there’s no real “temporary” spot in the ‘pen. If they add him, they need to keep him there — even when Ferguson is healthy — or else designate him for assignment.

Preller

• Shouldn’t the Padres sign Giolito instead of trying on Marquez and Buehler?

Steve Adams

• This assumes that Giolito is willing to sign for whatever amount the Padres have/had left. If he’s content to sit and wait til someone will offer him $10-15MM, even on a prorated deal, and the best San Diego could offer with whatever budget space they had left was $5MM or so, it doesn’t matter if he’s a better option than Marquez.(But, yes. Giolito > Marquez or Buehler)

Tigers

• Who do you expect to end the season as the tigers closer. Vest? Jansen? Finnegan? Or other?

Steve Adams

• Kenley isn’t as dominant as he was at his 2017-ish peak, but he’s still good and seems like he’s just going to keep pitching effectively until the wheels fall off. No flashing bright red warning sign yet, so give me Jansen there.

Preller

• Padres rotation in trouble?

Steve Adams

• Been true for a year or so now

John

• Seems like Cole Young is set to open as the Mariners 2B.  Does that mean Colt Emerson will be sent down?  Or does he have a chance to stick?

Steve Adams

• Young has pretty handily grabbed the 2B job. Donovan will be at 3B. Crawford at SS (or, if he has a short-term injury, Rivas there). I imagine Emerson will be in the mix for a midseason call-up if injuries send Donovan/Crawford/Young to the IL. (Or perhaps Arozarena, with Donovan then shifting to more LF)

Bucco Basement

• Should the Pirates try to pick up Vientos to play 3B for them? I know his defense is questionable over there but I can’t give up his potential with the bat. Probably could get him for a prospect, too, since the Mets have a 40-man crunch if they want to add Tauchman. What do you think?

Steve Adams

• I’d be fine with that fit, but I’m more bearish on Vientos than you and would really dislike that park fit for any power-over-hit RH slugger. At the very least, he’s a little less pull-heavy than the average RHH, I suppose.

Georgia??

• Georgia over New York seems like a really bad take. Why Georgia ?

Steve Adams

• https://www.baseball-reference.com/bio/GA_born.shtml
• List of Georgia-born MLB players
• (Sort by the “To” column to get current guys)

Paredes Pirates

• What would a prospect package need to look like from Pittsburgh to get Dana Brown off his “Big League Lefty Outfielder” Paredes price?

Steve Adams

• The Astros are trying to win right now and might not have Jeremy Pena on Opening Day as it is. They’re not trading Paredes for prospects. (And, as I said re: Vientos, that park would be tough for any RH slugger — but Paredes more than any RH slugger in MLB. He’s the most pull-happy RH home run hitter in the sport probably)

Georgia??

• Point proven you know more than I do about baseball. Time to eat crow Thanks Steve

Steve Adams

• Ha, I wouldn’t say I know more than anyone. But I am aware that GA is a powerhouse and that colder-weather states inherently produce fewer big leaguers, which makes sense. A lot easier to play ball year-round in Atlanta or Savannah, etc. than in Manhattan, Buffalo, Albany when you’re getting buried by snow

Shooter McGavin

• Do you think there’s a chance we’ll see Paul Skenes and Aaron Judge on the same team?

Steve Adams

• It’s called Team USA!
• But sure, Yankees will probably be in the Skenes chase when he hits FA in a few years, and Judge will still be signed then.

Steve111

• Who do you think to win tonight – Venezuela or USA

Steve Adams

• Genuinely could go either way. It’s one game between two rosters full of big leaguers. I lean U.S., just because the lineup is crazy, but Nolan McLean isn’t bulletproof. And that Venezuelan bullpen is … my goodness.
• I texted Anthony Franco, Tim Dierkes and Darragh McDonald last night and said: “What the actual hell happened to Andres Machado in Japan?”
• Dude is an absolute monster

Lucas Giolito

• Could I have gotten something like 2/24 back in November, had I proposed that?

Steve Adams

• I’m sure the Giants would rather have given 2/22 (or 2/24, sure) to Giolito than Adrian Houser. Houser took the 22 when it was offered. Giolito probably wanted more at that point.
• But yeah, whatever he signs for when he does come off the board certainly isn’t representative of what the highest someone was willing to pay for him in December was.

Dr. Know

• Can Shaw fight his way back into an everyday role with the Cubs?

Steve Adams

• Who’s he going to outplay on the current roster to get there? I expect him to be a pretty frequently used utility guy (400+ PAs), but barring an injury, he’s not going to be out there every single day. Next year, much likelier.

Squinky

• Is lazaro montes an untouchable prospect?

Steve Adams

• Is there such a thing as a prospect Mariners president Jerry Dipoto firmly won’t trade????
• I would imagine if there is, it’s Colt Emerson or Kade Anderson before it’s Montes.

Clint Hurdle

• Skenes/Keller/Chandler/Ashcraft/Jones (When healthy
• Pirates rotation upside as good as any team in the NL?

Steve Adams

• I wouldn’t quite stack them up against a fully healthy Dodgers rotation, but yeah they’re up there.

Arkansas

• Steve, who’d you pick to win march madness?

Steve Adams

• No one yet. I don’t follow college sports at all — baseball, a little bit, but not even ultra closely, as it’s not something I’m paid to cover — but I’ll still haphazardly throw together a bracket and hope to luck into some money in one of my friend pools

QO Predictions

• Who do you think will get a QO and decline? Obviously Skubal, but who else?

Steve Adams

• Oh this is so far ahead of time, but I like the question so give me a minute to run through the FA list haha
  (Which can be seen here! https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/2026-27-mlb-free-agents.html)
• I scanned pretty quickly so decent chance I missed someone, but:Jazz Chisholm
  Ian Happ
  Daulton Varsho
  Seiya Suzuki
  Shane Bieber
  Kris Bubic
  Jack Flaherty
  Casey Mize
  Brady Singer
  Tarik Skubal
  Bryan Abreu
  David Bednar

Brewerfan

• Who has a bigger years: Mitchell or Collins? Mears or Zerpa?

Steve Adams

• Collins, Zerpa

Joe

• So Luinder Avila has looked pretty good in the WBC. Royals 5th starter looked to be between Kolek, Bregert and Cameron, but all 3 of those have had pretty poor spring results. Did Avila cost himself a shot at starting the year in the rotation by leaving camp for the WBC? Or is the high pressure experience a boost to his development so it helps him in the long run?

Steve Adams

• I don’t think there’s any real jeopardy for Noah Cameron’s spot. 11 shaky spring innings aren’t going to offset last year’s 138 MLB frames

Power

• Skenes seems like he wants to hit FA like Skubal is going to. Would an extension giving him the salaries as Skubal (plus an extra 1M each season) with a say 35M-ish guarantee for one free agent season work for both sides? Skeener gets to set SP precedents, a big guarantee and still can become a FA at 29. The club gets an extra year of control on one of the best SP in a while.

Steve Adams

• Skenes is never signing an extension that buys out one free agent season

Hello stove

• What do you think singers next contract looks like?

Steve Adams

• Pivetta-ish? $13-15MM per season over three to four years? Obviously depends on how he looks this year, of course.

Fox Broadcast

• Trevor Rogers for the QO. Never again to be confused with Tyler

Steve Adams

• Told you I missed someone haha

QO Predictions Part 2

• Maybe Nico Hoerner? Brandon Lowe, Randy Arozerana, Taylor Ward possible if they perform well

Steve Adams

• Hoerner for sure
• Lowe — teams don’t pay 2B only players and he’ll be 32 going on 33. Ward doesn’t get on base enough; teams are generally wary of low-OBP corner sluggers.Randy perhaps, yeah.

QO

• i highly doubt singer and abreu get the QO. What makes you think they do?

Steve Adams

• Singer is a rock-solid 3-WAR SP who’ll be going into his age-30 season.Abreu might be one of the 10 best relievers in MLB and is also going into age 30. He’s less likely than the others (as is Bednar), which is only natural for a reliever, but if he repeats 2025? Easy QO for me.

Brewer Fan

• Again with the Mitchell hate!

Steve Adams

• I neither know nor hate Garrett Mitchell. But I am generally wary of any player who strikes out in one-third of his plate appearances holding down a consistent MLB spot.
• Mitchell is also hurt constantly.

Mickey Mouse

• Realistic LH OF trade options for HOU? Mickey Moniak?

Steve Adams

• Moniak is indeed a LHH OF, but I wouldn’t give up anything of note for him. Not even sure he’ll survive the season on a big league roster. The defense is really shaky, and I don’t think he can repeat the offense with such a massive chase rate and suspect hit tool.

Rick

• Is Jung a lost cause due to his prior injuries and missed time or can a healthy Jung be a productive 3B?

Steve Adams

• Depends on your definition of productive, which is relative. I think he can be a steady regular, but I don’t think he’s a star or anything. Increasingly feels like a change-of-scenery guy to me, given the ups and downs — and Chris Young’s pointed comments about him last summer.
• But, I said the same thing about Nolan Gorman and John Mozeliak, and the Cards held him

2-out walk

• Flaherty for QO? I think only if he has a great season. last time on the market when he was 2 yrs younger he only got $17.5M

Steve Adams

• Was more a vote of confidence from me that I think he can have a good, mid-3.00s ERA season with plenty of innings and a good K-BB profile
• Alright I’ve got to call it for the week. I’m on X @Adams_Steve and Bluesky @adams-steve.bsky.socialIf you want more opinions and analysis from our team — plus ad-free viewing and access to all of our tools (Contract Database, Agency Database, GM Tracker, etc) — you can sign up for our Trade Rumors Front Office package, which gives you access to a pair of weekly subscriber-only chats, our weekly subscriber mailbag, a couple of weekly articles and more.

  Have a good week, everyone!