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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 1/14/25
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Steve Adams
8:21
Good morning! We'll get going at 1pm CT, but feel free to ask questions ahead of time if you're so inclined.
12:59
Let us begin!
Chris
12:59
Do players like getting selected in the rule 5 draft? On the one hand, they’re in the major leagues. On the other, they have to change teams and maybe their development is hurt.
Steve Adams
1:00
It's a chance for a guy who wasn't on his current club's 40-man roster to get big league service time and pay. Everyone just wants a shot at the majors. I doubt many guys are upset to be taken in the R5
Spud
1:00
With the Twins trying to shed payroll, would they have any interest in a Willi Castro for Blake Perkins swap?
Steve Adams
1:01
The Twins are trying to shed payroll, but the Brewers also don't have much money to spend and probably aren't keen on taking Castro's $6.4MM. Since Perkins isn't much of a bat anyhow, the Twins probably feel they have in-house candidates who could fill a similar role (e.g. DaShawn Keirsey Jr.)
MLeeLop
1:02
Bluejays can't possibly get Saski can they? They are a last place team in their division with no offensive additions and a bottom quartile farm system.  What am i missing??
Steve Adams
1:02
I don't know Sasaki's priorities -- no one really does -- but it's not outlandish to think that a 23-year-old coming over to a new team for six-plus years isn't making his decision based solely on said team's 2025 outlook.
Alex Anthopolous
1:02
Am I out of money?
Steve Adams
1:03
If the Braves were out of money, they wouldn't have had a relatively pricey deal with Jeff Hoffman agreed upon but fall through at the physical stage.
Lloyd
1:03
Yoshida for Jordan Montgomery with the Sox eating some salary, who says no?
Steve Adams
1:04
D-backs. They're free from Montgomery's deal at the end of the season. They don't want to bog themselves down by adding Yoshida through 2027.
Reds
1:04
Do you see Elly moving to the outfield anytime soon?
Steve Adams
1:05
Elite range and arm strength at SS -- no
DD
1:05
What is Walker's role now that Luzardo and Ross are in the fold? No one will trade for him.
Steve Adams
1:05
No one will trade for him at two years and $36MM. Phillies could pay down a big chunk of that or take a bad contract back themselves. I'm not convinced he's with them to open the season.
PATigrrsFan
1:06
Golden op for the Tigers to upgrade the team.   Cobb and Torres can NOT be “it”….  Right?    RIGHT?
Steve Adams
1:06
I'd be surprised if they didn't make some further additions, yes.
Roki Sasaki
1:06
Yesterday was all a rouse.  I’m actually going to be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Steve Adams
1:06
You heard it here first, folks.
J
1:07
The moves the Mets have made on their pitching staff this offseason have been somewhat underwhelming... The rotation has a bunch of question marks and the bullpen (which was the team weakness last year) is basically just Diaz and Butto... are there any other moves coming here?
Steve Adams
1:09
I'm largely underwhelmed by the Mets' pitching efforts. There's still time for more additions, but they've promised rotation spots to Holmes and Montas and at least a swingman spot to Canning. Have to think Paul Blackburn is in there as well, and he can't be optioned. It's a curious set of moves. It seems like David Stearns' MO is to avoid long-term deals for pitchers, which certainly has its merits, but Senga/Manaea/Montas/Holmes/Peterson/Blackburn doesn't really scream "world series contender" -- and the bullpen certainly needs another arm.
Dan S.
1:09
Do you think Mike Elias is still trying to pull off a trade for an ace(ish)? Would Cease be the likeliest target?
Steve Adams
1:12
If the Orioles wanted Dylan Cease, they should've traded for him last year after getting Burnes. I said as much at the time. They seem quite reluctant to overcommit to the rotation in terms of years/dollars, and they're far more confident in their collection of in-house arms than I am. Bradish is great when healthy, but none of Kremer, Wells, Rogers etc. do a ton for me.

Broadly speaking, while I think this regime did an excellent job of building up the farm, I've been less impressed by the moves to complement that excellent young core. A good portion of that likely falls at the feet of now-former owner John Angelos, but it's hard to understand why they've been so timid under new ownership.
Youkilyptus
1:12
will Bregman be the latest to settle for a three year deal with opt-outs?  I don’t really want him with my Sox for six years.
Steve Adams
1:12
What kind of deal will Bregman sign?
Short-term (3 or fewer years) with opt-outs (65.1% | 626 votes)
 
Standard long-term free agent contract (34.9% | 335 votes)
 
Total Votes: 961
1:13
I'm still of the mind that he'll get his long-term deal, for what it's worth.
Dan S.
1:13
Do we have a definitive timeline for the Jeff Hoffman saga? Was it first a 5-year deal with Atlanta that got nixed, then the 3/40 agreement with Baltimore, then 3/33 + incentives with Toronto?
Steve Adams
1:14
We don't have a definitive one yet, to my knowledge, but it stands to reason that he would've had the larger deal first, amended to get the shorter one in BAL and then "settled" for 3/33 in Toronto (hell of a use of "settled" there, I realize, ha)
Trader Jerry
1:14
I would have expected the Mariners to be more active to this point in the offseason. Any chance they just stand out with what they have?
Steve Adams
1:15
I'm surprised they haven't been more active on the trade front as well. They seem staunchly against moving their young rotation arms, which makes sense but creates a pretty tough set of circumstances when ownership decides to tighten the purse strings. I still think they'll add another infielder, though, at the very least.
Ryan
1:15
So, the Rangers are out of the running for Sasaki.  Were they in the running because they wanted another starter, or were they in the running because he's pretty much a generational talent?  If the former is true, do you see them adding another starter via trade or free agency?  If the Dodgers end up with him, does that leave Kershaw out?
Steve Adams
1:17
Kershaw will go back to the Dodgers. He said as much publicly.

I think the Rangers simply wanted Sasaki because of his long-term outlook and the rarity of acquiring a player of this caliber at such a minimal price point. Texas probably wouldn't mind more rotation depth -- most teams wouldn't! -- but unless they trade Jon Gray first I don't think it's a huge priority. They have four pretty established veterans (deGrom, Eovaldi, Gray, Mahle) and a mess of interesting candidates for the fifth spot (Bradford, Dunning, Leiter, Rocker)
1:18
Cubs just announced they traded INF/OF Miles Mastrobuoni (DFA last week) to the Mariners for cash.
Seattle designated catcher Nick Raposo for assignment to make roster space.
Mark P is bald
1:18
Would the Phillies find a taker for Bohm if they threw in the Phanatic?
Steve Adams
1:18
The Phanatic should be their one true untouchable
1:19
They'd find more of a market for Bohm if they stopped asking for starting pitchers who have both more present-day value and more long-term control than Bohm.
Mike a
1:19
Are you surprised there is not a robust trade market for Luis Castillo?
Steve Adams
1:21
Not really. He's not priced like a massive bargain, first and foremost. Secondly, the M's want major league talent in return for him. A team trading for Castillo is trying to improve the major league roster as well. That complicates matters, as any surplus value regarding his contract would be (in many cases) largely offset by trading away a younger big league player.

I still think a deal could come together, but it's not a lock or anything.
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