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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 2/17/26
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Steve Adams
12:58
Good afternoon! I'll get going in a few minutes, but opening the queue now to let people start asking questions.
1:01
Let's begin!
Bernie Brewer
1:02
Luis Rengifo signed with the brewers the other day. How do you view this fit?
Steve Adams
1:04
I think the fit is fine. I'd have liked to have seen a bigger swing via the trade market, but I have little doubt that the Brewers will find a way to get Rengifo back to decent-ish form. There aren't many guys who've gone there recently and gotten worse, and they've helped plenty of players restore their stock in recent years.

It's a cheap deal, and Rengifo was a solid 1.5 to 2 WAR guy for a few years until this past season. They're probably a win or so better, maybe two, with improved depth and without spending much.
Jays Fan
1:04
Jays could use a righty bat. Mountcastle rumoured to be on the block. Rare inter-division trade perhaps?
Steve Adams
1:05
Don't know that I'd feel all that confident that he'd outperform Davis Schneider, who has more defensive utility. Plus, Mountcastle would cost Toronto more than $12MM after the luxury tax. I don't think it's a great fit.
Mayo
1:06
Would you be willing to trade a prospect like Mayo for an injured prospect with more of a track record? Like Jones from the Pirates
Steve Adams
1:08
I'm a Jared Jones guy and not as bullish on Mayo as a lot of people in general, so I would absolutely give Mayo up to get Jones.

I wouldn't make that swap if I were the Pirates unless they have some reason to think the stuff won't come all the way back or that Jones is just going to be constantly injured.
Bounty
1:08
QO for Happ after 2026? Suzuki? Both? Neither? I can see an extension for Happ and the Cubs let Suzuki go for the QO
Steve Adams
1:09
Both are easy QO guys for me if their 2026 season looks like their past few years have
James
1:09
Why woild the Dodgers risk losing both Ibánez and Rortvedt while keeping a player like Ward who they wouldnt even give a cup of coffee to last yr when they had injuries? Seems like they dont trust him.
Steve Adams
1:10
The Dodgers only ever wanted Ibanez/Rortvedt to try to pass them through waivers. Signing them both to one-year deals worth just over $1MM apiece was designed expressly to help each guy pass through waivers, knowing he wouldn't reject an outright assignment upon clearing because doing so would mean forfeiting the guaranteed salary.
Ward has options and is thus seen as flexible depth, which they don't want to give up
Cute Lady
1:11
But is Rengfio really that much better than Durbin?
Steve Adams
1:12
He might be worse, but that's not the point. Milwaukee clearly wanted to get its hands on Harrison and/or Drohan (and probably feels Hamilton's floor isn't that far removed from what they expect from Durbin after some '26 regression)
Bob Casey
1:12
Does the UCL injury to Pablo Lopez get the Twins to make a move and sign pitcher?
Steve Adams
1:13
I could see them signing Giolito or Littell, sure. Their payroll is in the gutter after all the trades.

Smaller scale like Tyler Anderson, Jon Gray etc. probably also in play. Doubt it'd be someone like Scherzer, who's clearly going to be prioritizing playing for a winner.
White Sox
1:14
Could the CWS finish the season in 3rd place or better?
Steve Adams
1:15
Sure. Need some things to break their way, but it's a young team with lots of upside and the AL Central is a dumpster fire. Cleveland has done literally nothing to get better. Minnesota just lost its best or second-best SP after an offseason of minimal upgrades (and still has no bullpen). Kansas City is ... fine? Outfield and 2B still look terrible, though. Lineup is extremely top-heavy, so one notable injury to Bobby Witt and they don't even look like a surefire .500 club.
Still an A
1:16
Aaron Civale got $6M, Sugano got $5.1, and Quintana got $6M. All got around the same amount. Which pitcher will do the best?
Steve Adams
1:16
I don't like the landing spot for any of them, but Quintana is the best/most talented pitcher of the bunch for me
1:18
A's getting Civale for $6MM seems fine though. I assume you're wondering if they'd have been better off giving that money to Sugano or Quintana.

I'd take Civale over Sugano pretty easily, and while I'd prefer Q to Civale, we don't know that Quintana would've been open to signing to play in a minor league stadium which has been a real turnoff for some free agents
Six feet of bubble tape
1:18
Who replaces Tony Clark? Sean Casey? Gordon Bombay?
Steve Adams
1:18
My assumption is that deputy director/lead negotiator Bruce Meyer just steps up. Based on Brent Suter's comments, it doesn't sound like they're going to conduct a big search outside the PA and want to preserve some continuity. Meyer achieves that.
FA
1:19
When do you think Giolito and Littell might sign ?  Any ideas with what teams ? thanks
Steve Adams
1:20
I'd be surprised if either is still unsigned in two weeks. Just connecting the dots, I would imagine Giolito is on the Twins' radar now. (They probably both are, but Giolito has the higher pedigree, throws harder, etc.)
Bloom
1:20
So Do I make good on finding a decent Right handed hitting outfielder especially with Nootbaar's health in question or do I roll with what is in Jupiter?
Steve Adams
1:22
There'll be enough guys bouncing around on waivers, to say nothing of yet-unsigned free agents like Grichuk/Pham, that I feel the Cardinals will bring someone in. Obviously isn't going to be a huge, marquee acquisition.
Jacob D
1:23
Would Ramon Urias be a good match for the Royals as a non roster invitee?
Steve Adams
1:24
Sure, but he'd be a good fit just about anywhere as an NRI guy. Even on a team with established options at 3B/SS/2B, it's fine to bring in a guy like Urias on a non-roster deal since you're only ever one injury away from needing the depth.

Fit in KC is maybe a bit better than in other spots, since the bench just looks really, really bad.
Met Ric system
1:24
How do the Tigers fill the void left by the injury to Reece Olson ? Last season of Skubal so it's now or never.
Steve Adams
1:26
I feel like they sort of already did with the Verlander signing.

Their top five is now Skubal, Valdez, Flaherty, Mize and Verlander, with Drew Anderson, Troy Melton, Keider Montero and Sawyer Gipson-Long as decent depth options. Never hurts to throw an NRI at a Wade Miley or Anthony DeSclafani, but the depth in Detroit looks decent as is.
Guest
1:26
Any fits for German Marquez?
Steve Adams
Patty O'Furniture
1:28
What is the biggest trade you could realistically see happening between now and Opening Day?
Steve Adams
1:28
Washington moving CJ Abrams for a bucket of prospects?
1:29
I think the Twins will move a left-handed-hitting outfielder (Trevor Larnach?)

Still think there's a 50% or so chance the Cardinals deal JoJo Romero
Isaac Paredes another candidate for "biggest feasible trade"
Tyler Anderson
1:30
How about a one year deal for me for $2 million to the Twins or A’s?
Steve Adams
1:30
Sure, but for $2MM you could drop Anderson on basically any roster and I'd say "Sure why not?" Haha
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