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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 2/19/25
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Steve Adams
8:46
Good morning! Sorry for the lack of chat yesterday. I was at the doctor with my son. Makeup chat today, and we should be back on the usual Tuesday schedule again next week.
Feel free to ask questions ahead of time, as always. Looking forward to it!
12:58
Good afternoon! Let's get underway
wkkortas
12:58
Does Alex Verdugo get a major-league deal at this point?
Steve Adams
12:58
Yeah I think he'll get a big league deal with a light base and some playing time incentives.
CJ Preller
12:59
Whats the chance Casas gets moved for Suarez?
Steve Adams
12:59
Zero chance I would move Casas for Suarez. And the Red Sox surely agree.
1:00
Broadly, I don't think Suarez has much trade value. The player options are a killer. He's either pitching great for a year at $10MM and then hitting free agency, or he's bombing out/getting injured and opting in, at which point you have him at 3/26 and don't want him.
JP
1:00
Good morning Steve, I looked at the remaining free agents. Chris Young has a done a good job rebuilding the Rangers relief pitching. I am interested in Kyle Finnegan and Matt Moore as possible additions. Especially Finnegan for his closing experience. Also I see Kevin Pillar is available too, I would like one more veteran player for the outfield. Your thoughts? Thanks for your time.
Steve Adams
1:01
The Rangers are about $4MM shy of the luxury tax threshold and don't want to cross it. You could get Pillar or Moore in there and have a bit of wiggle room left, but that doesn't leave much space for in-season dealings. I thought they'd be done with MLB signings before they added Luke Jackson. It feels even likelier that they're done now.
Doug
1:02
Jays have said they aren’t trading Vlad, but that was while trying to extend him. Wouldn’t they have to at least listen to calls now?
Steve Adams
1:02
They're not trading Guerrero. An extension always felt like a longshot. Everything they've done this winter, even the moves they missed on, has been done with an eye toward contending in 2025. They'll stay that course. If they're out of it in July, Vlad will be one of the more interesting summer trade candidates in recent memory.
Alex Cora
1:03
Why do fans and media think the Redsox newfound depth is a problem?  No one complains about the Dodgers’ depth and the Redsox have started guys like David Hamilton, Enmanuel Valdez, and Pablo Reyes in their infield the last few years.
Steve Adams
1:04
I don't think anyone thinks it's a "problem," but it's not common for players t speak with as much candor as Devers did -- and that's especially true after a marquee free agent signing.
Don Zimmer
1:04
In your opinion, is Busch the future of the Cubs at 1B? No Vladdy?
Steve Adams
1:05
Nothing the Cubs have done in the past, well... ever? Makes me think that Ricketts would greenlight a pursuit on what'll be a $400MM+ free agent deal.
Ellis
1:05
What's the intro song you guys use on the podcast?
Steve Adams
1:06
At the bottom of every podcast post:

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!

:)
Guest
1:06
Doesn't the next vladdy contract start with a 5?
Steve Adams
1:07
It might, yeah, I just went a little more conservative here. We'll see what kind of platform year he has.
pohle
1:07
what do you think of rengifo as a midseason trade candidate? and jansen and anderson, for that matter?
Steve Adams
1:08
Think they should've traded him last summer or the offseason prior. But, good player when he's healthy and can/will fetch them a decent return.

I don't think Anderson's going to net anything great with the $13MM salary at his age and with his lack of whiffs. Jansen, yeah, easy deadline guy.

And I generally don't think the Angels have done enough to compete, so my expectation is they'll be selling this July once again.
KC
1:10
What would it take to get McCarthy from Arizona?
Steve Adams
1:12
A ... lot. Especially at this stage of the offseason. He's locked into a starting role for the D-backs and the depth options to replace him aren't nearly as exciting. Plus, the Snakes have filled most of their roster holes. They'd want MLB-ready help in exchange, and they already have a full outfield, full infield, full rotation ... I don't see a great fit on a trade with the Royals. You could try like ... Erceg + prospects, as the D-backs still want that closer and don't have much cash to spend, but in general it just doesn't feel realistic.
Land of Confusion
1:13
Do you think, based off of Mark Attansio's recent comments about competing, as opposed to trying win championships, that the brewers will be taking themselves out of a lot of free Agency options?
Steve Adams
1:14
Have they ever been IN a lot of free agency options? They're always going to be pretty frugal. If they're losing on free agents, it's much likelier to be because someone else made a stronger offer than because Attanasio said the quiet part out loud when talking about his "job" as an owner of the team.
Jim
1:15
Do you see the A's adding another starter, or just going in-house to round out their rotation?
Steve Adams
1:16
Yeah I expect them to add someone on a one-year deal. Still some decent candidates out there with Heaney, Gibson, Quintana, Lynn, Turnbull
John
1:16
Which team had the worst off-season?
Steve Adams
1:17
The Cardinals staked their entire offseason on being able to trade three guys with no-trade clauses, and then have done quite literally nothing when it became almost immediately clear that those efforts weren't going to pan out.

I can't imagine the offseason having gone much worse for them.
Tim
1:17
Bregman has much better stats at Fenway than Comerica.    Did that play any factor in where he ended up?
Steve Adams
1:19
No the $40MM AAV did (deferrals or not). Stats at one specific park aren't going to influence the decision heavily. I suppose you asked "any" factor, so maybe it was a small ancillary factor he considered, but it's all about the contract.
Antony
1:19
Doesn’t a reunion with Quintana make sense for the Mets given the many question marks with the rotation?
Steve Adams
1:20
Adding any SP makes some sense for them. Still think they should've just ponied up and gone for broke on Cease, even if that means including Brandon Sproat.
Suarez
1:20
Is 3/26 that horrible?
Steve Adams
1:21
In a vacuum, no, but Suarez is only going to be paid 3/26 if that is, by definition, an overpay. That's the inherent nature of opt-outs/player options. If he pitches well enough to out-earn the remaining 2/16 he's owed in 2026-27, he's gone. The only way he's opting into that $16MM is if he's hurt or underperforms.
Jim
1:21
Will Ryan Helsley be traded? If he does get traded what are the likely teams he gets traded to?
Steve Adams
1:22
This summer, probably. They should've traded him in December, and their reluctance to do so looks egregious to me, at this point.
Guardians of the Galaxy
1:22
It is likely that Means does not pitch in 2025, or at best at the end of the season. If his rehab is successful, do you think that the Guardians are looking ahead to 2026 when they will likely lose Bieber to FA and signed him as insurance? Or is this simply taking a flyer on a reclamation project?
Steve Adams
1:23
They had to guarantee him like $250K over the league minimum. I think they just considered it a good opportunity and they recognize that their pitching pipeline has been a little drier in recent seasons thanks to a bunch of injuries
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