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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 5/13/25
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Steve Adams
1:13
Good afternoon! Sorry I didn't open this up for advance questions in this morning's Opener. I woke up pretty under the weather and wasn't sure how I was going to be feeling this afternoon.
1:14
Operating well under 100% here, but feeling well enough to discuss some beisbol
Preller
1:14
How do I get Luis Robert for LF without trading Salas or DeVries?
Steve Adams
1:15
Robert is hitting .186/.293/.326 in 2025 after hitting .224/.278/.379 last year. He's not going to cost anything close to Ethan Salas or Leo De Vries ... he's not even a clear upgrade based on his past two seasons (a sample of 577 PA)
Luke Jackson
1:16
I have Luke Jackson on my fantasy team. Any update if he is going on the IL? I’d hang onto him if he truly will just be day to day, but if he hits the IL, I’m dropping as I have no open IL slots left.
Steve Adams
1:16
Just what the Rangers said last night -- X-rays negative, very swollen, need to see how he's looking today before they make the determination on an IL stint
1:17
For what it's worth, given his command this season, I'd be looking for a better reliever anyhow. I know he has eight saves, but go grab a setup guy with elite ratios and hope he finds his way into the ninth inning.
Jed
1:17
How much will I have to give up to pry Lopez away from the Twins?
Steve Adams
1:19
Twins have won 8 in a row and are 21-20. They currently have a share of the final Wild Card spot in the AL. I don't really expect Pablo Lopez to be available.

Even if they go into a freefall, he's signed through 2027 at $21.75MM annually, which is an enormous bargain. It would take a massive haul headlined by someone like Moises Ballesteros to even get them to consider it.
Ben cherington
1:20
Should I have been fired with Shelton?
Steve Adams
1:22
I'm not ever going to advocate for someone to lose their job, but I have to imagine Cherington's seat is also warm given the lack of progress under his watch. Ultimately, I don't know that any front office could do much with such little support from ownership.

Everyone wants to be the Rays, but replicating that devil magic has naturally proven somewhere between difficult and impossible. And even Rays owner Stu Sternberg has given his club more support than Bob Nutting has given the Pirates. Rays opened 2024 with a $99MM payroll. Bucs haven't been there since 2015-16 when they were coming off several Wild Card seasons.
Cute Lady
1:23
If Luis Robert continues to be bad, do the White Sox have any meaningful trade bait?
Steve Adams
1:27
Not really, no. But if Benintendi is healthy, he's actually hit quite well since last June, so maybe they could find someone to take a decent chunk of what's left on his contract. .257/.324/.461 (121 wRC+) in his past 418 plate appearances!

I could see Josh Rojas netting something small if he's playing well. Andrew Vaughn looks lot, but maybe he can still get hot in time for deadline season (not holding my breath though; we have 2400 MLB plate appearances telling us he's just not a great hitter)

Guys like Tauchman, Slater, Steven Wilson could fetch something marginal if they're healthy and playing decently
Greg Maddox
1:28
Many, if not most of pitching staffs are currently constructed of power arms... high velocity relying less on pinpoint control.  Will we ever see a return to pitching predicated on savviness and thus having much less injury to elbows and shoulders?
Steve Adams
1:31
It was easier to get by with 88 mph fastballs when guys weren't built like Aaron Judge and Tyler O'Neill and when teams were willing to roster all-glove shortstops who couldn't crack a .600 OPS and when giving up free outs via sacrifice bunts was more en vogue.

Athletes are stronger, better, and always seeking maximum damage. There's a reason that there's only one Kyle Hendricks for every 20 guys averaging 95 mph on their heaters, even in starting roles
Yankees announced that Oswaldo Cabrera has a broken left ankle. He's going on the 10-day IL, although it'll obviously be quite a bit longer than 10 days before he's back
Mr KLC
1:32
What is your impression of the Lance McCullers situation?  Is he done?  Maybe need to try him in the bullpen?
Steve Adams
1:35
I just wouldn't judge him yet. He missed more than two years. Second start was obviously brutal, and the fastball is down in the 91-92 range compared to its pre-injury 93-95 range, but it's not realistic to expect him to come back from such a long layoff and just jump right into being an above-average starter again.

In an ideal world, I'm sure the Astros would've preferred to have a healthier staff so McCullers could be eased in via a long relief/swingman role and maybe build back up more gradually, but that's not a luxury they have right now with an entire rotation's worth of arms on the shelf.
Pitchers
1:36
Who could pitch a no hitter this season? Max Fried, Robbie Ray, or Zack Wheeler?
Steve Adams
1:36
Philip Humber threw a perfect game. Anyone can pitch a no-hitter on a given day. Baseball's wild.
Oldest ROY?
1:37
Does Sugano have a chance to run down Wilson or Campbell? Would be cool to see a 35 yo win AL ROY.
Steve Adams
1:39
I'm of the mind that notable professionals of his nature shouldn't be considered "prospects" or be eligible for Rookie of the Year consideration. That's not how things work of course, but I felt the need to unnecessarily shoehorn some opinion in there, ha.

With regard to Sugano -- and this probably isn't the answer you wanted either -- I don't think it matters. He's striking out 14% of his opponents, which is ninth-worst among the 182 pitchers who've tossed at least 20 innings in 2025 (relievers and starters alike). I don't see any way he sustains anything close to his current ERA.
Royals just signed Rich Hill to a minor league deal. Let's go. Dick Mountain forever and ever.
Seattle Bench
1:40
Seems that the M's have 2 bench spots open for position players. Garver and Solano especially the later is not worth a roster spot at this point... right? Why not call up Locklear to compliment Tellez/Raley. Then Harry Ford for Garver. Thought?
Steve Adams
1:44
Yeah, at this point Solano's days feel numbered. He just isn't working out. It'd be easier to move on from him once Polanco is able to play defense more regularly though (and that would also open more ABs for Locklear).

Garver's been a disappointment overall, but he's hitting .250/.400/.375 over his past 40 PAs, which probably keeps him a little safer.

I doubt they're interested in having Ford come up to play twice a week anyhow. Better for his development to get regular at-bats.
Nats Fan
1:44
Mike Rizzo proclaimed “reboot” instead of “rebuild” but we are now looking at 6 straight losing seasons and appear to be taking step backwards. We are not even on pace to win 70 games. We are -55 in runs. We seem way too old school in terms of organizational philosophy. When will we be competitive again?
Steve Adams
1:47
Teams always use a different word than "rebuild." My favorite was "reimagine" in Seattle, ha. But you see "reboot," or "we're building -- not REbuilding" ... nonsense like that all the time.

The Nats were and are rebuilding. I like a lot of the young pieces they have and think James Wood is on the cusp of genuine superstardom. The pitching looked questionable beyond Gore coming into the season.

If they can get Crews right and graduate Brady House to the majors as a solid-looking 3B option, I don't see why the Nats can't shell out some cash for free agent pitchers this winter and at least be a Wild Card contender in 2026.
Angels
1:47
That brings up an interesting question.  Guy has a broken ankle, why just not put him directly on the 60 day?
Steve Adams
1:51
It's procedural. I don't really understand the fixation on this issue, haha, but I get asked this all the time (and not just re: Cabrera).

He'll move to the 60 when they need a 40-man spot. James Click once told the Astros beat that you actually can't make a 60-day move unless you're opening a 40-man spot, but I've never heard anyone else say that or seen it written in any official MLB rules/basic agreement etc. that I've read.

Regardless, it doesn't matter ... he'll be on the 60 in the next couple weeks. His presence on the 10-day right now is functionally no different.
Bernie Franks
1:51
Hey Steve, thanks for the chat. Isn’t it tampering for the Dodgers to say that there going to go after Kyle Tucker? Cubs or anyone else doesn’t stand a chance
Steve Adams
1:52
The Dodgers didn't publicly say as much. Bob Nightengale reported it. And of course they're going to be in the mix. Tucker is one of the best players on the planet.
1:54
I also wouldn't say no one stands a chance. Outside of Ohtani and Yamamoto, the Dodgers have avoided that sort of long-term free agent strike. They tend to prefer shorter-term, higher-AAV deals. Ohtani is a unicorn. Yamamoto was super rare as a 25-year-old ready-made No. 1 or 2 starter.

The only true long-term play they've made beyond that was Betts, and that was an extension signed when he was younger than Tucker will be next winter.

I doubt I'll end up picking Tucker to the Dodgers in the offseason free agent contest. There'll be plenty of talk about the fit, but it's not really been Andrew Friedman's M.O. as president of bb ops there.
Jays in 43 parks
1:54
Steve - what is your favourite MLB park? Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh & and San Fran are great. Boston & Wrigley are unique. Don't like renos in Toronto as some prime seats are blocked for play in the outfield corners. Thx
Steve Adams
1:57
There's a lot of good ones, but in terms of first impressions, I don't think I've ever just found it more novel than (deliberately) sitting as far down the first base line as possible in the bleachers at Oracle Park (AT&T at the time) and just looking down right into the bay.

But, I grew up going to games at the Metrodome, so most ballparks seem nice to me! (Although I will say, that place might've been a dump, but it was OUR dump, dangit ... held a special place in my heart haha)
Tucker
1:57
What about Kyle to SF? We are in desperate need of a bonafide star and a RF
Steve Adams
1:58
This feels more plausible than the Dodgers to me, yeah
cmac1973
1:58
Is Tanner Houck headed to the Red Sox bullpen, or maybe to Worcester, when Walker Buehler returns?
Steve Adams
2:01
Houck's implosion is remarkable. I haven't taken the time to properly dig into it yet but will probably take some time to do in the wake of a second 11-run meltdown. Alex Cora was already noncommittal when asked if Houck would make his next start.

There's no sign obvious sign of injury -- his velocity is actually up over last year -- and I don't know that infrequent use in the a new role in the 'pen is going to get him straightened out. A Triple-A move would've seemed silly to suggest back in March but feels like the best way to go from my very outside and irrelevant perspective, heh.
Twins will not pursue that ninth straight win tonight. O's just announced the game is rained out
2:02
Traditional doubleheader starting tomorrow at 12:05 ET
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