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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 6/4/24
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Steve Adams
8:55
Good morning! We'll get going at the usual time today (1pm CT), but as always -- feel free to submit questions ahead of time. Looking forward to it!
1:00
Let's begin!
Minasian
1:00
Tyler Anderson having a very good year. What could halos get for him at deadline?
Steve Adams
1:03
I don't think he's going to fetch that much if the Angels move him. The contract isn't desirable, he's not missing bats, and the plus command he showed in his standout year with the Dodgers has completely faded. He's walking 10.5% of his opponents against a 16.3% strikeout rate. His 89.5 mph average fastball is a career-low. He's 34.

If the Angels take on the bulk of the remaining money he's owed, he'd get some interest as an innings-eating, back-of-the-rotation guy, but the 2.37 ERA is a mirage that's being propped up by a .210 average on balls in play, an 89% strand rate and a career-low 8.6% homer-to-flyball rate. Teams are going to see him as a low-to-mid 4.00s ERA guy, and rightly so in my view.
Guest
1:03
Now that Julien has been sent down, when might we see Lee promoted?
Steve Adams
1:04
Brooks Lee has spent the entire season on the injured list due to a herniated disc in his back. He's progressed to the point he's been able to play 10 rehab games in the low minors, but he hasn't taken a single at-bat above A-ball yet. He's not going to be called up to the Twins in the near term.
John
1:05
What’s next for Tork? Is he is what he is?
Steve Adams
1:05
He hit 31 homers last season and had a massive showing in August/September. I still think he's going to hit, even if he might not be the superstar-caliber bat they were hoping when he was the consensus 1-1 pick.
Rox
1:06
Are the Rockies making yet another mistake by not trading McMahon? This is probably the highest his value will be, so why hang on to him?
Steve Adams
1:08
You could make this a mad-lib and plug in basically any of the Rockies' best players over the past ten trade deadlines. Their owner, Dick Monfort, is fatally optimistic and becomes attached to all of the team's homegrown players. The Rockies rarely go outside for front office hires. Monfort doesn't have fresh voices telling him it's time for a change. He routinely makes preseason comments suggesting he's wildly detached from the realistic state of his club.

So, probably yes they're making a mistake by not trading McMahon. But it's not surprising ... this is how they operate.
Adam Stevens
1:09
White Sox are going to move at minimum: Fedde, Pham, DeJong (even for a very minor piece), Kopech at minimum. Do you see them dealing anyone else? Maybe another rental SP that isn’t Crochet?
Steve Adams
1:12
I don't think Kopech is a lock in the way that Pham and Fedde are, but I would still bet on him moving. John Brebbia if he can get the homers and strand rate in check (K-BB profile is good). Tim Hill. Clevinger if he's healthy.

I don't see why they'd shy away from dealing Crochet, honestly. It'd take a big return, of course, but he's in his first season as a starter and only has two years of club control beyond this one. I don't think 2025 is going to be the Sox' year anyhow, and by the time 2026 rolls around he's in his final season of club control. If someone's willing to make a huge offer now, workload concerns notwithstanding, go for it.

Luis Robert Jr. is about the only veteran on the Sox who I'd truly be surprised to see traded. And even then, I still can see like a 10% chance where someone offers something insane and they jump at it.
Cubbies
1:14
Any chance the Cubs can be sellers and buyers in the trade market? Feels like Hoerner and/or Happ can be moved while still remaining competitive if they shore up the bullpen.
Steve Adams
1:15
I don't think you'll see either Happ or Hoerner seriously floated as trade candidates, no.
Giants Missing Bat
1:15
Would a package of soler, slater, abd Whisenhunt be enough for Alonso? Bring him in to dh.
Steve Adams
1:15
The Mets don't want those contracts coming back if they're moving Soler, and the Giants wouldn't part with Whisenhunt for two months of Alonso when he's about to be a free agent.
Braves4life
1:15
Couldn’t have we done better for outfield help ?
Steve Adams
1:17
They went and got what's out there right now: Laureano on a minor league deal, Anderson on a cheap major league deal. They can easily move on from either player if they get closer to the deadline and a more impactful option arises.

But Anderson has been a really good player in the past, pre-shoulder troubles, and he hit relatively well in AAA. No harm in taking a flier. Not saying it'll go this way this time around -- it likely won't -- but Braves fans made similar comments in 2021 when they added Soler and Rosario.
I too am a near guy
1:17
What kind of contract is fried looking at in off-season? Considering you basically need 4 aces on a team to have 2 on the field due to injuries. Would braves consider matching an offer for him?
Steve Adams
1:17
I think he's in Carlos Rodon/Aaron Nola territory and don't think the Braves will match that, no
For Love of the Game
1:18
What kind of return would a rental of Jack Flaherty bring the Tigers if they give up playoff aspirations before the trade deadline?
Steve Adams
1:20
A really significant one, relative to the typical asking prices for rental starters. He's been one of the best pitchers in the American League this season and looks like a genuine frontline arm. I thought there was good sense in him taking a three-year deal in free agency to lock in some earnings and then go back to market when he was still just 30, but he emphatically made the right call to bet on himself. He looks like a nine-figure free agent right now, and the return for him should include one high-end prospect (50+ FV, top-100 type of guy) with some other pieces added in.
Ippei
1:21
Who has a bigger chance to be traded this year Bichette or Tucker??
Steve Adams
1:21
Bo
Kave Dingman
1:21
With the Nationals hanging around the periphery of the Wild Card race, is there any chance that they are buyers?
If they fold and become sellers,  who is there worth trading?
Steve Adams
1:22
It's rarely so cut and dry these days. They could trade away short-term guys like Williams (if healthy) or Finnegan while simultaneously trying to acquire guys who are controlled beyond 2025. They don't need to pick a firm "buy" or "sell" lane.
Sad Marlins Fan
1:23
Which teams do you think are going be in on Luzardo?
Steve Adams
1:25
Most of them? I mean, that's an overly simplistic answer, but it's also true. He'll be maybe the most sought-after trade candidate on the market. Orioles, Guardians, Twins, Dodgers, Padres, Brewers, Cardinals, etc. etc. etc.

Luzardo is awesome, he's controlled two more years, and the Marlins aren't going anywhere with him. He's going to be traded if he's healthy, and he'd be an upgrade to literally any rotation in the game. No team has five better starting pitchers than Jesus Luzardo -- certainly not five healthy ones.
Spaceman
1:26
What do you think of david Dahl's chances to play regularly and succeed?
Steve Adams
1:27
Recent history tells us it's not likely, but man am I pulling for that guy. His home run yesterday was awesome. He's been through hell with injuries -- great moment to see him have that game and to see him so fired up after his long ball
Morel
1:28
Just because he smiles and is a nice guy is no reason to be playing every day.  Morel, quantifiably the worst infielder in baseball, doesn't hit.   Aren't we 65 games too deep into this experiment????
Steve Adams
1:30
I'm actually more bullish on Morel right now than I was last year when he hit 26 homers in 107 games. The results aren't there, but he's cut 10 percentage points off his strikeout rate, raised his walk rate from 8% to 12% and is still making a ton of hard contact. The improved approach is really encouraging, and he's not going to keep rocking a .205 BABIP when he's making hard contact this often.

Defensively ... yeah, I agree. He should just be DHing or I guess playing left field or first base? I don't know, but I wouldn't keep running him out there at third.
Bucs
1:32
Outside of Jones and Skenes, are there any untouchables in Pittsburgh?
Steve Adams
1:34
Oneil Cruz. I'm sure they're also in no rush to move Hayes, Reynolds, Keller, Henry Davis. McCutchen has said he only wants to play in PIT, so they're not moving him.
Matt Waldron
1:35
How exciting is it to see a new Knuckleballer that pitches every 5 days?
Steve Adams
1:35
Love Waldron. Love knuckleballs. Love weird baseball oddities in general. More please.
Pedro4eva
1:36
Why is no one talking about Wilyer Abreu for ROY? Last I checked he lead all rookies in batting average, hits, doubles, defensive run saved and several other categories was in the top three yet no one mentions his name.
Steve Adams
1:36
He's been great. If the season ended today, he'd be a finalist. I think people in general aren't talking about the AL Rookie of the Year class as much, because the NL's is so stacked.
Matthew
1:36
When is it time to pull the plug on Taijuan Walker?  As a Phillies fan that is my only problem I have with this team.
Steve Adams
1:38
Walker pitched fine for the Phillies in 2023 -- not great, but a perfectly serviceable No. 4 arm -- and has made seven starts in 2024. Two of them were quality starts. The other five have been rough. He's in year two of a $72MM contract. Teams don't cut veterans with track records based on five games when they have around $45MM remaining on their contract over multiple years. He's not in danger of being cut loose anytime soon.
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