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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 7/18/23
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Steve Adams
12:58
Greetings everyone! Happy Tuesday. Sorry for the lack of a call for advance questions today. Have been having some laptop issues and wasn't sure this would be possible at the usual time!
We'll chat for the next hour or so
John
12:59
Has your opinion on Ohtani being traded changed?
Steve Adams
1:00
I don't think a 5.5-game gap in the Wild Card standings is big enough for the Angels to bite the bullet, no. I've been saying all season, if they're 10+ games out of a postseason spot, perhaps that's the point they get serious. Five and a half isn't all that insurmountable.
Guest
1:00
Will snell and/or hader be available at deadline?
Steve Adams
1:01
I think they should be and wrote as much for our Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers last week at greater length. The Padres can market both, get MLB-ready talent (or close to it) back in return and still try to remain afloat in '23 while getting some much-needed help for '24. Losing their past three games doesn't hurt the chances of that pair being available, that's for sure.
Not chaim bloom
1:02
should I pick up Yonny Chirinos?
Steve Adams
1:02
Someone will probably take a look at Chirinos, and the Red Sox make as much sense as anyone, but he's been struggling lately, has a bottom-of-the-barrel strikeout rate and is already up over 66 innings after barely pitching the three years prior.
1:03
He also can't be optioned since he has 5+ years of service (or else the Rays would've just optioned him rather than DFA him)
I think the Red Sox would probably have to make a trade since on a straight waiver claim, a SP-desperate team like the Rockies would have priority and seem likelier to grab him.
Guest
1:04
Prediction for what MN Twins do?
Steve Adams
1:05
Add some right-handed bats to help in the outfield and at designated hitter. Add the reliever they probably should have added over the winter. (Full disclosure, that's total Monday-morning quarterbacking from me ... I thought the bullpen would be a lot better than it has been and said so at the time. Whoops)
Rick Hahn
1:05
Am I the most popular person to talk to this month? Other than Lynn and Giolito, who else am I moving?
Steve Adams
1:06
Any of Graveman, Reynaldo Lopez, Keynan Middleton and Joe Kelly (if healthy) are fair game to go. Kopech will be the interesting one; they'd be selling low but I expect demand will be pretty substantial even in spite of his recent rough patch and more general command issues.
1:07
Keynan Middleton has been awesome. I wrote about him here last week:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/07/white-sox-trade-rumors-keynan-m...
Red’s decision
1:07
If the Reds are 5 back of the Brewers near the deadline, will they still try and upgrade?
Steve Adams
1:07
I think they're pretty firmly committed to adding pitching at this point
Annoyed Fan
1:07
So that is the extent of the Shohei talk today? Seems that you don't want him to be traded so you don't have to eat crow...
Steve Adams
1:08
Can talk about Shohei all you want. I absolutely want him to be traded, for the record, haha. I just don't think it'll be happen.
I want to see Ohtani in the playoffs, and my literal job is working for site whose bread and butter is breaking down the MLB trade deadline. Of course I want Ohtani on the market. And I don't care about eating crow. I've been doing this full-time for more than 10 years. I've been wrong a lot.
JN
1:09
Less likely Bieber is traded now that he’s on the shelf?
Steve Adams
1:09
Yeah I have a much harder time seeing him go now. Offseason deal feels much more likely. If it were like ... an ankle sprain and he was out a minimal two weeks, maybe he's still traded, but the arm injury is much more ominous, particularly with the drop in velo, K's, etc.
Oakland
1:10
Blackburn and Laureano for a high end prospect?
Steve Adams
1:11
I don't think Laureano has tons of value right now. Blackburn could/should get a decent return, but I don't know ... the A's somehow managed to get awful value for much more established star-caliber names during the current fire sale, so not sure I'd be oozing with confidence that they'll get a high-end guy/guys for Blackburn.
Jaxon
1:11
Derrick Goold reported the Cards have been trying to trade Genesis Cabrera for the past week with no luck… 26 year old lefty who throws 96.. no takers???
Steve Adams
1:12
He has a 12.2% career walk rate and has allowed 1.65 HR/9 over the past two seasons. And while the 95.9 mph average on the heater is good, it's also down two full mph from just two years ago.

I'm mildly surprised there hasn't been SOME taker, but they could still find a deal in the next few days.
1:13
In general, though, I thought the "wtf" reaction to him being DFAed was overblown; he just has never been THAT good of a pitcher.
John
1:14
Ortiz, Norby, and Mayo the main guys the Orioles are dangling in trade talks?
Steve Adams
1:15
I think they'll just be open-minded to listening on some combination of their non-Henderson/Adley young guys. They have so much infield depth that I don't think they'd make Westburg untouchable, for instance.

But yeah, the three you listed there are obviously very sensible candidates to be moved for established MLB help -- likely on the pitching side.
Mets
1:16
Blow it up? Scherzer has to want out of town and would waive no trade clause I’m sure by now.
Steve Adams
1:17
I'm sure they'll be open to shorter-term pieces being moved (Mark Canha, David Robertson, etc.). That could include Max or JV if they're willing to green-light the deal and the money can be sorted out, sure.

But a full tear-down seems less likely. Cohen wants to win and isn't going to go through a yearslong rebuild.
St Lou Mo
1:17
A lot has been written about my available pitchers, but shouldn’t I be looking to move a couple of my extra OFs?
Steve Adams
1:18
Yeah the Cardinals have plenty of outfielders and I expect some kind of move involving them. A lot is made of Tyler O'Neill, but his value is in the tank. Dylan Carlson should probably generate more talk than he does.
Chris
1:19
Any insight on where Lane Thomas and Candelario might be headed? Please tell me Rizzo's not going to be pigheaded enough to keep Thomas. He's not this good.
Steve Adams
1:22
He's not this good, but that's part of the problem in trading him. I've seen lots of asks on whether Thomas can fetch [insert top prospect] and my thought is generally ... no? He's a LHP masher with more marginal numbers against RHP. He can play all three OF spots but isn't a great CF. A lot of teams are going to view him more as a bench player. He'd be a great fit for the Twins, Brewers or Guardians, off the top of my head, but he probably won't command a mega return.

I like Candelario as a fit with the D-backs or, if the two teams don't care about trading within the division, the Phillies.
Dodgergirl 23
1:23
Is the Dodgers " realistic need " 2 starting pitchers?
Steve Adams
1:23
They need at least one, I'd say. They've had so many injuries, and they're relying heavily on a lot of young arms who are going to run into workload concerns in the second half.
Jamie
1:24
I DON'T see why people are so hung in henderson for the Orioles.Scott Boras is his agent.The team won't be able to afford henderson,Adley,and pitching if they want to compete for years to come in the AL East
Steve Adams
1:26
He just turned 22, is a former No. 1 overall prospect, and has been worth 3 WAR in 117 career games despite a terrible first month in 2023. They're hung up on him because he's a perennial All-Star-caliber talent who they control five years beyond the current season.

Who cares if Boras is his agent? Even if that means he's averse to an extension, they still have control over a potential superstar for a half decade -- the next two seasons of which will be at league minimum.
1:27
I can't understand why so many O's fans seem amenable to trading him
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