Front Office Chat: 7/17/26
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Anthony Franco
3:01
Good afternoon, hope all is well!
Some trade activity should be picking up in the next week or two, exciting time for us! Let's get rolling
Knowitalllad
3:02
What gets Rodriguez and Miller from the Padres to the Pirates? Cruz and Horowitz? Add Barco?
Ben Cherrington
3:02
Read someplace fifth hand that someone proposed Cruz to Padres for Mason Miller. As I'd be trading two years of Cruz for three years of Miller, I think, I imagine I'd need to sweeten the deal a bit. As Miller would be in high demand if he were actually on the market I'd need to sweeten it even more. Would one of Antoine Kelly, Wilbur Dotel or Braden Bidois get it done? Two of them? I'd even include Dennis Santana on top of everything! stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye
Black and Gold
3:02
Would Spenser Horwitz, Wyatt Sandford and Antwone Kelly be enough for Mason Miller?
Anthony Franco
3:03
Pirates deadline outlook will go out today and I agree they should try to take a swing for Mason Miller (as the better of two leverage relievers that they're going to need)
3:05
I think it'd start with Bubba Chandler though. Oneil Cruz has the shorter window of club control, would move to a corner spot in SD. Good trade asset but not a Miller level one
3:07
Horwitz is a good player but he's going to be 29 and is a strong side platoon first baseman with below-average bat speed and exit velocities
3:08
I don't see either of those guys leading a trade package for three and a half years of the best reliever in the game. Chandler's rookie year has been spotty but he's less than a year removed from being arguably the sport's top pitching prospect, sits 99 with a plus changeup, and SD has no long-term starting pitching
Ben Cherrington
3:09
Horwitz has an .875 OPS since the last all star game. Does anyone really care about his bat speed?
Anthony Franco
3:10
The age and limited physical tools still matter. He was productive for the Blue Jays too and they gave him up to take on a $100M Andrés Giménez contract, Cleveland swapped him for Luis Ortiz
Mets Man
3:10
Which mets has been more impressive? McLean, Benge, Ewing, or Scott?
Anthony Franco
3:10
Scott this year, McLean overall
Ryan Express
3:11
Since their farm system is so weak, do you see the Astros trading mainly from their 40 man roster with other buyers to try and fill their holes? Maybe deals including someone like Bryan Abreu or Brice Matthess?
Anthony Franco
3:11
Blubaugh seems more likely to get them a piece of any significance but I imagine they'd be open to moving any of them
No Joy in Natsville
3:12
Do you think that the Nats should move Foster Griffin? What would you regard as a fair return? I'm in the "listen, but don't move him just to move him" camp. While he's a pending free agent, they can always extend a QO and explore a possible extension based on how the CBA turns out. Yes, a QO is an overpay, but it's only for one season and few teams have more payroll space AND a need in the starting rotation.
Anthony Franco
3:15
I'd rather cash him in for a couple 40/45 FV prospects -- guys who'd land in the 8-15 range in their organizational ranking -- but wouldn't hate it if they sign a three-year extension in the $40MM range or so
3:17
QO seems the worst of those options. I take your point about the short-term commitment but that's tying up like 15% of what they've been willing to spend on payroll when they're going to have multiple other pitching needs for 2027
And he's a lot less desirable as a trade chip next year making $23M than he is at $5.5M
Cliff
3:18
I’ve seen some people state the Red Sox could upgrade at catcher. I’ve also seen some people say that they’ll shop Wong. Could they do both? Who could be buyers for Wong? And who could the Red Sox pick up at catcher? I also know that Narvaez’s value has dropped because his offense has plummeted, but could they shop him instead for a smaller return and keep Wong’s bat?
Anthony Franco
3:18
Yeah Wong's not going to return much but they could flip him to a team that needs a backup and trade for Tyler Stephenson or something
Daniel Gamboa
3:19
Which player is more likely to have a stronger second half, Steven Kwan or Lawrence Butler?
Anthony Franco
3:20
A little more optimistic on Butler, who hasn't seemed fully healthy since undergoing knee surgery last fall. Kwan's contact quality has fallen so far that it's almost impossible to be a good hitter no matter how good the plate discipline is
Chris F
3:20
If the Mets move one of their catchers at the deadline, who is more likely to go — Alvarez or Torrens? I can see an argument for both, but I would, personally, shop Torrens for a variety of reasons.
Anthony Franco
3:21
Would be weird to trade Torrens for a marginal return two months after signing him to an extension. I guess that still feels likelier than Alvarez, for whom they don't have an in-house replacement
Haha, yes. I am a
3:22
A couple of weeks ago, Rosenthal wrote about the Cardinals' depth at catcher: Herrera (sorta), Pages, Crooks, Bernal (AAA), and Rodriguez (AA). In that same piece he wrote about Tampa searching for help at catcher. But he didn't put two and two together! What does a trade b/t Tampa and St. Louis look like where St. Louis sends a catcher to Tampa?
Anthony Franco
3:23
I could see Jimmy Crooks there, sure. They don't have the DH at-bats for Herrera and Pages feels too similar to the guys they already have
3:24
Could swap him for Ian Seymour or something
That Baseball Fan
3:25
The most intriguing trade deadline team might be the Chicago White Sox. Plenty of good prospects to move and a need for veteran leadership and performance. Any must-gets for the White Sox out there?
Anthony Franco
3:26
A starter of some kind, wouldn't say there's anyone specific. It's be ideal to land a Detmers or Soriano type who's controllable beyond this season but the division's winnable so I'd be fine if they "settle" for a rental like Griffin or Dustin May
3:28
Pushing Erick Fedde out of the rotation isn't. huge bar to clear. Hopefully ownership opens the budget a little bit so they can take on a semi-expensive rental reliever (e.g. Senzatela, Jansen) to give them someone a little more reliable than Domínguez at the back end
Beano
3:28
What a strange position the Mets find themselves in. They need to sell but their marquee names aren't playing well. One assumes Peralta will go but how will the Mets handle the return of no-hit Polanco, so-so Semien, God-awful Robert and more? Will they have to play these guys over their youngsters? What does your crystal ball tell you?

And, while I'm here, what does the PT in 2026 look like for M Shaw on the Cubs? Surely, he's a better bet than Conforto to perform - yes?
Anthony Franco
3:30
Stuck with Polanco and Semien. I expect they'll pay Robert almost all the way down and flip him for a lottery ticket prospect. He's not going to play over Benge or Ewing at this point
Let Soto DH for a couple weeks to try to showcase Robert's health once he comes off the rehab stint and then take whatever you can get. They're obviously not exercising another $20M option
3:32
And yeah, still think Shaw's better than Conforto. They don't juggle the position player group much but can move Shaw around while mixing in DH days for other guys in the starting lineup
Lunch
3:32
Which AL team(s) do you think will finally "put it together" in the second half and pull away from the pack?  Somebody's got to, right?
Anthony Franco
3:32
It should be Seattle
Dave Dombrowski
3:32
Brad Keller seems done for the year. Do I try and replace him at the deadline or do I have other priorities?
Anthony Franco
3:33
Yeah Matt Gelb of The Athletic wrote about this yesterday in a piece that's worth checking out
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