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Mark P
1:46
The Weekend Chat has returned! We'll take a minute to get some questions build up, and then get into it...
Guards ball
1:48
Do you think the guardians have a legit shot to still when the Al central considering the hot start we are on since the all star break?
Mark P
1:49
Detroit's lead is down to six games over Cleveland, which is still pretty substantial.  It would take a combo of the Guards both staying hot, and the Tigers continuing their so-so play over the last month for the Guardians to have a legitimate chance.

It would be pretty ironic if, a year after their big late-season surge, the Tigers were caught by another team going on a surprise late run
Rangers Fan
1:50
I’ve seen conflicting reports on the Rangers CBT situation after the trade deadline additions. The local beat writers are acting as if the Rangers will definitively end the season over the CBT threshold. But other sources, like Spotrac and Cot’s, make it seem like the Rangers can and will end up below the CBT threshold. Obviously, bonuses and incentives complicate things, but if you take the incentives that are “very likely” to hit, it appears the Rangers will stay under with a little room for additional bonuses. Do you have any clarity on this?
Mark P
1:52
A team's final luxury tax number isn't officially known until the league releases numbers in December.  Sites like Cot's, Spotrac, RosterResource, etc. do a great job in providing projections and estimates, but they're the first to tell you that they're working with incomplete information.  Many other factors like roster bonuses or other expenses are known sometimes only to the teams themselves, and those the x-factor numbers audited by the league at year's end
1:53
My guess right now would be that Texas is just barely under the line, given how Cot's/RR/Spotrac all have them slightly under the $241MM tax line.
Jeff
1:53
Who wins the AL West, Astros or Mariners?
Mark P
1:53
Who wins the AL West?
Astros (43.2% | 272 votes)
 
Mariners (51.7% | 325 votes)
 
Rangers (5.1% | 32 votes)
 
Total Votes: 629
1:54
I expanded your question to add the Rangers, since they're certainly still in the picture at this juncture.
Armchair GM
1:55
With the addition of Catlos Correa, where does Isaac Paredes play if he were to come back before the playoffs?  Is Paredes trade bait in the offseason?
Mark P
1:56
Paredes would be used at 1B or DH, depending on Alvarez's status.  You could maybe see him at 2B if Altuve then plays left field.  Needless to say, Houston would find a way to get Paredes in there.
Guest
1:57
Is Boston legit, or is this another fluke start to the 2nd half?
Mark P
1:57
They're definitely legit. Now that the pitching has started to come around, the Sox don't have many weaknesses
Don
1:58
Watching every Tiger game it's easy to see how and why they've been inconsistent lately. Mark I'm wondering how a non fan sees it from the outside looking in. Thanks
Mark P
1:59
Not to press the panic button too much for Detroit fans, but there are some similarities right now between the 2024 Orioles and the 2025 Tigers --- a team that had basically everything go right for three months, and then reality started to sink in.

There's still plenty of time for the Tigers to stabilize things.  As mentioned earlier, their six-game lead is still substantial.  (If you asked Tigers fans before the season if they would've been happy with a six-game division lead on August 9, that would've been a unanimous yes.)
2:00
I find it hard to believe, for one, that Riley Greene's slump will last the rest of the year
Chris
2:00
I know The Athletic mentioned it, do you think its possible the Yanks cut their losses with Williams once some relief guys come off the IL?
Yankeeman
2:00
Is Devin Williams really a September release candidate
Mark P
2:01
Like I said in that Yankees notes post, the fact that this is even floated as semi-realistic possibility is wild, considering Williams' reputation.  I'd say it's still unlikely given that it was just a few weeks ago that Williams seemed like his old self heading into the All-Star break.
Brewer Fan
2:02
Not anquestiin but I just want to say, the team with the best record right now has a starting outfield of Issac Collins, Blake Perkins, and Sal Frelick.. this team is absolutely wild.
Mark P
2:03
Credit to those outfielders for all playing well, and to the Brewers organization in general for (once again) figuring out a way to remain contenders.
Redsfan
2:04
Are we chasing rainbows?
Mark P
2:05
The Reds have an opening here with the Mets struggling and the Cubs to some extent just treading water over the last few weeks.  Cincinnati's trade deadline moves were pretty interesting, and I think the team still had it in them to make a run down the stretch
Guest
2:05
should Luis Robert Jr. keep his bags packed in the off season? If not, do the Sox sign a big bat to pair with Robert and who might that bat be?
Mark P
2:07
Chicago's certainly not going to make a big signing since they're still in the depths of the rebuild.  It will be fascinating to watch the Robert trade talks this winter and see what kind of deal (if any) can get finalized.  Even picking up that club option is an interesting risk for the Sox, since it they end up having to eat money to complete a deal, it'll look pretty strange.
Al Pacino
2:07
Bees?
Mark P
2:07
Beads?!
Detroit
2:09
I'm talking building a dynastic team, not trying to eek in by selling the top prospects.
First place caused the GM to drop the team building plan? They were a rebuilding team and had pending Free Agents, an opt out player and blocked prospects not likely to make the Detroit roster.
Mark P
2:12
These were two different comments by the same poster, for the record.

Scott Harris made statements something along these lines post-deadline, saying that other teams were making such big asks for Detroit's top prospects that Harris didn't want to blow up the future just to make a run in 2025.  That's all logical and, as I've noted in the past, having a deep farm system can sometimes made trade talks difficult, since every other club will naturally aim high at first for just the top minor leaguers.

I do think digging a bit deeper into the prospect pile, however, might've been a shot in the arm for a flagging Tigers team.  Obtaining a player with multiple years of control, for instance, might've been worth the cost of giving away someone in the top 10 prospects (if obviously not Clark, McGonigle, etc.)
Prellers Death Wish
2:13
What was your favorite deadline move?
Mark P
2:14
I really liked the Phillies getting Duran.  They paid a big cost, but having a star closer immediately solves a big roster problem.
Blue Jays
2:15
If the jays make the playoffs, what’s their starting rotation look like?
Mark P
2:16
Easiest call is probably just Gausman, Berrios, Bassitt, with Scherzer as the fourth. Lauer probably deserves a start but he can also be more easily shifted down into bullpen duty.  Bieber (and Manoah) are x-factors as well, but we'll cross that bridge once we see either in action.
Braves Fan
2:16
Great job with the deadline coverage!
Mark P
2:16
Thanks!  As you might expect, deadline day is easily MLBTR's busiest day of the year, so the whole staff was on call to cover the tons of breaking stories all day long.
JN
2:18
What does the Dodgers playoff rotation look like with everyone healthy? Would Kershaw potentially be left out? Have a hard time trusting Sasaki with no postseason experience
Mark P
2:19
Big if, but IF everyone is healthy, Kershaw will still get starts.  It is possible you could see a Kershaw/Ohtani hybrid "starter" in a piggyback capacity depending on where Ohtani is at health-wise come October.
Ranger Danger
2:20
Mistake by the phils not trading me?
Mark P
2:20
Nope.
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