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Mark P
7:49
Hi there everyone, time to launch the Weekend Chat!  Let's hope this week's chat isn't interrupted by any more pesky signings, since what, do they think we're running a site devoted to baseball transactions or something?!  The nerve!
Nick Krall
7:51
Do you think the Reds can stay in the race and compete for a WC spot?
Mark P
7:52
Since I picked the Reds to make the playoffs, sure.  They do have to try and overcome these injuries, naturally
BoSox
7:52
Odds Jarren Duran gets traded? Keep seeing on twitter but don’t really believe it
Mark P
7:54
It seems like a good chunk of Boston's fanbase doesn't believe in Duran and basically wants to "sell high."  Except, there's perhaps a reason why Duran was a top-100 prospect in his own right, and dealing one of their few productive bats right now wouldn't make much sense
PATigersFan
7:55
Was everyone wrong about Ragans? Is he merely mortal?
Mark P
7:55
Ragans had one brutal start against one of the game's top lineups.  He'll be fine.
Gwynning
7:56
Market sale on Fish from Miami soon?
Mark P
7:58
For optics reasons, Miami might not have a true "rebuild" in the sense of publicly announcing it.  But, it's pretty clear that Bendix has the green light to rebui....er, "rework," or "retool" or whatever term the team prefers in describing how Bendix will try to turn the Marlins into Rays 2.0
BlueJayCrazy
7:58
Any chance Jay's make a trade for a bat? I don't like IKF at 3rd.
Mark P
8:00
They realistically need more than one bat, and the larger offseason issue of needing the internal names to pick things up (i.e. Springer, Guerrero, Kirk) still remain.
8:01
The Jays have the pitching and defense to win if they can get even average offense, as the last couple of weeks have shown.  But, it creates a real thin margin for error if you're playing all these close ballgames.
Lion-O
8:02
Why are the Cubs so cheap?  Shouldn't they have spent more on the bullpen and a real closer?
Mark P
8:03
Neris wasn't inexpensive, but just in general, the Cubs don't spend much on relief pitching on principle.  You can take issue with the Cubs' relative lack of spending (as in staying under the tax line) this past winter, but I actually thought their bullpen was looking pretty solid going into the game.  Alzolay pitched well enough in 2023 that I saw no issue with him having the closer's job going into this season.
8:04
And that's maybe an example right there about how inconsistent relief pitching can be, and why the Cubs (and many other teams) are so leery of paying top dollar for bullpen arms
Guards Boy
8:05
Josh Naylor and the guardians have stayed hot. What’s your outlook on them right now??
Mark P
8:06
It's a fun role reversal that the Guardians' lineup is suddenly picking up a middling rotation.  And, the Guards have done this even with Jose Ramirez off to a slow start, so if others start regressing, Ramirez heating up should balance things out.
Obviously a long way to go this season, but there's plenty to be optimistic about in Cleveland
MLBTR reader
8:07
Are Cowser and Westburg the real deal?
Mark P
8:07
I tend to think yes.  There's a reason these two were such highly regarded prospects.
James Z
8:08
Does any team with a struggling offense call Brandon Belt eventually?
Mark P
8:08
You have to think the Astros must've had some internal discussions about Belt at this point
no thank you
8:09
Which happens first, Abreu is hitting sub .050 or the Astros cut bait?
ht0wn2378
8:09
how much longer do the Astros stick with Jose Abreu before pulling the plug and releasing him?
Loperfido
8:09
Abreu still isnt hitting. Do you think the Astros will bypass the boring options and go with me? Do they need to add me to the 40?
Mark P
8:11
Hey, speaking of the Astros and Jose Abreu!  There's still enough financially owed to Abreu that they won't cut him outright, and some kind of extended sitdown might be the next step.  (In a non-Billy Eppler world, I wonder if Abreu might've already gotten an IL stint as an unofficial break.)

And yes, Loperfido isn't on the 40-man
Jake
8:11
How worried should the Astros be?
Mark P
8:13
I kept this separate from the previous pack of Astros questions since it's a different issue altogether.  Frankly, I'm not all that worried yet about Houston.  They just need to get some healthy starting pitching, and Javier hitting the IL almost immediately after Verlander returned was disheartening.  If Valdez is able to return as quickly as expected, that might be the boost Houston finally needs to get on track.
Drew
8:15
Are Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker legitimate big league starters? If so, that bodes very well for the Nats rebuild and revamped development system.
Lolo
8:15
Any faith in the Nats this year? Young pitching has been doing good, solid veteran bullpen and top hitting prospects on the way.
Mark P
8:18
I don't have that much faith in the Nats this year, nor am I going wild over Irvin and Parker based on a small sample size of starts.

That said, if either Irvin or Parker develops into even a decent back-end starter, that in itself is a huge win for the Nationals.  Finding and developing MLB-quality regulars isn't easy, and locking in even one starter like that is a nice step in the rebuild.  No reason why Irvin/Parker shouldn't get lots of looks the rest of the season in this rebuilding year.
Al Kaline Battery
8:19
With the move to Sacremento, if the A's suddenly decided to open up the checkbook, with the uncertainty of the franchise, would they be able to attract any free agents?
Mark P
8:20
Not really.  And, this question is a moot point since it's doubtful the A's open up the checkbook even after they move to Vegas, let alone to Sacramento
Sad FL man
8:22
What would Arraez fetch both in free agency and the trade market?
Mark P
8:25
That's an interesting question on both fronts, since Arraez has such a unique skillset that I could see some teams dismiss him entirely due to the lack of power, or because he doesn't specifically provide what a certain team might value.

Arraez is arb-controlled through 2025, so as a pure trade asset Miami could shop at the deadline, he certainly has some value as a short-term add.  Teams will feel more comfortable about acquiring Arraez for a season and a half than they would about signing him to a multi-year FA contract, but still, it'll be interesting to see what the Marlins are able to bring back in a potential trade.  Of course, Arraez also needs to pick things up at the plate first and get back to his batting-champ form.
John
8:26
Could the Orioles get top 2 in roy with neither of them being Jackson Holliday? Westburg and Cowser are menaces
Mark P
8:27
We write about it all the time here, but I'm not sure enough people realize how ridiculous Baltimore's farm system is, or how this team might be lined up to contend for the next 10-15 years.  Joey Ortiz is having a pretty good year for the Brewers so far, and he was a borderline top-10 player in the Orioles' system.
Hold the Mayo
8:30
Will Coby Mayo be called up this season and will he be effective?
Mark P
8:32
Case in point, Mayo would already be in the majors if he was on basically any other team.  If Holliday keeps struggling that might open up a spot for Mayo at 3B (with Westburg moving to 2B), but the Orioles figure to give Holliday a long leash
Trade Taijuan
8:32
Can the Phillies get anything for Taijuan Walker if they tried to trade him?
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