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Mark P
8:31
Welcome to the Weekend Chat!  We'll let the questions build for a few minutes and then crack on....
LucchesiBurger in Paredes
8:33
Has the expanded playoffs seriously maimed the trade deadline market?
Mark P
8:34
In some sense yes, since it leads to fewer true "sellers" and more teams feeling they're not totally in it, so they aren't full-fledged buyers
But overall, there's still been quite a bit of deadline activity over the last couple of years, and even some more creative types of trades from teams both selling and buying in equal measure
Jerry D.
8:35
Is my team for real?! Just swept Texas!! What do I need to do at the deadline to get us over the finish line?
Mark P
8:36
More hitting, but even as they're currently constituted, Seattle has built a nice lead for itself in the division.  Some of that has been built on the fact that the Rangers and Astros continue to underachieve, but even still.
Sterling Archer
8:37
What’s your best read on Marcelo Mayer’s timeline? I’m guessing next summer at this point?
Mark P
8:38
That sounds about right.  Mayer is currently having a very nice season at Double-A, so a promotion to Triple-A before the end of this year might well happen, and then an MLB debut in 2025.
Nick Deeds’s Beads
8:38
The bees wonder if the bad injury luck today will significantly hurt the Dodgers.
Mark P
8:40
We'll know more once the doctors take a fuller look at Betts' hand, but if he misses "only" 4-6 weeks or something, it probably won't be that huge a deal?  LA was already looking for middle infield help heading into the deadline anyway, even if obviously losing Betts creates another big hole in the lineup.

Losing Yamamoto is also rough, yet the Dodgers have seemingly been able to withstand tons of pitcher injuries every season.
Blue Jays fan
8:41
Toronto Bisons? The young players called up seem to be helping the jays. Should Orelvis Martinez be next
Mark P
8:42
It also might be a more a function of the Jays adding any kind of productive players in place of Vogelbach and Biggio, who were contributing next to nothing.  Toronto's lineup will only go so far unless any of Springer, Bichette, or Turner start getting it together, but raising the talent floor of the position players can't hurt
Joe Random
8:43
What would a package for Bo Bichette to the guardians look like? Also would the blue jays possibly make Gausman available?
Mark P
8:44
Lots of Bichette trade questions already in the queue, so here's my broad answer to all of them.....
8:46
The idea of moving Bichette is difficult enough for the Jays before you even consider the fact that he isn't playing well.  If you're Cleveland or another team looking to land Bichette, are you still offering a premium trade package for a guy who has been a lot closer to a replacement-level player than to an All-Star than this?  And if you're the Jays, are you comfortable selling low on Bichette when moving him would have to be a key plank in what would have to be a rebuild?
Garrett
8:46
Assuming they're still hovering around a Wild Card spot, how would you approach the deadline if you were in charge of the Nationals? Another deadline of adding whatever they can to enhance the farm is my preferred option.
Guest
8:46
Are the Nats going to sell at the deadline? Or Thomas apart of their long term plans?
Mark P
8:48
Washington might be one of those "half-sell, half-buy" types of teams I mentioned earlier.  Moving a Winker or a Williams might not be feasible if the Nats now need them as contributors to a winning team, but the other pending free agents should probably all be on the table.

On the buying front, the Nationals could explore some smaller upgrades, but again, this isn't a team that's suddenly going to unload top prospects for a big name and take a shot at winning the World Series or something
Giants fan
8:50
Should the Giants trade Keaton Winn when Cobb, Ray, and beck return from the IL? Or who is the odd man out
Mark P
8:50
The Giants aren't trading any of their pitchers, not after all of the injury concerns they've had to deal with
Guard
8:52
with The draft being 4 weeks from today. Who do you see as the early favorite to go number one overall to the Guards?
Mark P
8:53
Condon and Bazzana are ranked in the top spots by BA and Pipeline, but naturally signability might factor into the Guardians' decision moreso than simply who they have as the absolutely top player on their board
8:56
I've long held at all draft picks should be tradable, but someone (I forget who) made a great point in an article this week that this draft would be a lot more fun if the Guardians were able to conceivably move the first overall selection.

While they likely wouldn't do it, imagine how fun it would be if you had Cleveland win the lottery in surprise fashion, and then become a surprise contender, and then decide to spin their good lottery luck into moving the 1-1 pick for a true premium player at the deadline.
Jake the rake
8:56
which active player ends up with the most homeruns? Machado with 555?
Mark P
8:57
At this rate, Royce Lewis might have around 555 by the end of the season
D brown
8:57
Is Bregman still a Astro come September
Mark P
8:59
Dana Brown has been pretty adamant that the Astros aren't planning to sell at the deadline, but if July 30 hits and the team is still struggling this badly, one wonders.

Moving Bregman for some prospects just to reload for 2025 is a possible scenario.  But keep in mind, Houston will be getting a qualifying offer-driven compensatory pick for Bregman, so another team will have to offer something the Astros view as better than such a draft pick
9:00
The other caveat here, of course, is that Bregman ends up with a good season, but it seems like he's gotten on track after his ice-cold start
Bt
9:03
I keep seeing rediculous offers for L Robert.  Shouldn’t an offer include a top 20 type prospect and some maybes.  The offers of 4th best in a system as a starter seem a bit light
Mark P
9:05
Fans tend to overrate their team's prospects, and to be frank, some teams even come in with lowball starting offers just in case the White Sox (for whatever reason) were eager to make a move.  But, Chicago has a lot of leverage in holding out for just the right for Robert or Crochet, and they're not moving either of them for just anything
Todd
9:05
You’re the royals GM, what’s your first move?
Mark P
9:06
Probably asking the owner why in the world they got rid of JJ Picollo when the team was playing so well.

In terms of on-field moves, obtaining an outfielder or two to bolster the lineup's most obvious weak link
John
9:07
Crochet to the Orioles makes a lot of sense if they plan on letting Burnes leave next year, along with the Bradish news. You think they make the move?
Mark P
9:08
The O's have the prospect capital to get a longer-term starter like Crochet or Luzardo, AND also bring in a rental player (i.e. Flaherty last year) for even more depth.  If Bradish ends up needing Tommy John surgery or something, this might end up being the team's move to bolster what is suddenly a thinned out pitching corps
Brewers
9:09
Sal and Brice and a prospect for Luis ROBERT.  Who says no?
Mark P
9:10
Unless that prospect is Quero or Misiorowski, the White Sox will want more
Jake
9:10
Varsho to the Brewers?
Mark P
9:11
The Jays aren't moving Varsho unless they absolutely blow it up, and that's not a decision they'll make in the next six weeks
Mike d
9:12
Do reds and Mets lineup for a jd Martinez trade?
Mark P
9:13
That might be an interesting move for Cincy.  In theory it blocks off the DH spot in the Reds lineup, but by this point the Reds are just looking to add offense moreso than worrying about a positional surplus that ended up not existing

It's also worth noting that the Mets have quietly been on a roll in the last two weeks, and might not end up moving Martinez or any of their veteran trade chips if they're in the playoff race themselves
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