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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 12/2/25
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Steve Adams
11:40
I'll be surprised if they don't add one legitimate playoff-caliber starter.
BMORE
11:40
Ragans for Cowser, Bradfield, and Povich?
Steve Adams
11:41
I'm down on Cowser and Povich in general. Not moving Ragans for that group.
Answer me
11:41
Berrios for McNeil who says no
Steve Adams
11:41
Berrios is more expensive and isn't a notable upgrade over incumbent options.
11:42
(i.e. the Mets don't want that deal, even if they probably do prefer to move McNeil)
Prove it
11:43
Wouldn't it be smart for the Pirates to make a trade early? Bring in a player that shows they want to contend. This will send a better message to free agents, I believe.
Steve Adams
11:43
Sure, I can buy that. Takes two teams to make a deal though. I'm sure they've been working on it. They could also just "prove it" to the free agent in question by winning the bidding.

I do think they'll add two bats, probably one via trade and another via free agency.
Panda
11:44
Donovan for Max Clark and Jayden Hamm.  Who says no?
Steve Adams
11:44
I love Brendan Donovan but they're not getting Max Clark straight up for him -- let alone Clark + another prospect of some note.
Josh E
11:44
How many MLBTR folks are going to the winter meetings this year?
Steve Adams
11:45
None! Tim and I went last year. I don't think we've ever sent more than three in a single year. But schedule didn't work out great and I won't shed a tear not going to the Orlando venue, which ... ugh. (Sorry to any Orlando residents in the chat! ha)
Jeff
11:46
Do you prioritize questions submitted before the chat starts?
Steve Adams
11:46
Nah I try to take a mix of both -- just like to open it for early questions because I know not everyone's able to participate live.
Giants fan
11:46
Why wont the Giants spend on pitching? It seems to me with Ray coming off the books after 26 that they could add a top of the rotation pitcher?
Steve Adams
11:49
I assume it's because they're wary of adding another long-term commitment when they already have Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Jung Hoo Lee all signed through at least 2029 (the first three through at least 2030). Logan Webb through '28, too.

But whatever, they're the Giants. This is the spot they're in. If acquiring Devers was going to prevent them from going long-term on any offseason additions, then they shouldn't have acquired Devers.

The farm isn't great. There are holes on the staff and in the lineup. Shutting yourself off to a notable portion of the available pool of talent doesn't feel like a winning mentality in this context.
NCBaseball
11:50
Think the Brewers might deal Vaughn? He was good down the stretch but is still a risk at 7mm for a tightening budget. What could he fetch?
Steve Adams
11:52
I'd like the idea more if they had a clear alternative at 1B. Vaughn is found money for them and will handily outproduce his salary if he hits anywhere close to his 2025 Milwaukee levels.

If they're worried about the salary, could always sign him for two years -- buying out his final two arb seasons -- and backload it a bit. But in general, I don't think the Brewers are likely to move on from Vaughn.
Little Stevie
11:52
Have you spoken to front office types about how much they use your website? I'd think they're on it constantly... Do they fan-girl you when they meet you guys?
Steve Adams
11:53
Ha, no one is fanning out when they meet us, but yeah, basically every front office person we've spoken to over the years is complimentary of MLBTR and tells us they frequent the site. Always nice to hear.
David
11:53
Re:GM and Trades. Mariners Front Office is known to have Dipoto and Hollander work with different teams just due to the relationships they have built. Hollander manages the Arizona relationship and worked the Suarez/Naylor deals.
Steve Adams
11:54
Yeah, a lot of it boils down to who has a good relationship with the party or parties on the other end of negotiations.
Guest
11:54
What are the odds the Mets cave and give Diaz 5 years?
Steve Adams
11:54
Don't think they'll go five. Don't think he'll re-sign there.
11:55
Obviously not saying there's a 0% chance of it or anything, but I don't think the Mets are going to be the ones to ultimately make the biggest/longest offer.
Exhausted Monk
11:56
If you played Padres GM for the offseason, what are you doing to clear payroll space and who do you go after?
Steve Adams
11:59
Probably wouldn't have tendered a contract to Jason Adam, first and foremost. Great pitcher, but $7MMish on a guy coming off a tendon rupture who might not be ready for Opening Day feels like a lot when resources are already limited. Could still look to trade him, though.

Beyond that, try to find ways to dump Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matsui. Shop Cronenworth and a portion of his contract.
Ms Fan
11:59
Donovan for Hancock… who says no? Mariners or Cardinals?
Steve Adams
11:59
Cardinals
Bret V.
12:00
Will 5 years and 150 mil get Schwarber back in Philly?
Steve Adams
12:00
I would be shocked if it did not
Fred Nethyl
12:01
Some players opted out of their contract and received a buyout for doing so.  You're leaving?  Here, have some money Why in the world would anyone structure a deal that way?  What am I missing?
Steve Adams
12:03
The buyout is just part of the price of the guarantee. Take Cody Bellinger's three-year, $80MM deal. They could've just structured it as $30MM, $30MM and $20MM salary-wise, but they broke it down as $27.5MM, $27.5MM and $25MM, with a buyout on that final player option year. It just kicks some of the money down the road a bit. It's a mini form of deferrals, in some ways.

Also, this same thing exists going the other way. Why would a player agree to a club option when it's only getting picked up if he proves himself to be worth far more than that option.

It's part of negotiation and part of getting a deal done.
Ted Williams
12:03
Can Bohm and Kemp get us Duran if Bregman doesn't return to Beantown?
Steve Adams
12:03
It cannot
Eric Davis
12:03
If you were the Reds GM and you don't sign Schwaber what would you do to get a bat you desperately need in Cincy?
Steve Adams
12:05
I'd have non-tendered Lux, Moll and Benson, for starters. And I just don't think the contract Pete Alonso will ultimately command is going to be too far beyond the pale for the Reds. Unless he trounces our $110-120MM expectations here at MLBTR, I'd be all over that if I were the Reds
12:07
Ok. I’ve got to call it for the week.

Tim’s mailbag will run tomorrow (I think), and Anthony will have a subscriber chat on Friday. I’m on X @Adams_Steve and Bluesky @adams-steve.bsky.social.

If you want more opinions from the MLBTR team, you can learn about our Front Office subscription package and sign up here. In addition to ad-free viewing on the site and in the app, you’ll get weekly analysis/opinion columns from Anthony Franco and myself, a weekly mailbag column from Tim Dierkes, weekly fantasy baseball chats and columns with Nicklaus Gaut (during the season), weekly subscriber-only chats with Anthony and with me (where your odds of getting a question answered are much higher), extra insight from Darragh McDonald, access to our Contract Tracker (a vital offseason resource) our Agency Database, our GM Tracker, our Offseason Outlook series and more.

Have a good week, everyone!
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