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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 2/3/26
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Steve Adams
9:03
Good morning! We'll get going at 1pm CT, but feel free to ask questions ahead of time, as always.
1:01
Hello there! Let's get going
Card fan from FL
1:01
cardinals getting 3 prospects  and two  draft picks for Donavan . What's your take on the trade
M
1:01
How do you think the Mariners stack up against the rest of the AL now that they've added Donovan?
Bloomer
1:01
Where will the Cardinals offense come from Steve? This is gonna be a painful long season …..
Steve Adams
1:02
Not surprisingly, probably 50+ questions queued up on yesterday's trade haha. I'll spare you publishing them all and offer some thoughts (while also noting that Darragh and I broke this trade down for about 15 minutes on the episode of the podcast we recorded this morning, so keep an eye/ear out for that tomorrow morning!)
1:04
Donovan is an ideal fit for a Mariners team that has holes at 2B/3B/one corner OF spot and young options at each. He furthers their goal of cutting back on strikeouts/improving contact, and he does so while maintaining the flexibility/agility needed should any of Colt Emerson, Cole Young, Dom Canzone, etc. really show they need everyday ABs early in the season.
1:06
I think the Cards did well. They didn't get a massive, marquee prospect but landed a top-100-ish guy (Cijntje), two recent top-100 draft picks (Peete, Ledbetter) and a pair of top-75 picks in the upcoming draft.

Tai Peete (contact) and Colton Ledbetter (lack of any one true standout tool) both have some red flags but are solid additions to the middle tiers of the system. The picks are nice both for adding talent and giving them the flexibility to be creative if a first-round talent slides due to signability concerns.
1:07
The Rays' side of this is the strangest to me, but I've come around on it. Williamson is a high-floor defender with decent contact skills who can back up at multiple positions. He has multiple minor league options remaining.

Rays gave up a Comp pick for three years of a solid middle reliever (Bryan Baker) last July and another for a glove-first utility guy with decent contact skills this offseason. If you could guarantee a team an immediately usable RP or utility guy at the No. 70 pick, that guy would absolutely be scooped up.
1:08
It's boring to say it works for everyone, but ... I don't have an immediately negative reaction to any angle of the deal.
Dana Brown
1:08
Donovan got that much. What could Paredes get?
Steve Adams
1:09
Probably less. He's more expensive with no real defensive home and such an extreme pull-side, fly-ball approach that team with more spacious left field setups wouldn't find him as valuable as the Astros and Rays did, for instance.

Good player, don't get me wrong, but I think Donovan had more trade value.
Logan and Robbie
1:09
Having Framber behind us makes a ton of sense, right? Right???
Steve Adams
1:11
Framber makes plenty of sense for the Giants. They've also signaled that they don't want to sign a SP long-term this winter -- their owner said as much publicly -- and they also already signed a pair of (much lower upside) veterans in Houser and Mahle.

I will say, the fit was better before the Giants signed Arraez to play 2B. That's going to be a rough defensive left side of the infield for Logan Webb and any other ground-ball pitchers (like Valdez)
Speaking of which!
Confused Giant
1:11
Arraez and Devers on one side of the infield has to be one of the worst defensive pairings in baseball. How many grounders through the infield and missed double plays before Logan Webb asks for a trade? I have to believe he's not getting to 200 innings with the Arraez-Devers defense extending innings. After working to improve the SF defense, is it surprising to see Buster Posey punt on one side of the infield?
Steve Adams
1:14
I will just say that while it sounds like Arraez will get the bulk of the 2B time, he's not going to get all of it. Casey Schmitt can be a late-game upgrade when the Giants are leading. We assume Bryce Eldridge will hit at some point, but will that be right away in '26, as a 21-year-old? Maybe not. And if that's the case, then there are 1B/DH at-bats for Arraez as well.

Could put him at 1B/DH against LHP and give Schmitt's RH bat some extra 2B time on those days. Schmitt struggled against LHP in '25 but was great in a small '24 sample and is about neutral overall. If nothing else, I'd have Schmitt at 2B on days Webb starts just to get the better glove in the infield.
Mike Hazen
1:15
What are the chances of me bringing back Paul Goldschmidt and/or Zac Gallen?
Steve Adams
1:15
Goldy back to AZ makes tons of sense. Gallen feels like he'll be more expensive than they want
Angels
1:16
Any Realistic SP options for us?  Giolito?  Bassit?  Little?  And can they be had on a 1yr deal this late in the offseason?
Steve Adams
1:16
I still think Bassitt gets two. Could see the others as one-year guys. Giolito has said he prefers to sign with a win-now club, though I suppose it remains to be seen if he'll get an offer from one. Littell to the Angels would make sense.
Tommy
1:17
Pirates to send Thomas Harrington and Mitch Jebb to the Astros for Isaac Paredes? Would that be enough to get a deal done?
Steve Adams
1:17
Don't think so
Three Way Ray
1:17
This is the Rays' second three-way deal this offseason.  The first was the Lowe trade. Do they hve a thing for three-ways?
Steve Adams
1:17
Jon Becker from FanGraphs pointed out that the Rays have been involved on six of the past seven three-team trades in MLB. Amazing.
Frank
1:18
Giolito to Detroit?
Steve Adams
1:18
I think they'll come away with someone in the Giolito, Bassitt, Verlander, Nick Martinez tier
Gregg
1:18
Do you think the Nats could sign someone like Hoskins or Goldschmidt this offseason to fill their hole at first base?
Steve Adams
1:20
Either guy works. Ty France, Miguel Andujar, Dom Smith too. Could try to buy low on a guy like Triston Casas (Toboni connection!). Lots of options for them.
John
1:20
Do you think Colt Emerson will be the Mariners' opening day 3b now?
Steve Adams
1:22
He only turned 20 last summer and has still barely played above AA. I don't think so. Could just put Donovan at 3B to start the year, with Cole Young at 2B. Still have Miles Mastrobuoni, Leo Rivas and some other utility types on the 40-man. M's could grab a Gio Urshela or whoever on a minor league deal, too, if Cole Young struggles in camp and they want Donovan at 2B to begin the year.
QUBE
1:22
Any notable RP arms available on the trade market?
Steve Adams
1:23
Cardinals will probably trade JoJo Romero. Rockies are open on some of their guys (Vodnik, Halvorsen, Mejia). Broadly speaking though, I don't think there are a ton of obvious RP trade candidates out there.
tyler7.8
1:24
Miller is not getting traded, correct?
Steve Adams
1:24
Not sure if this means Mason, Bryce or Aiden, but either way -- no, I don't think so. Ha
Tom
1:24
Who’s the best lefty reliever still available via trade/free agency?
Steve Adams
1:24
Danny Coulombe, Justin Wilson, JoJo Romero
Stephen
1:24
You gotta think throwing at his own catcher has hurt Valdez's market at this point right?
Steve Adams
1:25
Not really. I think it's a convenient narrative, but he's been hurt more by the fact that he's a 32-year-old seeking a long-term deal.
Rick
1:25
Are the Braves going to add a SP before spring training starts?
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