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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 3/17/26
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Steve Adams
8:34
Greetings! Happy Tuesday / St. Patrick's Day / WBC final! I'll get going at 1pm, but feel free to start sending in questions ahead of time if you prefer.
1:00
Hello!
Let's begin
Lucas Giolito
1:00
What date do I have to wait until so I don't have draft pick compensation attached?
Steve Adams
1:00
He didn't receive a qualifying offer. He's not attached to draft pick compensation.
Silky Johnson
1:00
McGonigle can’t NOT make the opening day roster at this point, right?!?!
Steve Adams
1:01
Darragh and I discussed this on the podcast episode we recorded this morning, which will drop tomorrow. But in short, yeah, at this point I'm fully expecting it. He's been so good at every stop, including MLB spring training. There are no clear roadblocks to playing time for him. The Tigers are all in on 2026. I'll be very surprised if he's not the Opening Day SS.
MattStats5
1:02
Thanks for doing these chats, Steve. Are the Orioles really going to carry four 1B/DH (counting Mayo once Westburg returns) into Opening Day, or is a trade more likely?  A few teams have 1B/DH at-bats available, making Mountcastle a nice trade chip.
Steve Adams
1:03
I don't really agree all that much that Mountcastle is a nice trade chip. I mean, I'm sure there'd be some modest interest if they shopped him, but RHH first basemen are about the least valued position in the game, he's making decent money, and he's coming off a down/injury-marred year.

I have no doubt that some clubs would happily plug him into a 1B/DH role, but probably not for any particularly interesting return.

Still seems like the eventual odd man out, though. I agree on that much
The Var-show
1:03
Varsho has looked really strong this spring. Do u expect a strong performance with free agency coming up?
Steve Adams
1:05
I expect a strong performance because I think Daulton Varsho is a good baseball player. I don't really buy into the notion that players can will themselves into a big performance ahead of free agency. If they can, someone should've given Zac Gallen the memo!
Guest
1:06
Have you updated your percentage in re Konnor Griffin going north with the Pirates?
Steve Adams
1:06
I don't fully recall what I said last time I was asked, but it's become more likely to me as camp has gone along and at this point I am expecting it.
NO
1:06
Not Mike Vasil :( How much money is he getting paid this season?
Steve Adams
1:06
League minimum is $780K, and he has a year of service, so probably a couple thousand more than that.
Giolito
1:06
Atlanta or San Diego where will I sign?
Steve Adams
1:08
If Giolito were going to sign in Atlanta, it'd have happened by now. And it doesn't seem like the Padres have the money for another big addition, though I suppose they could do some insane mutual option structure where they sign him for like a year and $13MM, with only $2MM coming in 2026 salary plus an $11MM buyout on a $25MM option or something, just to kick most of the salary down the road by a year.
Guest
1:08
News on Seyia?
Steve Adams
1:09
Cubs haven't divulged the MRI results yet. When they do, we'll have it up quckly.
Guest
1:09
I know Mark spoke on it Sunday, do think Colt Emerson starts at SS for the M’s with JP’s shoulder issue?
Steve Adams
1:12
I don't. There's no indication Crawford is dealing with a significant injury. The MRI was already clean. If he requires any downtime, it's not going to be long. I imagine you'd be looking at Leo Rivas at SS with Miles Mastrobuoni making the club in a utility role, something like that.

If the Mariners surprisingly announce there's a more serious injury at play for JPC, then perhaps, but I don't think Crawford missing two to three weeks prompts them to break the glass on Emerson, who's still only 20 and only has 40 games over A-ball under his belt.
Tauchman
1:12
Is he opting out and who gets him if so?  Sneaky pick up for a team if he becomes available?
Steve Adams
1:14
He should absolutely opt out if the Mets aren't going to carry him. They've not yet made that call.

I was surprised both to see Tauchman non-tendered and settle for a minor league deal. Astros seem like the easiest fit if he opts out, but I think Tauchman would be a nice affordable upgrade for most clubs. Good player -- the market clearly doesn't love him though.
Walter
1:14
If Wetherholt and Griffin do make their MLB debut on Opening Day, How much pressure is their for Bazzana and Condon to make their debuts in 26?
Steve Adams
1:16
The Rockies and Guardians aren't going to rush Condon or Bazzana to the majors before they think either is ready just because others from the top end of the 2024 draft are already in the majors.

Fwiw, I'd be borderline shocked at this point if the Cardinals send Wetherholt down. Griffin feels likelier than not to me. Bazzana would've been defensible, and I bet the Guardians don't wait too terribly long. Condon just isn't as far along or ready as the other three, and the Rockies have zero incentive to rush him when they're going to lose 100 games anyhow.
Best free agent
1:16
Outside of Giolito, who is the best free agent still remaining?
Steve Adams
1:16
Michael Kopech?
Murph
1:17
Who takes the 4th outfielder spot for San fran?
Steve Adams
1:17
I assume Luis Matos, since he's out of minor league options and outperforming Drew Gilbert (who has options remaining)
Reds Fan Here
1:17
A solid bounce back year for Matt McLain in 2026!  Looking very good in Spring Training.  What other young Reds do you anticipate having a solid 2026?
Steve Adams
1:20
He looks outstanding this spring. I don't care about the .500 average really; we're talking all of 43 plate appearances. I do care more about the greater number of walks than strikeouts, the sky-high Statcast numbers (93.6 mph EV, 58% hard-hit) ... still a tiny sample, of course, but those things are harder to fake. His chase rate off the plate is way down, contact in the zone way up.

McLain looked great as a rookie before he ruined his shoulder. I wouldn't expect some kind of MVP-level season out of him or anything, but he seems healthy now -- and if he's healthy, I expect him to hit.

Terry Francona already said he's going to bat McLain second this year, so it sure seems like the Reds are convinced he's back to 100%. Hard not to be with how he's played. Really encouraging spring for Cincinnati fans.
314
1:21
Nelson Velasquez making opening day roster?
Steve Adams
1:22
Cardinals beat seems to think so. Not hard to see why with how he's hit and their oft-stated goal of adding a RHH outfielder (which they never did beyond minor league signings like this)
Ross Gload
1:23
Does Bazzana really need more experience in AAA, or is this just service time manipulation? The Guards need all the offensive help they can get, so it will be key to put their best hitters on the major league roster such as him and Delauter.
Steve Adams
1:25
I imagine they genuinely think it'd benefit him. They're going to carry DeLauter, as you said. If it were pure ST shenanigans, they could send him down, too.

I'm surprised he's not at least sticking around until the end of camp though. More surprised that the Guardians continue to think Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio is a tenable middle infield / that they did literally nothing to improve the offense this winter.
RoxTalks
1:25
Not that I think Condon should be up at all costs by Opening Day, but I think he will be in Denver in '26. He posted a 131 wRC+ in the minors last year and a 187 mark in 18 games in ST. I know he stuck out 26% of the time in '25, but hes cut that down to 19% in ST and is drawing walks at solid clips across A, AA, and ST. Just for fun, he's also slugging north of .700 this spring (in like 40 PA).
Steve Adams
1:27
Certainly could be. But he also K'ed at a 28.5% clip in AA. Also doesn't need to be added to the 40-man to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft before the 2027-28 offseason, so they could keep him down all season and have him break camp in '27 as a potential PPI generator.
Bondora
1:27
Who do you think will have the worst rotation in the league this year? Im thinking cardinals or White Sox…
Steve Adams
1:28
Nats, Rockies and Angels are all worse than those two, for me.
Guest
1:28
Is Moises Ballesteros still eligible for rookie status this season?
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