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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 3/3/26
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Steve Adams
8:43
Good morning! We'll get started at 1pm CT, but feel free to send me questions ahead of time, as always.
1:01
Let's get underway!
All By Metself
1:01
What kind of contract can Skubal be expected to get? Will he clear 10/400?
Steve Adams
1:04
The years depend on who's signing him, I suppose. Some clubs prefer to spread the money over a longer term (Phillies), others are more comfortable with mammoth AAVs on shorter terms (Dodgers, Mets).

I'm going to take the over on 400 right now (probably over a long term, but if the Mets want to offer like some insane $50MM AAV to keep the term down a couple years, not much shocks me at this point)
Jimmy Chop
1:04
Huge O's fan here. I don't know how the Orioles can go into the season with Alonso, Mountcastle, and Mayo -- all right-handed hitters and 1B/DH only types -- on the roster. (Mayo is not a third baseman; I wish he was, but umm, no.) What gives? Send Mayo down to AAA (last option year), trade Mayo, cut Mountcastle (no real trade value)? I suppose, the path of least resistance is to send Mayo down, but goodness the club hasn't been very good to him. Your thoughts good sir. Thank you.
Steve Adams
1:07
I'm still surprised they tendered a contract to Mountcastle. Something feels like it has to give there eventually, but perhaps not immediately. Mayo's going to get a real look at 3B. I know he hasn't looked great there in the past, but it's been a recent focus for him and he'll spend all spring working on it. They don't have great alternatives -- at least not if you want a 3B that can also hit some. If it's a bust, they can try to address it midseason.

For now, I'd assume you've got Alonso and Mayo in the lineup every day. Mayo at 3B regularly, Alonso playing primarily 1B with some occasional DH reps. Mountcastle will get some 1B reps those days. Samuel Basallo will get DH/1B/C reps. It'll be matchup dependent, and I doubt either Basallo or Mountcastle gets true everyday ABs. Blaze Alexander can play some 3B, too, when the O's want to get Jeremiah Jackson into the lineup.

It's messy, but there are probably enough at-bats to go around. Alonso is really the only one who's proven he merits everyday work anyhow
Ruh Roh Renfroe
1:08
Can I take Profar's spot in the Atlanta OF for 2026?
BravesFan
1:08
What options do the Braves have now that Profar has yet again failed a PED test? I'm sure trades at this point are few and far between.
Cards
1:08
Nootbaar to the Braves?
To ATL
1:08
How 'bout that Profar? Oof.
Steve Adams
1:08
Lots and lots of questions along these lines.
1:12
I don't think they need to add a regular outfielder. They already signed Yastrzemski, and they can go Yaz-Harris-Acuna and feel decent about the group. Yaz needs a platoon partner, and as I noted in the post on Profar's suspension, they don't have a good one right now. Eli White and Jorge Mateo hit right-handed but have poor lifetime numbers against lefties.

I immediately wondered whether Andrew McCutchen as a part-time DH/LF might make sense. He could be lifted for White/Mateo late in games (or just serve as a DH against LHP with White starting in LF).

The more pressing need for me is still on the pitching side. I don't know how they look at this windfall and don't use it on Giolito or Littell. This will be a good test of whether they actually just don't think those guys are upgrades (as they've at least indirectly signaled) or whether they just didn't have the funds to sign either prior to Profar's latest buffoonery.
YanksNYC
1:13
Seems like Yanks aren't planning to invest in Chisholm long term. Doesn't it make sense to trade him now, when value is high? They could balance the lineup with a Jazz-for-Nico deal, or trade Jazz to HOU in a three-team deal that nets Paredes. What say you?
Steve Adams
1:15
Hoerner and Jazz are both one-year guys, so not sure that really makes sense. Sending Jazz to Houston and getting Paredes back still leaves the Astros with more infielders than spots to play them.

A lot of fans seem aghast at the idea of a contending team losing a free agent for "only" the draft pick associated with a QO -- hence the incessant Skubal speculation, which has never seemed plausible -- but the Yankees are always in clear win-now mode. Trading Chisholm because he's a free agent in eight months isn't likely to make their 2026 club better
Phils Thine Horn
1:15
Do Phillies actually add a starting pitcher of note or just fringe until Painter is ready?
Steve Adams
1:17
Dave Dombrowkski (their president of  baseball ops) has pretty much said publicly that they're not looking at established guys. They won't have a spot for them once Wheeler is healthy (assuming everyone else avoids injury).

They're more looking for optionable depth types they could acquire, hence the recent minor league deal for Connor Gillispie. I have to think they'll try to add someone who's DFA'ed in a small trade at  some point, but I don't think they're going to sign Giolito, Littell, Tyler Anderson, etc. unless they incur another rotation injury.
Doc Metal
1:17
In what order would you rank these - Eldridge, Condon, Justin Crawford? Thanks!
Steve Adams
1:19
For what? Fantasy? Future value? 2026 impact?

I'd probably err toward Crawford long-term value-wise, just because the floor is higher based on his speed and defense. He's probably the least impactful from a fantasy standpoint though, total upside considered.

Crawford feels likelier to be an average or better big leaguer to me than the other two, but Eldridge has the highest overall ceiling (with less floor because  of his 1B/DH status and more strikeouts).
Rules committe
1:19
should the PED punishments be updated to 1 year for first positive and lifetime ban for second? Seems it’s not enough of a deterrent
Steve Adams
1:20
Based on Profar alone? There's been one other PED suspension in the past year (Jose Alvarado). PED bans have plummeted since the punishments were upped to 80, 162 and lifetime.
1:21
I don't think one guy being a knucklehead means the whole system is a failure.
SoxFan
1:22
Trade idea:  Benintendi to the Braves, White Sox pick up half the remaining contract and the Sox receive a prospect for the OF.  This would help the Braves with DH and LF, say what you will but Benintendi hit 20 HR's the past 2 seasons.
Steve Adams
1:22
Eating half of Benintendi's contract isn't getting anyone to bite on him.
And the Braves already have a LHH OF to step into the Profar void. They signed Mike Yastrzemski early in the winter.
charlie tuna
1:23
Thanks Steve. Who do you think comes in second in the NL West and what was the first CD you ever bought?
Steve Adams
1:23
Padres for me.
Superunknown, by Soundgarden
Incredible record to this day
Ben
1:23
What's your read on Wyatt Langford? Taking a step to superstardom? Or just an above average regular?
Steve Adams
1:26
He's already really, really good. Borderline star level. I'd lean toward stardom -- but maybe not superstardom? Can I take that answer? Haha. I think "superstar" is reserved for like ... Ohtani, Judge, Skubal, etc. But Langford also seems like he's going to be better than the "above-average regular" moniker.

Multi-time All-Star, a handful of seasons with some down-ballot MVP votes, but not a perennial MVP contender?

I suppose everyone's description of that outcome is going to vary, so let's just say I think Langford's already very, very good and going to be great.
Sam
1:27
Littell and Giolito wait to sign after Opening Day at this point? Or do you think they find homes before then?
Steve Adams
1:27
I think they'll sign before then. I'd be surprised if they're out there more than a week at this point.
Paredes
1:28
Are the Astros really going to sit on Paredes, and will it really just take a left-handed OF to snag him? Griffin Conine come on down....
Steve Adams
1:28
I don't think they're going to move him for the first LHH OF someone offers up, haha. No disrespect to Conine, but that trade isn't happening.
1:29
If the goal were to just get ANY lefty hitting OF, the move would've been made by now. I lean toward a spring trade, but I also think the logjam/surplus narrative is overstated. When was the last time Yordan Alvarez and Carlos Correa stayed healthy for months at a time?
1:31
One injury and the whole thing is pretty smoothly worked out. I'm sure Paredes would prefer to have an everyday role, which is understandable, but I don't think it's some sort of disaster if they have all these veterans heading into the season. The "it'll work itself out" cliche probably sounds tired to Houston fans who want to see a move come together, but it's a cliche for a reason! It probably will work itself out. Dudes get hurt a lot -- especially Yordan, unfortunately :(

(Said both as a fan of dudes who hit giant home runs and someone who owned Alvarez for years in a now-defunct keeper league haha)
Jays in 43 MLB parks
1:31
Who would want Berrios or do Jays wait until a team has a significant starter go down for the year?
Steve Adams
1:32
No one's taking the 3/66 left on his deal. They're "stuck" with him. (Which isn't necessarily all that bad .... he's still a decent pitcher, just not a $22MM-per-for-three-years pitcher)
Brian
1:33
Any sleeper picks this year?  Miami?  Pittsburgh?  My Orioles should be much better......
Steve Adams
1:34
I'm not sure the Pirates count as one since they've had a decent offseason and have all that vaunted young pitching, but they're a decent one. Can I count the A's?
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