Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 4/21/26
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Steve Adams
8:07
Good morning! We'll get going at 1pm CT, but as always, feel free to ask questions ahead of time.
12:53
Good afternoon! Let's get started a little arly.
Early, even.
Green Monster
12:54
Any chance someone other than Tanner Scott will pick up all the Dodgers’ saves with Diaz going on the IL?
Steve Adams
12:54
I'd imagine Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen get some chances as well
squinky
12:54
Will Hoffman be the jays closer much longer?
Steve Adams
12:54
Lots of early closer questions. I can tell fantasy season is in full swing! Ha
12:55
Hoffman has struck out 45% of the opponents he's faced. I know he had the one really bad outing and another two-run hiccup, but yeah, he's going to hold onto it as long as he's missing bats anywhere close to this level. He faced four hitters last night and fanned three of them in a scoreless frame.
Spencer Arrighetti
12:55
Can I be an "ace" while Hunter Brown is out?
Steve Adams
12:57
They don't even need him to be an ace -- they just need someone (multiple someones) to be passable, credible starters.

I don't think Arrighetti has the command to consistently perform like a mid-rotation arm, and it's a little worrying that his velo's down a bit. He's a fourth/fifth starter at best for me, but even consistent fouth starter production would be big for Houston right now
David
12:57
Cade Horton will be out for about 16 months following Tommy John surgery. Will this affect his timeline for becoming arbitration eligible and then a free agent?
Steve Adams
12:58
No, he'll accrue service time on the major league injured list that whole time.
Boys in Blue
12:58
If they could all get and stay healthy, which TWO are must keepers and which two are likely trade bait? Gavin Stone, Emmet Sheehan, River Ryan, Roki Sasaki, Landon Knack, Justin Wrobleski, Bobby Miller
Steve Adams
1:00
Sheehan and Roki. I know the latter has struggled, but we saw the bullpen upside last October and the raw stuff/talent is the highest of the bunch.

You can take your pick of the others ... I like Wrobleski well enough but he lacks the ceiling of a Sasaki or Sheehan. I have minimal faith in Stone staying healthy. I don't think you're getting much/anything for Miller at this point.
ZacharyA
1:01
What's a small-ticket item you'd personally like to see in the next CBA?
Steve Adams
1:01
All draft picks eligible to be traded
1:02
Does that count as small-ticket? I suppose relative to the salary cap/floor or an international draft, it feels "small"-ish? Maybe that's too large, but it's so silly to me that it's not allowed.
Dunk
1:03
I understand the importance of the Cardinals rebuild, but if they remain in contention through the summer I’d be extremely disappointed if the team continues to dump players like Riley O’Brien at the deadline. As a fan, to watch a club fight for the playoffs all summer long, only for the front office to tank those chances for a couple of lottery ticket prospects would feel like a waste of my time. Especially with a lockout looming. I doubt I’m the only one that would find it hard to return as a fan if I spend a summer rooting for a club only to have the FO ruin my fall.
Steve Adams
1:06
I just don't think the Cardinals have anywhere near the pitching for this to be a consideration in a few months. The rotation's strikeout rate is around 14.5%, which feels almost impossibly low in today's game.

I feel like if they somehow managed to hang around in contention, the likelier play would be to shop impending free agents but hang onto potentially longer-term pieces like O'Brien (although he's already 31, so if they sold high, eh ... I'd get it)
Braden Shewmake
1:07
Why did the Astros trade for me?
Steve Adams
1:07
They have two shortstops on the injured list and just need a placeholder. I wouldn't read much into it beyond that.
Angels fan
1:08
Are we really considering trading Soriano
Steve Adams
1:09
They should be open to it this summer, but they almost certainly won't be. Arte Moreno has never green-lit that sort of future-looking move (hence the near-perennially bottom-of-the-league farm system).
CBA-Braves
1:09
what are the chances we get a salary floor? Chances we get a salary cap? (percentages) - If the owners are fully on board with not moving off salary cap demands then how long with the lockout last? your best guess at least
Steve Adams
1:11
I have consistently said in these, and still firmly believe, there won't be any games missed, nor will a cap/floor system be implemented.

I don't think ownership would shoot itself in the collective foot with business booming, national streaming/broadcast rights deals up in 2028 and expansion possibly on the horizon now that the A's stadium situation seems resolved (and perhaps with TB trending in that direction, though I remain skeptical there).
Giants fan
1:11
If you can count out the Cards despite having a winning record in April, can you count out the Giants in April with their losing record?
Steve Adams
1:11
I didn't pick the Giants to make the playoffs and do not have regrets about doing so
1:12
Poorly worded -- haha ... no regrets on choosing them to miss the postseason
Guardians of the Galaxy
1:12
Juan Brito has been struggling and his defense has been substandard. Do you see Cleveland bring up Bazzana for a cup of coffee before Arias returns or will they keep him in Columbus until he hits so much that he cannot be held back anymore?
Steve Adams
1:16
I don't understand why Bazzana isn't already up. Neither Arias nor Rocchio has ever hit an ounce. (Well, Arias finally did in his 80 PA or so before getting hurt this year, but I'm not buying it as sustainable, given his 59% contact rate)

My only assumption is that Cleveland is content to keep him down, make sure they get the seventh year of control, and are willing to punt any possible PPI benefits in pursuit of that goal. That didn't stop them from carrying DeLauter, but it's still the only logical explanation I can really see.
Mickey Scales
1:17
Dana Brown was in Atlanta's front office when they drafted Shewmake, FWIW.
Steve Adams
1:17
I'm aware. Might have played a small role in it, but probably not a major one. He didn't rush to claim Jared Shuster or anything when the Cards DFA'ed him, haha.
Next CBA
1:18
Can they please remove the DH from both leagues and let the pitchers hit for themselves again? I'd love a return to old school baseball.
Steve Adams
1:19
Won't happen, and I personally wouldn't want it to. I have no desire to watch a bunch of dudes hit .140 and probably break their fingers trying to bunt the 98-102mph filth that permeates today's game.
Brealow
1:20
I should bring back Lucas G huh?
Steve Adams
1:23
I don't think it's all that necessary, and I think the ship has to an extent sailed anyhow.

Red Sox have Crochet, Suarez, Early and Bello locked into spots right now. Obviously Bello/Crochet have struggled (really just the one start for Crochet), but I don't have major long-term concerns in either direction. Sonny Gray's hamstring thing doesn't sound all that serious. Payton Tolle, Jake Bennett and Tyler Uberstine are on the 40 in AAA.

Signing Giolito pushes the Sox more than halfway toward to the third luxury tax tier, and he'd need several weeks to ramp up in the minors anyhow. Gray might be back by that point.

There are other teams with more concrete needs.
FanBoy
1:23
Much has been made about Lucas Giolito still being available, but are you surprised that Tyler Anderson is still available & hasn’t signed a contract of any kind?
Steve Adams
1:25
36 years old, averages 89ish on his fastball, doesn't miss bats. It's not a profile teams care for these days. He's also coming off a three-year, $40MM deal and has earned more than $55MM in his career overall. He might not want to sign for $2-3MM when he has a family and already has more money than he'll probably ever spend.
Aaron
1:26
With all the pitchers the Yankees currently have (high end: Cole, Fried, Rodon - potential: Schlittler, Gil, Weathers, Schmidt, Warren - top prospects: Lagrange, Rodriguez) will the Yankees use it as an excuse not to pursue Tarik Skubal?
Steve Adams
1:29
I'd be surprised if they're not in on him. They have around $60MM in salary coming off the books just in free agents, before considering any possible non-tenders or eventual trades. Could easily turn and try to condense some of that younger pitching into help elsewhere on the roster, or just preserve all the depth since they know they'll need a lot of it anyway. I'd expect pretty much every big-market, high-payroll club to be on Skubal to an extent next winter.
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