Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 5/5/26
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat Next Page
This chat is available to members only. Please log in to participate.
Josh
1:40
When a player is on waivers or "on the trade block", how do other teams know? Is there an overarching list/database, or are front offices talking with each other about these transactions?
Steve Adams
1:41
Teams are made aware of every player hitting outright waivers and have 48 hours to decide on placing a claim.

Trade stuff is less formal and more just calling/texting around, that sort of thing.
Ebenezer_Batflip
1:42
What happened to Bo Bichette? He was an elite hit tool guy with huge doubles power, and now he looks very lost.
Steve Adams
1:44
Broken record, but way too many grounders -- in part because he's chasing at a crazy rate. Hit tool is still good. Strikeout rate's below average, and over the past month his K% is like 17. He's hitting .265/.306/.354 over his past 120 PAs, which is bad, but trending up from his terrible start.

Part of me just wonders whether there's an element of trying to do too much and force his way out of not only his own personal slump but the team-wide malaise. He's still hitting the ball hard ... he's just beating 60% of his batted balls into the ground. His GB% is up like 10 to 12 points over last year, last I looked.

I think Bichette's too talented a hitter not to correct things, but it's been about as bad a start to his Mets tenure as you could draw up
City of Angels
1:44
Is Alec Manoah done? His Low A outing looked brutal.
Steve Adams
1:46
I've been out on Manoah for awhile (although despite not being a believer, I still thought the Rox should've claimed him last year when he was on waivers just because the org needs so much pitching depth; ditto the Angels ... but they wound up with him anyhow, and maybe he's showing me now why they passed the first time around)
Cards roost
1:47
Noot is starting a rehab, when ready who's sent down?  Scott?
Steve Adams
1:47
It should be. I get loving the defense, but I have far more faith in Church's ability to be an overall contributor
Jac
1:47
Do you see the Yankees keeping Dominguez in the MLB if he performs - once Stanton returns?
Steve Adams
1:48
Only if another injury opens up an everyday role for him.
Beariner
1:48
My panic level with the Mariners is pretty low. Am I crazy?
Steve Adams
1:48
I don't think so. My panic level with them is also low.
Moises Ballesteros
1:49
Why am I getting no love for ROY? I may lead the NL as a rookie in Batting this year!
Steve Adams
1:49
He has 60-70 fewer plate appearances than Wetherholt and Stewart, and he's not going to provide much defensive value with most of his work coming at DH.

Also, Nolan McLean.
The Goat
1:50
Is Anthony Volpe trade bait or do you see him taking over second base next year?
Steve Adams
1:51
I don't think he's necessarily "trade bait," but I also have to think the Yankees will be open to the idea in a way they would not have been two years ago. Not hard to see him working his way back into the plans still, but yeah, his stock is down quite a ways.
Beano
1:51
1 great start. 1 ok start. 1 bad start - what's the future for JR Ritchie?
Steve Adams
1:54
Long term, he's in that rotation for me. But regarding the immediate future, it wouldn't surprise me to see him optioned with Perez getting some starts or the Braves giving more looks to Fuentes. It all feels pretty fluid, and there's no reason to keep trotting him out there if he's going to struggle like he has his past couple times out.

We'll probably see a revolving door at the end of that rotation for awhile, and I imagine each of Ritchie, Perez and Fuentes is probably going to end up making 10+ starts this season based on how the rest of the group holds up.
Parker Messick
1:54
Am I for real?
Steve Adams
1:55
I don't think he's a 2.40 ERA guy, but I'm absolutely buying him as a legitimate big league starter -- and one who Cleveland should be comfortable trotting out for a playoff start if they get there.
1:56
I would go so far as to say he's the Guardians' best starter
(I'm also just not a big Gavin Williams guy; command is so far from even being average)
Kevin
1:57
Chafin to Cards?
Steve Adams
1:58
Sure, but you could basically plug him in anywhere and I wouldn't blink. He's not going to be expensive, he has some track record. He does seem to prefer midwest teams, given that he has the farm and family up in that region.
KevHead
1:58
Does Owen Cassie get sent down to work on his contact rate? He’s striking out way too much!
Steve Adams
1:59
He's always going to strike out a lot, but yeah, 42% is untenable and if he doesn't turn it around quickly I think he'll be sent down to get back on track.
Allen
2:00
What do the giants do with devers?
Steve Adams
2:00
There's not much they can do. I've said a few times in these chats that I wonder if he's fully healthy. The decline is so sharp, and he had the back injury last summer. If he's healthy and this is what he is now, then  .... yikes.
Murakami
2:01
Good afternoon Steve, at this point he's got a nice lead in the ROY award in the AL.  Give me your opinion on whether or not the Sox will shop him at the deadline, if he keeps up his current trajectory.
Steve Adams
2:03
Depends on how the rest of the team's performing. If they're 8-9 games out of a playoff spot, it'd be malpractice to not listen and see if a team's willing to send them the type of high-end pitching they really need.

But hey, if he's still raking and they just want to extend him long-term to cement him as part of the core, then I applaud that, too. Just pick a lane. Worst-case scenario would be to carry him all season, do another winter full of half-measures, then head into 2027 as a vaguely-trying-to-contend-but-still-sort-of-rebuilding club, then he gets hurt or has a big regression.
Abe
2:04
between Schlittler, Warren, and Weathers, which do you expect to cool off the most?
Steve Adams
2:05
Schlittler's the best of the three. I like Weathers over Warren, but not by a huge margin. I just think Weathers is more capable of sustaining his current strikeout rate.
OhBo...
2:06
Well, you respond as if there's no possible limits to how poor he can be as a hitter.  Bo Naylor has an OPS of .388 (bottom of the AL) and his defensive metrics are only ok this year. While catching is not an easily replaced position, at some point he's going to have to produce something.  The team is at .500...
Steve Adams
2:06
I don't think he should be on the roster at all (sorry, Bo!) -- just saying that the Guardians seem to not care one iota about catcher offense. Hence the constant Hedges re-signings, choosing not to upgrade over Naylor
McGonigle
2:07
But does Murakami have the lead in ROY conversation? Seems like a 4-horse race to me. Messick, McGonigle, Delauter, and Murakami.
Steve Adams
2:08
Yeah I glazed over that more than I should have. McGonigle and Messick are right there. DeLauter's probably a step behind, but he was my preseason pick so he'll obviously go on a tear and win the award outright in a dominant sweep of all 30 first place votes. Naturally.
(Kidding, since I picked him he'll finish like 11th)
Chris Antonetti
2:09
Of Parker Messick, Gavin Williams, Chase DeLauter, and Travis Bazzana, I can only afford to sign two to long-term extensions? Which two?
Steve Adams
2:09
Messick, DeLauter for me. Could see Bazzana, but I don't know, pure 2Bs rarely get paid so he'd have to be an exceptional one. Which he might be! But I am just the high guy on Messick and Delauter in general.
who's on 1st
2:10
could/sould the M's do another "Robbie ray" type trade with Luis Castillo? maybe with.....the Giants?
Connecting…