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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 6/17/25
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Steve Adams
1:33
I don't think one has immeasurably higher value than the other. I doubt there's even a consensus about who's the better/more valuable Pirates reliever around the league's other 29 teams.

Santana's swinging-strike rate has been higher, but he's been around the plate so much that he hasn't piled up strikeouts like you'd expect based on the raw bat-missing numbers. Bednar has been an absolute monster since returning from the brief AAA sojourn.

I think both will be in demand, both can generate legitimately decent-to-good returns, and both will ultimately be traded.

In a vacuum, I'd probably prefer Bednar myself, but there's a big gap in salary ($5.9MM for Bednar to $1.4MM for Santana) that'll probably push some teams to value Santana more highly even if they share my view that Bednar is the more impactful arm.
Pope Donn Pall
1:34
What are the chances the White Sox move someone out of their rotation (besides Houser) and what's a reasonable return to expect? Could the Dodgers 1st round competitive balance pick be on the table?
Steve Adams
1:36
They only signed Adrian Houser and acquired Aaron Civale to trade those guys. They're both free agents at season's end. I think they'll both be flipped, though neither is going to fetch an overwhelming haul.

The Dodgers technically have two picks in the Competitive Balance round, since their top pick was dropped by 10 spots for crossing into the third luxury tax tier, but that's not a real Competitive Balance pick and cannot be traded. Their other, the one they got from the Reds in the Gavin Lux deal, is also ineligible to be traded. Comp Balance picks can only be traded once (by the team to which the pick was initially awarded)
Mike
1:37
Do you see the Diamondbacks as sellers? any chance my Yankees can get Eugenio Suarez for 3B? They seem to be in a collective slump
Steve Adams
1:39
D-backs are another team that's not going to decide on their deadline direction any time soon, but if I were to guess which way they go right now, I'd say closer to a seller (but not a full tear-down). Honestly, even if they're in the exact same spot on deadline day that they are right now -- game over .500, 3 back in the Wild Card race -- I think they should be open to moving Suarez and getting everyday at-bats at third for Jordan Lawlar.
John
1:39
Ryan Mcmahon for Harry Ford? Who says no?
Steve Adams
1:39
Mariners aren't giving up Ford there, and the Rockies probably won't even move him because ... Rockies.
Alex
1:41
Other than Chris Sale, who could the Braves shop for value? At last year's trade deadline, I thought they should consider dangling both Fried and Iglesias, but it's hard to imagine Iglesias having much value right now, and Ozuna is an aging DH with a balky hip and a .522 OPS in June.
Steve Adams
1:44
I think they absolutely should listen on Sale -- as Anthony explored last week:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/should-the-braves-consider-offe...

Other than him, there's Ozuna (who'd fetch some interest even with a recent slump), Pierce Johnson and Aaron Bummer. Both Johnson and Bummer are good relievers, and losing them stings, but they're 30-something relief pitchers signed for relatively notable salaries in 2026. You only need to look at Raisel Iglesias (whose struggles you've already referenced) to remember how volatile and fickle relievers are on a year-to-year basis.

And with every contender on the hunt for bullpen arms, both Bummer and Johnson would have some real value.
Dan
1:44
Will draft pick trading be on the table in the next cba talks?
Steve Adams
1:45
I wish, but it just doesn't seem like a pressing issue for the two sides to discuss. I think it's silly that it's not allowed, but I've been on that soapbox for 15 years now, and neither the league nor the MLBPA has invited me to negotiate at the table. Rude, honestly.
Devers SFO
1:45
Do I decide to play First or third base for the Giants now? If I do does that make me look bad for not agreeing to it for Boston?
Steve Adams
1:46
I think he's just their DH. Chapman is signed through 2030. Bryce Eldridge, their top prospect, is a first baseman who'll probably debut late this summer.
1:47
Maybe Devers gets a 3B cameo while Chapman's on the injured list, but there's no long-term fit with the current group unless Eldridge just bombs or they surprisingly trade him.

I expect he's just going to be the DH and be a damn good one at that.
Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose
1:48
I’m asking this as a Cleveland fan who always chuckled at this question when people inevitably ask it around the deadline/offseason, but it seems more likely that Jose could ask for a trade this year. Tell me I’m crazy.
Steve Adams
1:50
He's signed two pretty team-friendly extensions in Cleveland. I'd be surprised if a guy who's twice taken a club-friendly deal -- especially that second one -- suddenly decided he was done there and wanted to be moved.

If he were to move, it feels like an offseason thing for me. (Though I'd have said the same about Devers)
Vienna
1:50
Bryce Eldridge ETA?
Steve Adams
1:51
He hasn't hit at all in his first 10 or 11 AAA games. I doubt he'll be up anytime all that soon, especially with Dom Smith hitting well in a placeholder capaciity.
Brady House
1:51
Future all Star or overhyped?
Steve Adams
1:54
Well, as mentioned earlier, anyone can be an All-Star if their club is winning and the fans get behind them.

I don't think House has the hit tool to be a superstar, but he's made some modest gains from '24 to '25 in terms of his chase rate and swinging-strike rate in AAA. He's still only 22 and is a former No. 11 overall pick with clear power.

If you told me right now that you're an alien from the future and could promise me House makes one or two All-Star teams in his career ... well, I'd have loads and loads of questions for you, but entirely for the former half of that scenario and not the latter.

tl;dr -- Sure, I can buy him making an ASG at some point, but I don't think he's going on an annual basis or anything.
Niles
1:54
Who is the best catcher in baseball?
Steve Adams
1:55
Best catcher in baseball?
Cal Raleigh (28.2% | 35 votes)
 
Cal Raleigh (37.1% | 46 votes)
 
Cal Raleigh (34.7% | 43 votes)
 
Total Votes: 124
True blue brew crew
1:55
Currently, I don't see a wildcard out of the NL central and Cubs look sound.  Would the Brewers move Quintana? Hoskins?  Would the sell high on Freddy Peralta and fill some holes for 2026?  It all changes if we sweep the Cubs this week.  Go Crew.
Steve Adams
1:59
I do think the Brewers will be open to moving Hoskins and/or Quintana. I thought that before they got Vaughn in the Aaron Civale dump, but with Vaughn and Tyler Black down in AAA, they have a couple alternative options to Hoskins and I know they'd have welcomed the opportunity to shed the Rhys deal in the offseason.

Vaughn obviously needs to hit well enough in AAA to show he even warrants a return to the majors, but a fresh set of voices, more data and a clean slate might work out for him. If not, we'll see how Black hits now that he's healthy in AAA.

And something like the Brewers trading Hoskins, acquiring a cheaper stopgap (someone like Dom Smith) or just plugging Jake Bauers in there really wouldn't surprise me. They're pretty willing to deal from the MLB roster, historically speaking.
2:00
Quintana's a similar story. They have Peralta, Patrick, Henderson, Misiorowski, Priester, Tobias Myers ... Woodruff and Gasser on the mend ... Hall/Ashby in the 'pen.
2:01
Blue Jays just DFA'ed Erik Swanson
Black Ace57
2:01
If you were Dombrowski would your bigger priority be the outfield or the bullpen?
Steve Adams
2:03
Probably the bullpen, if only because the inventory of available relievers will be greater. I wouldn't mind seeing the Phillies get an upgrade in the outfield, but I think they still have the potential to have a decent group out there as constructed. Flawed, sure, but that's easier for me to see -- plus, even adding one marquee bullpen arm can make such a difference in the playoffs.

Realistically, the answer should be "both" though.
2:04
I will at least say this, since I was looking at Max Kepler earlier in today. Outside of a really brutal stretch of about 45 PAs in May, he's been pretty good.

Anyone's better when you take away their biggest slump of the season, but cut out the chunk of games in mid-May where Kepler hit under .100, and he's hitting .250/.338/.483 in just under 200 PAs.
Brent
2:05
What does Skubal’s next contract look like?
Steve Adams
2:06
The largest contract we've ever seen for a pitcher -- assuming he stays healthy (and assuming like ... Paul Skenes doesn't sign an extension before then).

First $400MM starting pitcher if he's healthy and gets to market, which will require a crazy AAV and/or teams breaking contractual norms with regard to starting pitchers, but he's absolutely elite.
2:09
Alrighty, I've got to call it this week. I'm on X @Adams_Steve and Bluesky @adams-steve.bsky.social if you have more questions.

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Thanks everyone! Have a good week.
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