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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 6/21/22
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Steve Adams
1:27
Greetings all! We'll get started in one minute here and go for an hour or so.
Feel free to start asking questions now
Dominic Smith
1:28
Will I get another chance to dh as a Met or will I be traded?
Steve Adams
1:29
Barring injury, I don't think he get another full-time look. A trade is likelier to me, unless the Mets don't mind holding onto an expensive depth option. That seems like a reach though -- certainly beyond this year when Smith would be due a modest raise in arbitration.

J.D. Davis is a better hitter than his numbers indicate -- much better -- and is, in my view, a better hitter than Smith. (That's more praise for Davis than an indictment on Smith)
1:30
Davis' overall batting line is pretty modest, but he has a 94.1 mph average exit velo and a ridiculous 63% hard-hit rate. He's tattooing the ball, and the numbers should turn around.

I think Smith is a better hitter than we've seen since 2021 but probably not as good he showed in 2019-20.
1:31
The trade value isn't high, but such is life -- and he's a non-tender candidate in the offseason if they don't move him in the next six weeks. A move just feels likely, to me.
Jeb
1:31
Do you see any Pirates getting traded before the deadline?
Steve Adams
1:32
For sure. Quintana's having a nice enough rebound and they have some guys in the 'pen who'll get interest. Stratton's ERA looks like trash now after he gave up 5 without recording an out a couple weeks ago, but he had a 3.63 ERA and even better peripherals prior to that outing. Huge spin rates, too.
I doubt they move Bednar or Reynolds, but teams are going to try.
Longos bat
1:33
Are the Rays approaching “sellers” territory?
Steve Adams
1:33
Five games over .500, half-game back of a Wild Card spot. They're not going to overreact to a 2-8 stretch, even with some injuries.
Melky
1:34
Pablo Lopez to the Cards. Can they do it without giving up any current major leaguers?
Steve Adams
1:35
I don't view Lopez as a likely trade candidate. I know Jim Bowden listed him on his list of SP trade possibilities today, but that was a bit of a strange list and I don't see how trading Lopez right now -- particularly if they're not getting any actual MLB help back -- meshes with the Marlins' clear push to start being more competitive.
1:36
He's controlled two years beyond the current season. If some team wanted to offer them an immediate big league center field option they could control for the next 4-6 years, OK, maybe they start thinking about it ... but I don't see the Cardinals (or most contenders) doing that.
Aaron Hicks
1:36
Who is more likely not yo finish season in the Bronx.. me or Gallo?    What could the Yanks get in return?
Steve Adams
1:36
Gallo's easier to move just because he's a free agent at season's end and has a better track record of recent health and performance. I don't think either brings a real return, Hicks in particular, given the contract.
Who said what
1:37
Outside of Contreras and Robertson  who do you see traded from the Cubs?
Steve Adams
1:39
Mychal Givens and Chris Martin. Some team might want Simmons' glove on the bench.  I can see Norris going even with the ugly ERA. Teams like the stuff and the strikeout rate is impressive.
Plus he's cheap
Moises
1:39
Will Mahle's poor results in Apr/May mean a team gets a better deal on him, or are all MLB teams too smart for that at this point? FIP more than a full run below ERA.
Steve Adams
1:41
So long as they're convinced the stuff remains the same, the mechanics are sound and he's healthy, I don't think it's going to matter that he had a rough April. In general, teams don't care much about the more rudimentary stats when they're evaluating players anymore. Obviously if Mahle were sitting on a 7.00 ERA in July, the Reds might have a hard time extracting huge value for him, but I don't think shorter blips in production do much other than maybe increase the other party's leverage in talks slightly ... if that collection of word soup makes sense, haha.
Neoncactus
1:42
Does Max Muncy have options to AAA?
Steve Adams
1:42
Five-plus years of service and thus cannot be optioned without his consent.
Seth
1:43
Are the Blue Jays allowed to ask for vaccination status in trade negotiations? Would that be part of a pre-trade physical?
Steve Adams
1:43
Sure. They're not just going to be blindly throwing darts and hoping they don't accidentally acquire someone who can't play in home games for them.
Ohtani
1:44
I deserve $40 million plus but if the Angels give it to me, it kills payroll between Trout, Rendon, and myself. Quite the dilemma, yes?
Steve Adams
1:46
Yeah, they're in a weird spot. The Rendon contract was always kind of weird to me, though I loved Rendon at the time of the deal and never could've seen this magnitude of injury implosion and decline coming. Moreno's fixation on signing big-name position players even when his team perennially needs pitching is one of the stranger ownership traits in the sport.
Yankees claimed Albert Abreu off waivers from the Royals -- going to get a quick headline on that up. One second.
Connor⚾️
1:50
Rangers likely buyers or sellers?
Steve Adams
1:51
I expect that they'll sell off some short-term pieces (Matt Moore, Martin Perez for instance) but still be open to acquiring longer-term help for 2023 and beyond.
JD Davis
1:51
Are you worried about that strikeout rate?
Steve Adams
1:52
It's not ideal, but you can be a productive offensive player even in the high 20s/low 30s if you're walking enough and hitting for power.
Tim
1:53
Do the Twins make Duran their closer at some point this season?
Steve Adams
1:54
I would imagine they'll keep mixing and matching. I like that they're willing to use Duran for multiple innings at a time, but doing so is going to render him unavailable occasionally, so Pagan and others (Smith, Jax) will keep mixing in.
Orioles
1:55
Who are we taking first overall in the draft?
Steve Adams
1:55
The Orioles themselves don't know the answer to this question yet. Even if they have a favorite right now -- Druw Jones is oft cited as a likely 1-1 pick -- circumstances surrounding him or other players in the field can change late in the game.
Padres
1:56
Still need an outfielder...Has the field changed on who they should be interested in?
Steve Adams
1:57
It's going to come down to what they can do to alleviate their luxury-tax concerns, unless their strong first half convinces ownership to just say "Screw it" and cross the tax. There's been so much talk about dumping Hosmer/Myers, but neither is likely to happen. If ownership isn't willing to pay the tax, the front office would be better off trading from their big league rotation to free up some salary and add an outfielder -- perhaps in one fell swoop.
Daniel
1:58
Would a guy like Luis Castillo from the Reds make sense for the Rangers?
Steve Adams
2:00
To me that depends if they feel they can extend him. I don't think the Rangers are in a strong enough position for 2023 where they can part with substantial long-term value to basically pick up one year of Castillo.

I'd be looking more toward guys who can be controlled through 2024 at least (and not just pitchers).
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