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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 6/21/22
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Sid
2:00
Could Dansby Swanson be hitting his peak? If I were Miami or Oakland I'd think about trying to sign him to a long deal this off season and hope he outperforms it. Crazy?
Steve Adams
2:02
He doesn't walk a ton and his strikeouts are at an all-time high. He's BABIP'ing something like 70-80 points above his career level. Swanson is still a good player and is obviously having his best year, but I don't think any team is going to suddenly buy him as a .300 hitter.

He'll still get a nice multi-year contract this offseason though. The glove is good, he has above-average power, and he's never been a zero with the bat or anything (Well, maybe in his first full season, but teams aren't looking back that far and giving it any real weight).
2:03
Swanson will also play all of next year at 29, which helps his free-agent stock a good bit.
As for the specific teams you mentioned, I think he'll be well out of the Marlins/A's price range.
Mike Elias
2:04
Should I consider trading Jorge Lopez?
Steve Adams
2:05
(Elias is the Orioles' GM)

Yeah -- definitely. Reliever performance is volatile as hell on a year-to-year basis, and Lopez is only controlled through 2024 anyway. I don't expect the O's to compete in 2023 either, so holding onto him with the hope that he'll stay healthy and remain effective two years down the line to play a part on an up-and-coming team that still won't be any kind of favorite is silly. You don't trade him for nothing, but absolutely be open to legitimate offers.
2:06
Side note -- it's crazy to me that we're even talking about Lopez as a legitimate trade candidate, but he's looked great. 97-98 with the fastball, GB% over 60. Above-average strikeout rate. Kudos to the O's for sticking with him, and count me among the many who previously wondered why they weren't moving on.
Josh
2:07
How active do you expect the Twins to be at the trade deadline?
Steve Adams
2:08
They need to look at adding pitching help both in the rotation and in the bullpen. You could argue that there are some bench needs at play, but the pitching should be the focus. I think they'll add at least one starter and they should add multiple relievers.
No hitter
2:10
With a couple of near misses this week----have you ever been at a no hitter?
Steve Adams
2:11
Does a high school or college game count? Ha. I've never attended a professional no-hitter, sadly. Been to some near-misses. I thought Mikolas had that against the Pirates last week -- what a brutal way to lose it. And what a rebound last night despite throwing 129 pitches or whatever it was in the no-no bid.
Mikolas is having an outstanding season -- really strong showing from a guy a lot of people had kind of written off after some injuries.
Guest
2:12
Montas, traded and will it be sooner than later?
Steve Adams
2:13
I think it's more or less a lock that he moves, but we just don't see too many early trades of this magnitude. The selling team wants to maximize trade interest by having as many bidders as possible, and there are lots of clubs who aren't sure how aggressive they feel they should be with about six weeks left until the deadline.
Chad Kuhl
2:14
Do you think Bill Schmidt deals me at the deadline? What teams do you see targeting a 5th starter? What type of return?
Steve Adams
2:17
He should. Rockies aren't reaching the playoffs this season. They do weird things, though, and are often averse to selling when it seems like they should. I'd be completely unsurprised if they just signed Kuhl to like a two-year, $16MM extension or something, for instance.

I'm not a huge Chad Kuhl guy, so I don't think the return would be all that impressive. He doesn't miss bats, his command is well below-average, he doesn't keep the ball on the ground and he's giving up a lot of hard contact this year. He's also only reached 100 IP once, as he's been oft-injured.

MLBTR's Anthony Franco is higher on Kuhl than I am, so maybe ask him during his next chat, ha, but I'm not giving up much more than a 40-FV type of prospect to get a couple months of Kuhl.
2:19
That doesn't mean there won't be interest. I'm sure teams like the Cardinals, Twins, Mets and maybe even the Rays are going to be looking around at arms and will see some appeal in a decent performance and low-cost price tag. (Not that price matters to the Mets, but they're already right up against the new luxury barrier, and they're really only going to be looking for arms to patch things over until the hopeful deGrom/Scherzer unveiling)
OttaBTeaching
2:19
I saw Phil Humber's perfect game at SafeCo. Free tickets, too.  M's fans were leaving in the bottom of the 7th, as it looked like they would not win. *sigh*
Steve Adams
2:20
Phil Humber's perfect game is one of my most vivid weird baseball memories. I still remember where I was, who I was with, where we ate dinner, etc. that day because it was just the most out-of-the-blue, insane, random performance ever. I love weird baseball.
Trea Turner
2:20
I'm 29 years old and consistently one of the best MLB hitters/SS today. Its more than fair to say that Seager's 10/325 is my floor...no?
Steve Adams
2:22
Seager got 10/325 in large part because he only turned 28 this past April. Turner will be 30 next June. That's going to be treated as a two-year gap in age, so no, I don't think 10/325 is the floor. I'd call 10 years a ceiling on Turner and don't think he's a lock for $300MM at all because a lot of teams are going to want to stop the bidding around 7-8 years due to his age.
Kirby
2:23
I thought the Correa contract was a master stroke. If they win the division or even the pennant he would have to consider staying right?
Steve Adams
2:23
He'll opt out as long as he's healthy and reasonably productive.
Doesn't mean the relationship is over, but the Twins still probably have to pay $250MM+ to keep him around.
Kim Ng
2:23
Shohei Ohtani for Jazz, Meyer, and Perez. Who says no?
Steve Adams
2:25
Ohtani's a free agent after the 2023 season. Kim Ng (the Marlins' GM) isn't going to give up 4.5 years of Chisholm and six-plus of Max Meyer and Eury Perez to acquire Ohtani when she knows there's no way ownership will sign him long term.

And from a pure PR perspective, I can't imagine the Angels moving Ohtani, even if it got them a bonkers return like that. (And that would be an insane return)

Both teams probably say no, ha.
Sean Newcomb
2:25
There is no way I elect free agency, right? If no one wants to claim me at my salary why would I give up my salary to hit the free agent market?
Steve Adams
2:26
I can't remember a 3- or 4-plus player clearing waivers and forgoing the remainder of their salary. I'm sure it's happened on rare occasion, but yeah, I'd be pretty stunned if Newcomb elected FA
David Robertson
2:26
I'd be a good fit back in The Bronx.
Steve Adams
2:26
He'd be a good fit in pretty much any contending team's bullpen.
John
2:27
Team with a brighter future: Pirates or Orioles
Steve Adams
2:28
The Orioles have shown in the past that they'll spend at competitive levels. The Pirates have not. So you can argue over which club has a better farm -- they're both very good -- but only one team has a realistic chance to spend $130-150MM to supplement that farm system with big league talent. That gives the nod to the O's, for me.
PSA
2:28
Shohei Ohtani is NOT being traded.                                                   ... the more you know....
Steve Adams
2:28
This, pretty much.
2:30
I've gotten a huge volume of Shohei trade questions, so I can only assume there's some trending "WHAT IF..." speculation piece out there or some segment like that on MLBN recently driving that hype. It's not really worth speculating about to me.
Mr Red
2:30
Most likely to be traded by Cincy in order of definitely to maybe to notta?
Steve Adams
2:30
Drury, Naquin, Castillo, Pham, Mahle?
POLL
2:31
WE STILL WANT A POLL
Steve Adams
2:31
Do you REALLY want a poll?
Sure do. (20.9% | 29 votes)
 
Nah. (28.8% | 40 votes)
 
I'll need some time to reflect on it. (29.5% | 41 votes)
 
Why are you the way that you are? (20.9% | 29 votes)
 
Total Votes: 139
Dylan
2:32
shouldnt the cubs trade Hendricks?
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