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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 6/24/25
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Steve Adams
8:39
Good morning! I'll get going at 1pm, but feel free to send in questions sooner than that if you like.
1:01
Greetings!
Let's get underway
Oz
1:02
I don’t see any chance that the Braves can overtake 5 clubs currently ahead of them in the standings to qualify for the postseason, especially in view of the injury to Chris Sale.  If they decide to be sellers at the trade deadline, who are their most marketable assets?
Steve Adams
1:03
Marcell Ozuna, Aaron Bummer, Pierce Johnson. Raisel Iglesias if he gets right between now and July 31. President Alex Anthopoulos sure doesn't sound like someone who's keen on a mass sell-off, so even trading Johnson and Bummer with their affordable options might be deemed a bridge too far, but reliever performance is volatile and teams overpay for bullpen help every deadline.
Nolan Arenado
1:03
Will Yanks, Astros, LAD, or Mets be interested in pursuing me this trade deadline? My defense is still superb, and while I had a down May, my April and June have OPS+'s of over 110
Steve Adams
1:04
Astros won't go over the CBT. Yankees, Mets and Dodgers would pay a 110% tax on Arenado's continued offensive decline. He's just not worth his current contract -- especially not for a top luxury offender -- and he has the full no-trade to boot.
1:05
He's not even an upgrade in L.A. over Muncy (raking since late April) or Paredes (great all year). Suppose you could play Paredes at 2B, but again, owner Jim Crane doesn't want to cross the CBT line
Artie moreno
1:05
Will we see Kyren Paris again this year. What does he need to do
Steve Adams
1:07
Paris had a crazy start to the season but had terrible contact rates even when he was hot. It never felt sustainable. His contact rate since being sent to AAA is better than it was in the majors with the Angels but also worse than it was in AAA last year. I just don't think he has the hit tool to be a big league regular, even though the power/speed combo is obviously tantalizing
Trader Jerry
1:08
Montes, Ford + 1 FOR Naylor & Suarez + $  WHO SAYS NO?
Steve Adams
1:08
Can't see the Mariners giving up that much for a pair of rentals.
Kevin Gregg
1:08
Suarez + Gallen for Caisie?
Steve Adams
1:09
Same here ... Caissie is a steep ask for two rentals. Gallen isn't even pitching well.
Optimistic Ms Guy
1:09
If u had to pick between o’hearn or naylor…. Who’s the better fit for us?
Steve Adams
1:10
O'Hearn is the bigger upgrade to the lineup, but he'll cost more, too. That's not a knock on Naylor, who's also quite good and would be a pronounced upgrade in Seattle -- ROH is just having himself a moment in 2025.
Ray
1:10
Is Casey Schmidt the best fit at 2B for the Giants once Matt Chapman is back at 3B, especially with Tyler Fitzgerald losing his spot, or will they look to add further before the deadline?
Steve Adams
1:13
I think they'll be open to further additions at 2B. Doesn't necessarily have to be long-term since I'm sure they still hope Fitzgerald can be that (and because the offseason will have ample options to peruse at 2B, as always). Brandon Lowe, Willi Castro perhaps, Luis Urias -- there'll be some names, not all of them sexy, who could be had as a 2B alternative.
Dr. Mantis Tobogan
1:14
Which CBT-never-payor (AZ, BAL, CIN, CLE, COL, KC, MIL, A's, PIT, STL, TBR, MIA) will be the next one to pay it for the first time?
Steve Adams
1:15
Ohh, that's fun. The D-backs ran their payroll up to $200MM+ this year, so I'd probably go with them. None of the others seem likely to at any point anytime soon, but the Cardinals have at least pushed to the $175MM range, so I would take them -- certainly over the Reds, Guards, Royals, Brewers, A's, Pirates, Marlins.
1:16
Twins are up for sale, too, so who knows if they end up with an owner with deep enough pockets. Hard to imagine and wouldn't be anytime soon, but I don't think it'll happen anytime soon for any of these teams.
Jeimer Candalario
1:16
Do I get another chance in the majors and with who? I wasn’t expecting DFA.
Steve Adams
1:17
Oh yeah, someone will pick him up once he clears release waivers and is a free agent.
1:18
Yankees, Tigers, Brewers, Twins could all use some other options in the infield. Back to the Cubs to see if he can recapture something there again doesn't seem completely outlandish.
Paul
1:19
Roki Sasaki for MacKenzie Gore: who says no? Seems like this could truly be a win-win for both teams.
Steve Adams
1:21
It's a fun question. I may be in the minority here, but I wouldn't trade Gore for Sasaki. Touted as he is, Sasaki is almost completely untested against MLB lineups and is currently on the 60-day IL. He also had a notable injury history in Japan. MacKenzie Gore is among the best young pitchers in the league right now and has 2.5 years of club control remaining. At least in a straight-up swap, the Nats would have to ask for more.
NotBob
1:21
Could Failter bring back a top 100 prospect?
Steve Adams
1:21
No, Bailey Falter isn't going to get that kind of return
John
1:21
Do you believe the Rays will trade a starting pitcher for more offense with Boyle most likely ready to step into a starting role with the big league team
Steve Adams
1:23
Both Joe Boyle and Ian Seymour are shoving in Triple-A. I think Zack Littell stands as one of the likelier trade candidates in the game, but he's not having a great year and probably won't bring much in return. Would be far, far more interesting if Tampa Bay sold high on Drew Rasmussen, whose contract is hugely valuable and could thus probably net them a pretty major return.

Rasmussen is great, but workload and health are always going to be concerns and the Rays have the pitching to absorb that loss (especially since there'd probably be some kind of pitching prospect of note coming back in the deal).
Dana Brown
1:23
I have Yordon coming back soon do I go get another left handed bat or a starting pitcher?
Prospect Hunter
1:23
Rank the following prospects based on their next 3 years:  Chase Burns, Bubba Chandler, Andrew Painter, Travis Sykora
Steve Adams
1:23
Oops, didn't mean to double-publish there, but I'll do both (in order)
1:26
Brown said two days ago that a LH bat is his "big issue" and that he's exploring various avenues:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/astros-trade-rumors-left-handed...

That's the big one. The rotation question is contingent on the rehab processes of guys like Spencer Arrighetti, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers, J.P. France, etc. -- as Chandler Rome suggested in his recent Mailbag piece:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6446390/2025/06/24/astros-trade-deadl...

I think SP is on the back-burner with so many arms on the mend, but further injuries between now and July 31 could impact that.

Also have to consider payroll. Houston is about $5.5MM from the CBT threshold and, again, Crane doesn't want to pay the tax.
1:27
On the prospects, I would go Chandler, Burns, Painter, Sykora -- but I am not someone who is paid to specialize in evaluating prospects, so take that with a grain of salt.

A lot of people might say Painter has the highest ceiling, but with a notable injury like this already under his belt, I'd dip him beneath Bubba and Burns.

You can promote Bubba anytime now, Pirates.
SoCal Southsiders
1:28
What would a Zach Neto extension look like?
Steve Adams
Perry
1:28
What would it take to get German Marquez? I know it’s not a sexy pick up. But he could help the back end of of the rotation.
Steve Adams
1:29
Yeah, I don't think the asking price could be all that high -- couple of 40-FV (future value) type prospects. Typically those guys fall in the 10 to 20 range of a team's farm rankings, depending on depth of the system of course.
Nats Guy
1:29
What would a James Wood or MacKenzie Gore extension look like?
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