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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 8/12/25
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Steve Adams
8:36
Good morning! We'll get going at 1pm CT, but as always, feel free to submit questions ahead of time.
12:44
Good afternoon! Quiet day and I'm finished eating lunch, so let's get underway early.
Piratus maximus
12:44
What is Pittsburgh doing?  Trading Hayes looks like starting over. Will Cruz still be around when they're competitive again?
Steve Adams
12:45
I don't think dumping the rest of an unwanted Hayes contract constitutes starting over. If they traded Paul Skenes, that would've been starting over.

Cruz only has three years of club control after this one, and I don't expect the Bucs to compete in 2026, so I'd lean toward him being traded before the Pirates are genuinely competitive again, though.
He Hate Me
12:45
So, just saving money this off-season and still trying to compete in 2026? Or do the Twins enact a full tear-down, including trades of cost-controlled talent like Joe Ryan (whose value could plummet with an injury in 2026)?
Steve Adams
12:46
I don't think we can really know which direction they'll go until their sale process has been completed. If they don't have a new owner in place -- or at least an agreement with a buyer -- by the offseason, I'd expect each of Joe Ryan, Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach and Bailey Ober (among others) to be kicked around the trade market this winter -- especially the first two.
Frisco Kid
12:46
What are your thoughts about the Giants promoting Bryce Eldridge to the majors?
Steve Adams
12:49
He only has 150ish PAs in AAA and they've been good, not great, with a 32% strikeout rate. I get the frustration with the big league club and the excitement to see the org's top prospect, but a 20-year-old who's K'ing in nearly a third of his Triple-A plate appearances seems like he'd be overmatched in the majors.

Plus, calling him up would mean adding him to the 40-man two years earlier than they need to in order to protect him from the Rule 5. You're eating up a 40-man roster spot for the coming offseason.

Earlier in the year, I thought the Giants would call up Eldridge if they were contending and he was mashing in AAA. I tend to think now that the better move is to wait until 2026. It's not like he's absolutely forcing the issue with dominant play in Sacramento.
Gaurdiansjoe
12:49
How long are we gonna wait to know if we have our starting pitcher (Ortiz) or our all star closer (Classe)? Should we just assume they are both done for the year? For ever? Seems like we should of heard something, hopefully something good.
Steve Adams
12:51
They're on administrative leave until Aug. 31, so I doubt we'll hear anything before then. My guess -- and it is a total guess, just based on how prior league investigations regarding a variety of topics have played out -- is that on 8/31, the league just announces that the leave has been extended through the end of the regular season (or possibly through the World Series), and they'll quietly continue the investigation with an eye toward announcing discipline in the offseason.
Steve Cohen
12:51
Will the Pirates ever call up Bubba Chandler this year?
Steve Adams
12:52
After Aug. 15, players no longer have enough days on the calendar to exhaust their rookie status this year. I'm guessing that on 8/20 or so, Chandler is magically ready for the majors, and he'll then head into '26 in position to break camp on the roster and possibly net the Pirates a draft pick via the Prospect Promotion Incentives, depending on ROY voting.
KevininFla
12:52
Do you believe the Padres will make a serious effort to re-sign Michael King in the offseason?
Steve Adams
12:52
I'd be very surprised if they don't make a real effort, yes. Cease seems likelier to go, between the two
Peace Love & pancakes
12:53
Look ahead to next year for the Brewers --- what might they be seeking in free agency? Do they go with Vaughn at first? Durbin at third? Ortiz at Short? Wait for the middle infield rookies to mature? If they spend any money (always a big if), what night they seek out?
Steve Adams
12:56
I just don't expect them to look to spend all that much. Vaughn has all but staked his claim to the 1B job in 2026 with his absurd turnaround. I could see them looking for some left-side infield help, but there aren't many great options out there in that regard anyhow aside from Bregman or Suarez, I suppose, and the Brewers aren't ponying up for either.

I imagine they'll be open to adding a veteran starter on a one-year deal and they'll look for some bench/bullpen upgrades who won't break the bank. They'll at least listen to offers on Freddy Peralta, since he's only signed one more year and that's just what the Brewers do. But in general, I just wouldn't get your hopes up for a big-money acquisition. It's not how they typically operate, and based on how much success they have every year, I'm not really sure it's how they need to operate.
Joshua
12:57
Thoughts on the Nats starter Brad Lord? He's been a pleasant surprise, do you think he could be a legit #3 starter? Thanks.
Steve Adams
1:00
He's been better than I'd have expected, but it's below-average strikeout levels with good-not-great command and pretty poor chase/swinging-strike rates. A genuine No. 3 mid-rotation arm would surprise me. He feels more like a borderline No. 4/5 guy. He's having a pretty similar season to Mitchell Parker's 2024, granted with a lot more grounders (but also more walks and hit batters)
Free Agency
1:00
Does Zac Gallen get a QO next year? Fair to assume King and Woodruff do, injuries notwithstanding?
Steve Adams
1:00
All three will get qualifying offers.
AJ Preller
1:00
Tell me I’m not dumb enough to Luis Arreaz to a long-term contract…No power, doesn’t walk, below average defense and speed… money could be spent in other places, right?
Steve Adams
1:02
I've gotten a bunch of questions from Padres fans about this, seemingly because one Bleacher Report writer predicted Arraez will get something like six years and $90MM?

I think Arraez's contract will come in at maybe half that -- I find most of that opinion piece's predictions to be pretty unrealistic in one direction or another -- and I don't expect the Padres to be the ones to make a big push to re-sign him.
JV
1:02
Do you think Verlander actually pitches next season? He says he plans to, but the issue would be what team would want him? Posey said at the press conference for JV he hopes to resign him in the offseason. Do you think thats still true?
Steve Adams
1:05
Verlander had a rocky start but has a 4.02 ERA, 20 K% and 7.5 BB% over his past 16 starts. I don't see why teams would think he's incapable of pitching another year. If he wants to pitch, someone will sign him to a one-year deal. It'd probably come in under this year's $15MM salary, but the idea that he's cooked or something feels more like people reacting to his 1-9 record, which is more an indictment on the Giants' roster than on Verlander's ability.
Arodyankees
1:05
Does Trent Grisham get a QO??
Steve Adams
1:07
It'd be defensible, but I lean against it. The Yankees are luxury payors, so they'd only get a pick after the 4th round if he rejected and signed elsewhere. That's not especially great compensation, and they probably don't want Grisham taking up a $22MM salary on day one of the offseason when they already have Judge, Dominguez and Spencer Jones in the outfield mix.
Oz
1:07
The Braves will have $32 million to spend when Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias depart via free agency.  What moves do you think Alex Anthopoulos will make this Winter?
Steve Adams
1:10
That's not really true. I mean, it's true that the $16MM salaries of Ozuna and Iglesias are off the books, but all of that money will be eaten up organically by raises elsewhere on the roster.

Spencer Strider's salary jumps from $4MM to $20MM. Reynaldo Lopez goes from $8MM to $14MM. Jurickson Profar from $12MM to $15MM. (Well, he only got half that salary this year with the suspension, so technically from $6MM to $15MM). Aaron Bummers goes $3.5MM to $9.5MM.

The arb class is small, with several non-tender candidates (Kelenic, Eli White, Dane Dunning, Nick Allen) -- but Dylan Lee will get a raise from just over $1MM to something between $2-3MM as well.
1:11
The Braves have $159MM on next year's books, and that's before picking up options on Chris Sale, Pierce Johnson, Ozzie Albies and Tyler Kinley. That'll bump that $159MM figure to $191MM. ($193MMish, after accounting for Dylan Lee)
1:13
The Braves don't really spend aggressively in free agency anyhow, so I'm not sure it matters a ton. I'd expect them to be more active on the trade market as they look for upgrades at shortstop and perhaps a bat to cycle through the OF/DH
RoxTalks
1:14
Does Cody Bellinger pick up his player option? My gut says yes based on his slightly lackluster batted ball profile, but he's had an above average year at the dish and at multiple positions in the field so I could see him declining it and seeking more on the open market.
Steve Adams
1:14
No chance he picks it up. It's a net $20MM decision for him, and he'll trounce that mark in free agency.
1:15
Bellinger has been an above-average bat for three years now. The injury is behind him. He's playing good defense at multiple spots. He'll be 30 for most of next year. He should pursue -- and will likely find -- something like a five-year deal.
Mets4Life
1:15
What are the chances Mets resign Alonso now that he’s soon to be the franchise’s all time HR leader?
Steve Adams
1:17
The Mets didn't want to sign him long-term last offseason, and I don't see any reason they'd be more excited about doing so now that he's a year older. I expect Alonso to decline his player option, hit the open market (this time without a QO), and sign elsewhere for something like $100-110MM over four years.

If the same cycle plays out, where he goes out seeking a massive deal and is left standing in February, maybe the Mets will circle back with another opt-out deal.
Bobby M
1:18
Adolis Garcia DFA candidate soon? He’s been absolutely brutal this season and the team would be better without him on the roster. He’ll be non tendered so why not see if someone picks up the salary
Steve Adams
1:19
I don't expect him to be DFA, no -- though I wouldn't be totally stunned if they put him on outright waivers later in the month to see if someone will claim him.

I do agree he's a non-tender candidate, but they can run him through waivers without committing to cutting him. If he clears, they can hang onto him and see if he catches fire in September and restores a little trade juice. They're stuck paying him either way, so may as well hang onto him and see if there's any sort of market early in the offseason.
K Dubs
1:19
Do the Phillies promote Crawford after Aug 15?  He absolutely deserves the look; Batting .330 and .416 OBP in 94 games.  And if so, what does the OF look like with Bader, Marsh, Kepler in the mix and heavy on LH hitters?
Steve Adams
1:21
Yeah I expect he'll be up once we get past the 2026 rookie cutoff there, and I imagine the Phillies will just DFA Kepler once they decide to bring Crawford up. It hasn't been a good fit. No one's going to claim the rest of the contract, of course, so he'd be released in that scenario.
romorr
1:22
So after 3 IL visits and a bad year of pitching, what's Eflins market look like? See too many people thinking he still gets 3-4 years @ 20 million+. Seems like the perfect 1 year guy to rebuild value.
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