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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 8/12/25
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Steve Adams
1:22
I doubt I'd have predicted much more than 3/66  even with a healthy season. I agree, he's a one-year guy -- maybe two with an opt-out, I suppose.
Steve
1:23
How long are you going to run an ad in between every question and answer? Its terribly annoying and to me is rapidly causing me to skip your chat altogether.
Steve Adams
1:23
Genuinely do not know what you're referencing. There shouldn't be ads in the chat, and no one has ever complained about this before. Send us an email through the contact form with more details?
Bo's Brother
1:24
I know it's a few months away, but what's the ballpark for a Josh Naylor contract this offseason? Will he best Christian Walker' contract? Naylor is a few years younger, but Walker put up better numbers leading into free agency.
Steve Adams
1:25
I think he can top the total guarantee but probably not the AAV. Naylor is a hard one to peg, but in a world where Andrew Benintendi gets $75MM, I'd be looking to match or top that. He's a better hitter who's also hitting the market at an uncommonly young age (as Benintendi did).
Re: Bellinger
1:25
If/when he declines his option, are the Yankees still obligated to pay him the $5 million buyout?
Steve Adams
1:25
Yes
Jonny Venters
1:26
What does a Murakami deal look like?
Steve Adams
1:26
It's too early to tell. He's missed most of the NPB season with an oblique injury and only just returned. I touched on Murakami in the followup to our Power Rankings last week:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/2025-26-mlb-free-agent-power-ra...
Jake
1:27
Have we ever seen a contending team make an acquisition blunder like the Cubs did with Mike Soroka? Velo was trending down on a pitcher who has an injury history and they made the trade anyways?
Steve Adams
1:31
The velo dip was pretty notable, but the Cubs were obviously comfortable enough with their review of his medicals.

I don't think their big blunder was necessarily in acquiring Soroka at all, but rather in having him stand as the only real addition to a rotation that's in glaring need of more help.

The Cubs (and Tigers and several others) seem paralyzed by the notion of giving up top prospects in a trade. The entire industry as a whole -- Padres, Mariners and maybe the Phillies excluded -- seems to be in this boat. Front offices are so protective of prospects that it's reached the point of absurdity, in my view.

The number of guys who've gone from untouchable to sell-low trade chips and eventual DFA fodder is staggering. The MLB front office groupthink regarding prospects is so over the top.
Raz Sox
1:31
Tanner Houck a non-tender?
Steve Adams
1:33
I lean that way. I could see keeping him if he'd been good when healthy and then had the TJS, but he was maybe the worst starter in the league. Obviously, the elbow health (or lack thereof) probably contributed to that, but you'd be tendering him for something like $4.5MM to $5MM knowing he won't pitch next year and knowing he'd command the same salary in arb the following season. If Boston feels Houck's 2027 is worth two years and $9-10MM, I suppose that's defensible. (2024 Houck certainly was, obviously) But a non-tender seems reasonably likely to me.
JErry DIpoto Mind Trick
1:34
the Ms have to make a real effort to sign Naylor, right? He’s a perfect fit and we don’t have any real 1B prospects in the system
Steve Adams
1:36
I'm sure they'll make some effort, but I don't know that the lack of high-end 1B prospects in their system means much. The free agent market this year will have Ryan O'Hearn, Pete Alonso, Paul Goldschmidt, Rhys Hoskins, Luis Arraez and, of course, Naylor. Trade market could have Nate Lowe, Ryan Mountcastle, Triston Casas, Alec Burleson and others.
So sure, if they like Naylor well enough, absolutely make a run at keeping him. But I don't think it's any sort of colossal misstep if they decide they don't want to go 4-5 years on him and pivot to something shorter-term.
Mountcastle
1:37
Mountcastle and Mayo for Luis Robert.  Who says no?
Steve Adams
1:37
Baltimore
Mike
1:38
Yanks offer weaver 3-45 with a player option for another 12 right now weaver take it?
Steve Adams
1:39
That's not a 3-year, $45MM offer. That's a 4-year, $57MM offer with the final season being a player option. If they offer that, yes, Weaver should take it.
Ben and Jerry Rice cream
1:39
Why are top 100 lists sleeping on Dakota Jorden ? He's got Major league talent and is kicking butt
Steve Adams
1:40
He's hitting well as a former college player playing against younger opponents in Low-A and still K'ing at a 23% clip. He struck out a ton in college. He's striking out a lot considering the opposition he's facing, too.
1:41
An NCAA player who's more than a year removed from being drafted within the first four rounds should be beating up Class-A pitching. Statistically, nothing he's doing is particularly crazy.

For what it's worth, MLB.com just ranked him sixth among Giants' prospects in their re-rank of all 30 systems today, though.
DTownWarrior78
1:41
I am totally peeved at Scott Harris and the Tigers FO for not going after E. Suarez, as he was the bat that could really stretch this lineup. But with the moves that this FO did make, do you think we have enough to make a "serious" run this postseason?
Steve Adams
1:45
It's a toss-up between Tigers and Cubs for most disappointing deadline, in my view. I have a hard time seeing this bullpen making a deep run, but they have a knack for getting high-end performance out of some unexpected relievers. Maybe they can finally get Kyle Finnegan to miss bats the way you'd expect someone with his velo/stuff to. Maybe they can get Rafael Montero back to 2022 form.

I don't really see it, personally, but I'm always open to being proven wrong -- which happens plenty! I think they should've done more.

Darragh and I talked about this again on the podcast episode that'll drop tomorrow, because we had lots of questions about the Tigers' pedestrian deadline.
Splashy Cubs
1:45
Cubs need an off season splash especially if they lose Tucker so who do they get?  Bellinger reunion or someone else?
Steve Adams
1:47
They've got Busch at 1B and an outfield with Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara. They clearly didn't want to move Caissie at the deadline.

I don't think they'd shell out five years and $100MM+ for Bellinger. (Someone will) If they make a big move, a more legitimate run at Bregman or a quality rotation arm seems more feasible.
ccsilvia
1:47
Prediction on whether Edwin Diaz exercises his 18.5M player option or hits the market?
Steve Adams
1:47
Easy call to turn down the 2/37 left on his deal and test free agency again.
Pablo Lopez
1:48
This question is based on an earlier response. Did I just not come off the top of your head, or do you think Joe Ryan is more likely to be traded than I? If so, why? Thanks for the chats. They're a lot of fun.
Steve Adams
1:49
Depends on how he finishes the season, but if Lopez doesn't make it back, or he makes it back but has diminished results, it's not crazy to me to think they'd hang onto him and shop him at next year's deadline. (Again, assuming the Twins don't have a new owner in place and thus continue trending toward the rebuild side of things)
Miguel Andujar
1:49
With this season I am having am I better than Torres and can match his $12-$15 million annual salary?
Steve Adams
1:51
Torres was 27 this past offseason. Andujar will be 31 in March. And his rate stats are largely attributable to being shielded from RHP to an extent. He's decimated lefties and been a league-average bat against righties. He doesn't have much/any defensive value. I don't see how he gets into Gleyber range on a one-year deal.
Andrew
1:51
If he opts out, would the Tigers seriously consider taking another run at Bregman?
Steve Adams
1:51
He will opt out, and I expect the Tigers to chase after him again, yes.
bmcferren
1:52
Luis Robert gets a major league contract this offseason or just a minor league invite?
Steve Adams
1:53
The White Sox will probably exercise his option, which is insane to me, but that was their thinking behind not trading him.

He'd get a big league deal if they declined it, though.
WeNeedtoFindNimmo
1:53
So if Diaz opts out, what does he get?  Would think he is probably getting around $20m/season for another 3-4 years... and I don't think the Mets are going to lose him given he's been a success in NY
Steve Adams
1:54
Yeah, I think around 4/80. I also think it'll come from someone other than the Mets unless Steve Cohen personally steps in. Signing a reliever to a long-term deal at $20MM annually feels like the antithesis of the David Stearns baseball operations playbook.
SandyEggo
1:54
Laureano's option get exercised? He's been excellent in 2025 and 6.5 won't break the bank.
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