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Chat with MLBTR's Steve Adams: 9/4/25
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Captain Dunsel
2:10
The Phillies signed Walker Buehler to a minor league contract after he was released by the Red Sox. Does that minor league deal provide the Red Sox with any salary relief or does he need to be called up first? Thanks.
Steve Adams
2:11
The Phillies only owe Buehler the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the MLB roster. If he gets called up, that prorated minimum salary will be subtracted from what Boston owes. Otherwise, the Sox are on the hook for everything
Negligible, if any, savings.
Boomington
2:11
Why have the Dodgers not played up to expectation? Lackluster bullpen?
Steve Adams
2:12
I'd argue that it's because expectations were comically high and unrealistic to begin with.
2:13
During spring training, when so many fans had Dodger fatigue, I recall many participants in these chats assuming 110 wins was a lock. One literally said the league needed a salary cap because as presently constructed, the Dodgers wouldn't lose three games in a row at any point this season.
They made a bunch of big moves, yes. They have a great core, yes. They also have a ton of injury risk on the roster -- some by design, since they can afford to have a huge margin for error in that regard -- and are inherently subject to the randomness of baseball
Mavis staples
2:13
How much will Kyle schwarber get and how will the Phillies handle free agency this offseason?
Steve Adams
2:14
I've come around on him getting four years and $120-130MM, and I don't think like 5/140 is even off the table. Elite offensive production, consistently so, and every team is in love with the person/teammate/leader.
SilverSlugs
2:15
What do you think of the Braves picking up Kim and Fraley? Seems smart. You now have SS and the 4th outfielder covered next year. Now all AA has to do is focus on the bullpen and potentially the starting rotation
Steve Adams
2:17
In a vacuum, either is fine. I find Anthopoulos' repeated efforts to plug holes on his roster by just taking on bad money from other teams interesting, though. He ate the entire Raisel Iglesias contract (which worked). He took on all of Jorge Soler's deal (oops, but the Angels helped out there). He took on all of Mark Melancon several years ago. He paid $30MM+ to buy Jarred Kelenic from Seattle (oops).

I don't think it's inherently bad, to be clear, but no other GM/president of baseball operations navigates like this.

I wouldn't necessarily assume Fraley is tendered a contract, but I don't mind the move either way.
Guest
2:18
It seems like CES is forgotten man in Cincinnati. Is there still room for him on that roster?
Steve Adams
2:19
I've never been a big CES guy. Power-over-hit with minimal defensive value and sub-par walk rates who's on the short side of a 1B platoon. He still has options left and is only 25, so they'll probably hang onto him through the offseason, but I'm not bullish on the long-term outlook, whether it be in Cincinnati or elsewhere.
Mr Met
2:19
Who was your favorite player when you were a kid?
Steve Adams
2:21
I was born in the mid-80s and grew up in Minnesota, so Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett and -- because of course -- Ken Griffey Jr.

Dad's side of the family is from Chicago so I always enjoyed Ryne Sandberg, Shawon Dunston and Andre Dawson.

And Chipper and Andruw a bit later. Jim Thome, too.

I guess I had quite a few, haha.
Skenes
2:21
Would you trade Paul Skenes for Nick Kurtz?
Steve Adams
2:21
Nope
Guest
2:21
Will the Mariners make the postseason?
Steve Adams
2:21
I still think so yeah
RookTaker23
2:22
Is Schwarber a lock to sign the largest contract of anyone who was once non-tendered?
Steve Adams
2:23
Not even a lock to sign the biggest contract of a former NT'ed player this offseason! Bellinger should finally get a nice long-term deal. I'd probably take Schwarber to get the larger deal, but not by much. And if you told me right now Bellinger gets like 5/135 and Schwarber 4/126, I wouldn't really bat an eye.
Darragh McDonald
2:24
Carlos Rodon was non-tendered and got 162MM.
Steve Adams
2:24
Darragh from the top rope
2:25
And I checked, and yes, that was actually him -- not someone just using his name haha
Yankee Pinstripes or Dodger Blue
2:25
Munetaka Murakami?
Steve Adams
2:27
Can I choose neither? I can see both having interest, but neither has a massive corner infield need. Muncy has a cheap option, plus the Dodgers have Freeland. The Yankees traded for McMahon and have Rice for 1B.
2:28
Padres, Mariners, Red Sox... can never rule out a surprise team on a 25-year-old with 80 power, even if they don't have a history of spending heavy in the NPB market (or in free agency in general)
FishFam
2:29
What odds would you give the Marlins to make the playoffs next year? Seems like a solid young team with some really promising young pitchers
Steve Adams
2:32
The only guys in the lineup I see as real regulars are Stowers, Marsee, maybe Edwards. I guess Agustin Ramirez if he can play a passable 1B, but even then, the lack of OBP is going to drag his value down pretty heavily. Maybe Joe Mack can handle C next year, but that's a big if.

Plenty of upside on the pitching staff but even more injury risk. Eury, Sandy, Weathers, Cabrera, Meyer, Garrett all have major injuries in recent years.

Probably not the rosy outlook you were hoping for, haha, sorry. I think next year is too soon, but hey, they made the playoffs in 2023 despite having a roster I didn't love.
2:34
I've got to call it for the week. Anthony will have a chat with Front Office subscribers tomorrow. I'm on X @Adams_Steve and Bluesky @adams-steve.bsky.social.

If you want more opinions from the MLBTR team, you can learn about our Front Office subscription package and sign up here. In addition to ad-free viewing on the site and in the app, you'll get weekly analysis/opinion columns from Anthony Franco and myself, a weekly mailbag column from Tim Dierkes, weekly fantasy baseball chats and columns with Nicklaus Gaut, weekly subscriber-only chats with Anthony and with me (where your odds of getting a question answered are much, much higher), extra insight from Darragh McDonald, access to our Contract Tracker (a vital offseason resource) and our Agency Database, our GM Tracker and more.

Thanks everyone, and enjoy your week!
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