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Front Office Chat: 1/19/26
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Anthony Franco
3:01
Hey everyone, hope you had a good weekend! Chat swap this week since Steve wanted off for the holiday, he'll run Friday's instead
Clad in plaid
3:01
Is it possible that Cleveland's lack of free agent activity is because they are concerned about a lockout next spring? And if that is the case, would they keep guys like Bazzana off the 40 man roster this year so they can get another year of development in the minors during a lockout? It seems risky to waste another year of Jose Ramirez. Can they compete for a playoff birth with the current roster?
Anthony Franco
3:02
This is the usual offseason for Cleveland. They're not going to run payrolls that allow them to do much in free agency
3:03
Bazzana should be up pretty early in the year, though I imagine they'd like to get him a little more Triple-A work first (ideally with an early look at Brito there). They're a viable playoff team again for me but that's more about everyone in the AL Central remaining content to be the worst division in baseball for like the 15th straight season
Tough Times In Anaheim
3:04
Jo Adell (2 years of control) and Reid Detmers (3 years of control) for Noah Cameron (5 years of control). Who says no?
Anthony Franco
3:05
This is the rare chat proposal that I think is skewed in favor of the team that you're not a fan of
3:06
I get the logic on both sides but I'd want more than just Cameron in this framework if I were the Angels. He's cheaper but not convinced he's a dramatically better starter than Detmers in 2026
Youkyluptus
3:06
Is the Red Sox rotation top 5 in the sport?  Who’s i n that t ier?
Anthony Franco
3:08
Yeah I'd have them top five, probably top three. Dodgers probably most talented but obviously plenty of injury questions with them. Cincinnati's in there, Pittsburgh's has a crazy high ceiling but it requires a lot of projection on Ashcraft/Chandler to have them in that tier already
3:09
Obviously Seattle would be a pretty popular pick for this and they are very good 1-5, depth behind that just isn't great. Toronto's really well positioned if you assume Bieber's healthy
Dan S.
3:10
Thinking 2/40 or 3/60 with an opt-out for Gallen?
Anthony Franco
3:10
I'd lean two in the mid-40s probably but neither of these outcomes would surprise me
3:11
Assuming you're also putting an opt-out in the 2/40 deal. Can't see him taking a straight two-year contract
What a Mets
3:11
Does it make sense for the Mets to offer Bellinger a Bichette-type deal- substantial overpay, but short commitment? If so, chances he accepts say 3/126 vs 5/160 from Yankees?
Anthony Franco
3:13
If you cut the gap to 2/34, yeah you're probably getting him. Doubling up on that with Bichette pushes their luxury tax estimate close to $380M, though, which is a fair bit higher than even they've gone over the past couple seasons
Mr Red Leg
3:13
I'm glad the Reds traded Gavin Lux to both shore up their bullpen and free up about 3 mil.  I'm pretty sure they aren't going to pay Suarez, but who do you think would be the best pickup between the following players: Nathaniel Lowe, Rhys Hoskins, Starling Marte, or Austin Hays?  How much do you think each of these guys will get?  I think I would go for Lowe.
Anthony Franco
3:16
Have to leave room for Sal Stewart, who I don't expect to be viable defensively anywhere other than first. Lowe or Rhys leave them pretty limited from a roster flexibility standpoint and aren't clearly better than Steer in my view. I'd probably take Hays back out of the guys you listed
Alex Anthopoulus
3:16
The Braves can't get a break with injuries. Now that HSK will be out almost half of season, Dubon will be starting and they just signed Mateo, does this take them out for a potential upgrade at the rotation?
Anthony Franco
3:17
Mateo costs barely more than the league minimum. Don't think HSK injury has any impact on the rotation search but they were already at a point where it wasn't clear how much payroll space they had to begin with
Kevin
3:17
Chance of a lockout that wipes out 2027 and parts of 2028? Any realistic hope both sides can split all that money?
Anthony Franco
3:18
Cannot imagine we get a lockout lasting a full season, let alone one that carries beyond a calendar year
3:19
I think that if we get an extended lockout where MLB tries to hold firm for a salary cap, it'd make more "sense" from their perspective to wait until 2031-32
3:22
They're hyper focused on building this TV package after 2028, they want the ball rolling on expansion by the end of the decade. Manfred's also retiring in '29, and I can't imagine he wants his legacy to be "commissioner who went out with a work stoppage." Obviously none of this is a single-handed decision for him, but feels like he should be pretty damn motivated to get this one done and convince the owners that if they're going to do something ridiculously shortsighted, it should at least wait another five years
Chris H
3:22
Who's offseason has you scratching your head the most?
Anthony Franco
3:23
Tigers doing very little to improve in their last year with Skubal. Twins are just spinning their wheels, which I assume is an ownership decision based on the minority investment because the front office can't reasonably expect this to be a playoff team in 2026
3:25
TBD on the Braves and Giants. Atlanta has at least improved but in areas that would be lower priority than the rotation for me. I'll believe San Francisco has something else coming until like a week before Opening Day because this can't possibly be it for them
Galahad
3:25
Is there a market for Arraez? I haven't heard a single rumor about him.
Anthony Franco
3:26
Not much out there publicly but I assume his agency's just playing it close to the vest. One-year guy for me, still assume he's finding $10-12M somewhere
Dan S.
3:26
Bubic seems like a hard one to put a trade value on. The results when on the mound lately have been great, but the stuff is mediocre, he’s never put up innings and he’s a rental coming off a season-ending rotator cuff injury. Will he be dealt? Is he even healthy?
Anthony Franco
3:28
Agree with most of your summation, would push back against the stuff being mediocre. The velocity is for sure but the secondaries (especially the changeup) are plus pitches. He's not overpowering but it's not all smoke and mirrors
3:29
Agree with your general point that he's a difficult one to pin down value though. Seems like the Royals felt they could get an impact bat for him and teams have been scared off by the durability record. Understandable on both ends, and usually when that happens, the player just doesn't move
Alan53
3:30
My fellow Cubs fans often tout Javier Assad and Jordan Wicks as great "depth starters." I am curious as to how less partial observers rate those pitchers. Are they viable starter options on a strong team?
Anthony Franco
3:31
Like them both well enough but as sixth or seventh guys who'll probably need to make 8-10 starts apiece because of injuries. That's where they're at for the Cubs right now
maz01
3:32
Pirates offer Hunter Barco to St.Louis for Nolan Gorman. Who says no?
Anthony Franco
3:33
I'd take Barco personally but reasonable enough that I'd understand it on both ends
RoxTalks
3:33
Why send out a flawed, but needed prospect arm (and 20th top prospect) in Grosz to ARI for an outfielder who was a borderline non-tender candidate this offseason? Especially for a team that already has an outfield logjam?
Anthony Franco
3:34
New front office probably just out on Grosz entirely. I've never been a huge McCarthy fan but he's an alright flier, especially if they're trying to move Moniak
One Hitter Away?
3:35
Hi, Anthony! What would it take for the Bucs. to pry Addison Barger from the Jays? What would it take to pry Jarren Duran from the Red Sox?  And with all the new lefty sluggers on the team, wouldn’t the Bucs nww
Anthony Franco
3:35
Sorry, just saw you sent a cleaned up version of this later
3:36
Can't see the Jays trading Barger. Duran should take Ashcraft or Chandler, seems unlikely after the previous rotation trades
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