Front Office Chat: 7/20/26
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Anthony Franco
4:33
I like him but still don't think you're looking at a huge return. He's 30, first season of above-average offense, some versatility but fits best in the corners
4:35
Pirates traded a controllable #4/5 starter in Luis Ortiz and a couple mid-tier pitching prospects for Spencer Horwitz a couple years ago -- one Cleveland obviously wishes they could have back. Could see Clemens landing somewhere similar
Get Kralled
4:35
Since May 30th Brady Singer had posted a 2.76 ERA in 8 starts. 45.2 IN, 35 H, 5 HR.  Will there be a lot of interst in him at the deadline and what kind of return could he get?
Anthony Franco
4:37
Relatively expensive and still doesn't have anything for LHH but the whiffs are back up and he's getting good results. He should get a couple mid-system prospects, which I wouldn't have expected in May
ABS challenge
4:37
If Gray, Skubal, and Mize are off the market, where does ATL turn for a starter?
Anthony Franco
4:38
Still think Robbie Ray makes sense there. Luis Castillo could work. Either of the Mets guys are a possibility, not like they're going to be opposed to trading a rental there in a year where they're not making the playoffs
Pedey
4:39
Right handed power bat for Boston? Maybe Eugenio Suarez? We know Breslow won't go big.
Anthony Franco
4:40
Not sure where Geno fits unless they trade Duran or rule Anthony out for the season. Obviously not playing him at 1B and Durbin's picked it up at 3B
4:43
Spencer Steer would work. Could make a run at Casey Schmitt and play him at second. There's an argument for Goodman or Shea Langeliers (but not for Connelly Early and Kyson Witherspoon)
Brady
4:43
Do you think the angels are likely to move Jo Adell
Anthony Franco
4:44
Yeah he might be a non-tender after the season anyway, take what you can get
Hits Like Rays
4:44
What do you think of Victor Mesa Jr.'s season so far?  Is he a long-term building block for the Rays?
Anthony Franco
4:46
I don't really buy it. This kind of power's pretty far beyond what he did in the minors, fourth OF for me
JeffyM
4:46
I’ve been watching the Blue Jays doc, and it got me wondering - How come we don’t see old fashioned baseball trades like the (Joe Carter/Roberto Alomar for Fred McGriff/Tony Fernandez) anymore?  With so many teams hovering between buy and sell, could that type of trade make a comeback?
Anthony Franco
4:49
Teams are a lot more risk averse now than they were back then -- proliferation of data, bigger front offices. Agree that the compression of the standings with a larger playoff field incentivizes teams to move back in this direction -- some of the anti-tanking measures have a smaller effect in pushing teams away from the mid-2010s complete rebuild
4:50
But less toward a swap of prime-aged stars and more baseball trades involving good but flawed regulars at positions of need (e.g. the Nimmo/Semien one)
Arizona
4:50
You really prefer Dustin May et al as a rental over Soroka? By results they aren’t even close to each other plus Soroka is about to come off the IL.
Anthony Franco
4:52
Soroka's a slightly better pitcher but he just doesn't have a track record of holding up physically. May's not a paragon of durability either, fair enough, but he at least made it to 130 IP last year and throws harder
M
4:53
Who is a better target for the Mariners? JHLee or Spencer Steer?
Anthony Franco
4:55
Depends on what you're looking for, they're different roles. Lee would be an everyday RF who might require them to move the Castillo deal (either to the Giants or in a separate trade) and pushes Raley to the bench. Steer's a cheaper complimentary piece to upgrade the Refsnyder role
Beano
4:55
Will Locklear have free reign as the Diamondbacks 1bman? I can't believe Tawa is the guy - it seems they've been waiting for Locklear since his injury last year and this may be his big chance.
Anthony Franco
4:55
Have to trade for somebody
4:56
Locklear's been healthy since early May and they left him in AAA until last week while running out Ildemaro Vargas and Pavin Smith
4:58
Could justify it for a few weeks as getting him up to speed because he missed ST recovering from the surgeries (and he indeed had a bad May in Reno) but the fact that it didn't happen by the end of June seems a pretty strong indication that they're not expecting him to be the answer either
Guest
4:59
There is buzz around the A's listening on a wider variety of players now that they have done their annual "lose almost every game for 21 tries" free fall. Not sure the A's will shop Shea Langeliers meaningfully, but if they wanted to in the name of getting some bona fide high upside prospects/controllable pitchers, is his market strong enough to bring back potential #2-#3 SPs in return? And is there buzz that Langeliers could be had for a decent price?
Anthony Franco
5:02
Haven't seen any substantive reporting to that effect. They're not going to get anyone to give up a current #2/3 starter but someone with that kind of upside, perhaps. If the Yankees offer to build a package around Ryan Weathers, I'd be intrigued
5:03
Would be an easier sell if they had anyone waiting in the wings at catcher but Heim's pretty good and would probably take a two-year/$12-15M extension if they offered it and cashed Langeliers in for controllable pitching
Brady
5:04
Is Lane Thomas for real
Anthony Franco
5:04
He's fine. Hits LHP well and does enough against righties and defensively to be a low-end regular
Kelly
5:05
Updated forecast for the Padres at the deadline?
Anthony Franco
5:08
Adrian Morejon, Ty France and Michael King should go. Still lean towards them holding Miller but I think they should have him out there for a young starter
Guest
5:09
Any chance that the Giants are able to move Bader?
Anthony Franco
5:10
He's been so bad and probably going to be on the IL past the deadline. They're stuck with that one
Elvis26
5:10
How many trades will the cardinals make at the trade deadline?
Anthony Franco
5:12
Three or four? Trade Nootbaar, May and hopefully find someone to take a flier on Gorman while trading for a pre-arbitration reliever
Cat_Herder
5:12
Thoughts on the Tigers.  Mize's potential groin/wrist issues complicate things.  Do you see them rising up the standings, or will they look to sell come Aug 1?
Scott Harris.
5:12
How much do the tigers need to improve before the deadline to not sell
Anthony Franco
5:14
They're getting there but I'd want to be within three games in the Wild Card with no more than 3-4 teams to jump and/or back to within four games in the Central
5:16
The various public models have them between 15-30% to make the playoffs right now. If they get that to 35-40% by the end of July, it's reasonable to hold the rentals
Dave Dombrowski
5:17
Trea Turner is having a bad season defensively. How much will it cost me to acquire Arraez? Stott can move back to short, Turner goes to LF, and voila! I have my RH outfielder.
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