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Mark P
1:11
The Weekend Chat is upon us!  We'll get things started in a minute or two after the questions start to pile up....
Dave
1:12
Update on G Stone and R Ryan for Dodgers for beginning of 26
Mark P
1:14
Definitely the top question on Dodgers fans' mind as the NLCS begins.  :)

Both should be on track to be ready for the start of Spring Training.  It doesn't appear either pitcher has had any setbacks.
Julio
1:14
Can my team beat the mighty canadiens
Mark P
1:14
The Mariners would definitely beat the Montreal Canadiens in a baseball game.
Mike Cutter
1:15
Will the royals Sign Yaz back .
Mark P
1:16
A reunion would make a lot of sense.  KC desperately needs outfield help, and Yaz played really well for them in a brief spell.  While it's safe to assume Yaz wouldn't keep up those numbers over a full season, it wouldn't hurt the Royals to sign him to a relatively inexpensive one-year deal as just a part-timer, if necessary
NY Mess
1:16
Pete wants 7 years. Five seems too long. What is realistic?
Mark P
1:17
I think he'll get five years.  It's hard to imagine any team giving Alonso seven years, and that might've just been an aim-high negotiating tactic that will eventually get reduced to a more manageable number.
Angela
1:18
Want do you see the phillies  doing this off-season
Mark P
1:19
I'm slated to write the Phillies offseason outlook piece, so stay tuned on that front.  But broadly speaking, I think they need to shake things up as much as they can with the roster.  That means doing all they can to retain Schwarber, but parting ways with Bohm, Stott, Castellanos, and maybe Realmuto.  (The latter one I'm more lukewarm about, since JTR walks, the Phils then have to find another catcher somewhere.)
Michael King
1:20
Should I opt in with the Padres after the season I just had?
Mark P
1:22
I assume by "opt in" you mean accept a qualifying offer, since there's no scenario where King and the Padres both trigger the mutual option.
1:24
Assuming the mutual option is declined and the Padres issue the QO, I think there's a more than decent chance King accepts.  He'll still draw plenty of interest on the open market, but with his injury-riddled 2025 hanging over his head, he might prefer a QO in a familiar locale than rolling the dice on a short-term opt-out laden deal (or a one-year pillow deal) on a new team entirely
Brady
1:25
Who will be the Phillies opening day third baseman?
Mark P
1:27
As noted earlier, I think they'll non-tender Bohm.  Maybe they find a trade partner before the non-tender deadline, but after last winter, I think teams realize the Phillies are ready to move on from Bohm and will just wait until he's cut.

As for who might take over, 3B is a less difficult position to fill than catcher, but obviously losing Bohm opens up another hole in the lineup.  Bregman would be a mighty interesting possibility if he doesn't work out an extension with Boston.  Arenado is probably a no-go due to his decline over the last couple of years.
1:28
On the trade front, I feel I'll be saying this about a lot of teams, but Brendan Donovan would be a very good fit in Philly
White Sox Fan
1:29
Is there any value in picking up Luis Robert's option and trying to trade him?
Mark P
1:30
The White Sox are kind of damned if they do, damned if they don't.  Exercise the option, and they'll still have difficulty finding a trade.  Decline the option and Robert just walks for nothing, apart from some meaningless payroll savings
World Series Bound
1:31
Chances of a MIL/SEA world series coming soon?
World Series
1:31
Dream matchup of remaining teams? M’s Brewers would be wild given M’s have never been and Brewers have never won.
Mark P
1:32
As a Blue Jays fan, I'm not exactly keen on the Mariners winning the pennant, haha

But if the Jays had to lose, a Mariners/Brewers WS would indeed be a lot of fun. Off the top of my head, I think 1980 (Phillies/Royals) was the last time there was a World Series between two teams seeking their first ring?
Nancy's Friend Sluggo
1:33
I keep hearing people suggest the Tigers should trade Skubal this off-season so they don't lose him for just a QO, but I think they absolutely should keep him and go for the World Series again in 2026. What do you think about the issue?
Mark P
1:35
Skubal (who is a Scott Boras client) would require a gigantic extension offer to keep him off the free agent market.  The Tigers have plenty of open future payroll space, and if you're going to go overboard to sign anyone, it might as well be for the best pitcher in the game.

That being said, I doubt Skubal is still a Tiger in 2027.  There's even a decent chance he isn't a Tiger in 2026, if another team presents the front office with a knockout offer.  Despite their success over the last two years, it feels like the Tigers are kind of in a weird spot with their fanbase, and dealing Skubal away would undo a lot of the goodwill generated from back to back playoff appearances
Go Pads
1:37
If the padres packaged Cronenworth and Estrada, what kind of return could they expect?
Mark P
1:38
Even with Estrada added, I don't think you'll find many (or any) teams willing to take on Cronenworth's contract.  Cronenworth isn't even a bad player, but his deal is just that big an overpday.
In this scenario, San Diego still has to eat money, or take on an unwelcome contract in return
Steve M
1:39
begging Dolan to spend some money. Do you see any realistic players that can help our beleagured offense via free agency?
Mark P
1:40
Acquiring a bat via trade seems more realistic for the Guardians than signing someone notable to a decent-sized FA contract
TC Bear
1:41
How likely is Torii Hunter managing the Twins in 2026? Any other managerial candidates you like for MN?
Mark P
1:43
There haven't been any public rumblings about the Twins' managerial search, so the team is keeping things pretty close to the vest.  Hunter may be on the radar, or the club may prefer someone more low-profile as the Twins go through what is likely a rebuild in all but name only

It is possible one of the younger Pohlads may become manager in a Little Big League type of scenario, but probbbbbably unlikely
GoBias Industries
1:43
Bees?
Mark P
1:43
Beads?!
Yadi Molina
1:44
Am I getting any consideration for one of the manager openings?  Should I get some consideration?
Mark P
1:45
My assumption was that Molina was a bit of a manager-in-waiting in St. Louis, sort of the way that Pujols might've been in this same capacity in LA once he was ready and willing to take the job.

But, the Cards seem content to stick with Marmol in the dugout.  There's also the question of Bloom perhaps eventually wanting to hire his own manager once the rebuild is through, rather than feel obligated to pick a St. Louis legend
John
1:46
When we look back on Paul Skenes’s career 15 years from now, will he have played in the postseason in a Pirates uniform?
Mark P
1:47
In 15 years, we'll be like "oh yeah, huh Skenes started with the Pirates, I remember that."

For comparison's sake, it's been only seven years since Gerrit Cole pitched for Pittsburgh but that feels like either a lifetime ago, or a "wait, Cole was a Pirate?" reaction
Trade
1:48
Taylor Ward for Brady Singer who says no?
Mark P
1:49
This seems like a very good need-for-need type of swap. Ward will be a bit more pricey (as per our arb projections), but that shouldn't be an obstacle for a Reds team that badly needs offense
Dan S.
1:54
Can the Orioles put together a package for a playoff-caliber starter centered around Coby Mayo, or did Mayo's 2025 struggles tank his value to the point where they're better off giving him a shot at the everyday 1B job next year?
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