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Darren
9:15
Who has the higher chance of being a guardian after the deadline? Fedde, Crochet, Bassett, Kikuchi or Eflin?
Mark P
9:17
I'm inclined to count out the White Sox guy just due to division rivalries, and given the Guardians' payroll situation, Kikuchi is probably the best fit money-wise.  

The other factor in regards to Kikuchi is that he's been inconsistent over his last few weeks, so his market might've cooled off to some extent.  Not that that would necessarily stop Cleveland or other teams from making calls or having interest, but I wonder if any team that had Kikuchi high on their list a month ago is now having second thoughts.
Guest
9:18
Pirates go big and land Trout?
Mark P
9:19
This would, on many levels, be pretty much the most surprising trade in baseball history.  There is a zero percent chance it would happen, for multiple reasons.
John
9:19
Any fun trades you’d like to see that won’t happen. Can be as wild as you’d like
Mark P
9:19
"the Pirates getting Mike Trout" is pretty high up there
Dallas
9:20
With so many NL teams in the race and the Rockies inability to be a functional franchise, wouldn't the Marlins control the market if they decided to sell? They could acquire an insane amount of talent. I envy that kind of rebuild
Mark P
9:21
I dunno about "control the market," since a lot of the Marlins' assets are a little distressed due to injuries or under-performance.  There's no doubt Miami has been in full-on sell mode for months now, so technically just about anyone could be available, making them a fun team to watch as July 30 approaches.

Also, you might envy these rebuilds, but I'll bet Miami fans are pretty tired of them by this point.
Ben Cherington
9:23
What would it take to get Brent Rooker from the A’s?
Mark P
9:25
Rooker is controlled through the 2027 season, so the A's can legitimately ask for two top-100 type prospects for his services.  In Pittsburgh's case, that's two of Chandler/Johnson/Solometo, and I'm not sure such a splurge is something the Bucs are willing to do are taking so many years to restock their farm system.

A team with a bit of a deeper system and is more of a win-now mentality, however?  That could be a fit.
Phillyfan
9:26
Should the Phillies give up the farm for players with years of control left. Love to add Rooker and Miller but I think they should consider Pham or Pillar.
Mark P
9:27
Pittsburgh's system is deeper than Philly's, but landing Rooker would settle one outfield spot for years to come, somewhat akin to how landing Marsh two years ago helped shore up the Phillies' outfield.

Granted, I think I've written "Rooker is a good fit for everyone" several times in these chats, but he might be a particularly nice pickup for a Phillies team that wants to win now and throughout the rest of the decade
Fire Ball
9:28
At seasons end do you believe Cashman and Boone are gone?
Mark P
9:29
If the Yankees can't get on track and they end up missing the playoffs or something disastrous, that surely has to be the end for Boone.  Cashman seems to have unlimited job security so I think he'd get another chance with a new manager.
But we are family
9:30
Are the Pirates buyers?
Mark P
9:32
They should be.  Payroll is always the looming "well, but..." in any talk of the Pirates' acquisitions, but the players are going their part by winning games and playing competitive baseball.  

It can also be argued that competing in a pennant race is a great part of the development process, and it'll help the young core get some high-pressure reps even if they fell short of the playoffs.  Kicking the can to 2025 and staying conservative at the deadline since they're "not ready yet" would have to be a little demoralizing for the clubhouse, for both the younger guys and a veteran like McCutchen, whose time in the game is running short.
Goldsboro, NC
9:33
Did you know we have a convenience store here called…Bees Town??!
Mark P
9:34
Please tell me that there's another convenience store called Beads Town right across the street, and that the two shop owners are bitter rivals.
Trader Jerry
9:34
With how many—and more deeply resourced—teams are seemingly going to be looking to add, and the dearth of even remotely available bats, how dearly am I going to have to pay to add to my lineup? Considering how bad this offense is, two marginal upgrades may not even help. Should I even bother?
Mark P
9:36
The M's aren't going to just give up, nor should they given how great their rotation is.  But, obviously it can be argued that the damage has already been done since Houston has now taken over first place, and the Mariners' offense has just continued to flail.  

Seattle's pitching depth is one of the biggest trade chips any team in baseball has, so there's room here for the Mariners to make a truly bold move if they feel the need.  Given the state of the AL West in the last few weeks, the time might be now for such a big swing.
Paul
9:38
Which trade do you think makes the most sense for the dodgers
Mark P
9:39
A multi-positional infielder gives the Dodgers a lot of flexibility to mix and match around the diamond when Betts and Muncy come back, and gives the team some leeway to bench Lux entirely.  Not that such players are easy to find on selling teams, but if Kiner-Falefa (who has quietly put together a strong year at the plate) is healthy prior to the deadline, I wonder if he's a player that would interest LA or any number of clubs.
Kyle
9:41
Is it a done deal that Dalton Rushing is traded at the very least by the winter (if they don’t like a deal this summer) considering Will Smith’s extension?
Mark P
9:42
Rushing seems like a pretty clear trade candidate, and since we're throwing out scenarios where the Dodgers are making trades with my favourite team, Rushing would be a great fit as Toronto's next catcher of the future.  For the Jays in particular, not sure what they have to offer exactly lines up with LA's needs unless Toronto moves Kikuchi (Dodgers wouldn't move Rushing for him) or one of the more controllable pitchers like Bassitt
Guest
9:43
Will the orioles make a really big splash and trade any of Holliday/Mayo/basallo? Seems they have enough prospect depth they shouldn’t be afraid to aim high
Mark P
9:45
I lean maybe 55-45 in favor of the O's trading such a top-tier prospect, and it would be Mayo or Basallo since I highly doubt Holliday goes anywhere.  

Baltimore sees all of these guys as their lineup of the future, even Basallo since he could be moved into the first base/DH/part-time catcher picture.  So I can understand how hesitant they are to move anyone even given the prospect depth, but the Orioles also know they have a legitimate chance to win the World Series.  Flags fly forever, as they say.
Guest
9:46
Will the Reds be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline?
Mark P
9:47
Leaning more towards selling, since they can't seem to get any real momentum going in the win column.
SouthJerseySteve
9:48
Does Taijuan Walker have value considering all the starting pitching injuries around baseball, and that he has an extra year. He could be a reliable source of innings for a contender or middling team.
Mark P
9:49
Walker is making a lot of money through 2026, he's been injured for a month, and he's pitched poorly this season.  That adds up to a pretty low amount of trade value, unless the Phils ate some money or took on another big salary in return.
9:50
It's also worth noting that pitching depth only goes so far, as with Walker and Turnbull both out, the Phillies now have a rookie getting starts in Tyler Phillips.  As good as the top of the Philly rotation is, they don't want to be too cavalier with trading big league-ready starting pitching in case another injury emerges
Rookies
9:51
Is Paul Skenes on a innings limit?
Mark P
9:53
Almost surely yes, but the Pirates haven't been too public about exactly what the limit might be.  Skenes has 66.1 MLB innings and 27.1 Triple-A innings in 2024, and he had 6 2/3 pro innings in 2023 plus his 122 2/3 innings with LSU.

The Pirates will sacrifice any chance at contending this year in order to preserve Skenes' arm since he's so crucial to their future, which is another factor to consider as the deadline approaches
Angry in Seattle
9:55
When you referenced the Mariners making a bold move, are you thinking something like dealing Woo or Castillo? Is there another buyer with the offensive depth to make that deal make sense?
Mark P
9:56
Moving Woo seems a lot more feasible than moving Castillo.  As has been speculated on in both this chat and in several other places, a Seattle/Baltimore trade of a young pitcher for a young hitter makes a lot of sense, even if it would be asking a lot of Mayo or someone to be promoted to the majors and immediately tasked with saving the Mariners' season.
G4
9:57
Not Walker for the reasons you state, but who are a few players likely to love where the selling team eats most of the contract?
Mark P
9:57
This is difficult to predict because the selling team might purposely be willing to eat most of a contract in order to get better prospects in return.  So it depends on the priority of the team making the trade, whether it's just cutting payroll or adding talent.
Adam
9:58
If Chris Paddack is healthy at the deadline would teams have any interest in him?
Mark P
9:59
Given that he only just went on the IL with a forearm issue, he'll still be sidelined by the time July 30 rolls around.  The Twins need rotation help anyway so I doubt they'd move Paddack even if he was healthy.
Duane Lawrence
9:59
There was some talk on Chicago radio about Justin Steele trade rumors. There's no way the Cubs trade him, is there?
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