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Mark P
7:41
It's the first Weekend Chat of the 2026 regular season! Plenty to discuss after a wild first few days of baseball, so let's get down to business...
...um, after I first put the actual chat link into the post.  Whoops!
Guest
7:43
When do you see the Pirates calling up Konnor Griffin?
Mark P
7:44
Assuming he's raking at Triple-A, probably around the first week or two of May?

As much as one has to factor in finances when discussing the Pirates, from a pure baseball perspective, I agree with the decision to keep Griffin in the minors.  He hasn't played much Triple-A ball, and his work in Spring Training still showed some holes in his game
Squints
7:44
As a Brewer and White Sox fan, it was an interesting weekend. My question is do the Sox have any pitching to at least flirt with 70 wins?
Mark P
7:45
Unlikely, though Murakami hitting (checks notes) 162 home runs should be a lot of fun!
Josh
7:46
If the Diamondbacks start like 2-14 would they consider trading Ketel Marte before he gets his 10/5 rights in mid April?
Mark P
7:47
Even a truly disastrous start isn't going to prompt Arizona to make a throw-in-the-towel move like dealing Marte so early
7:48
That's the kind of trade that changes a team's path for the next few years, and not something that should be done in knee-jerk fashion.

If the D'Backs were really that worried about Marte's 10-and-5 rights, they wouldn't dealt him months ago
Dave
7:48
Looks like the Phillies are not hitting again. When is it going to be time to make some trades? Or sign some hitters?
D. Dombroski
7:48
Should I trade Bohm by the deadline?
Ryan M.
7:48
What are the chances the Phillies fire Rob Thompson this year early on? Like what happened to Girardi.
Mark P
7:50
Philly fans are not super impressed by their team's start, judging by this sampling of the many submissions wondering of the Phillies are doomed.

As I'll surely be saying many times tonight....it's early.  Far too early to immediately hit a panic button or talk about firing Thomson.
Though I do kinda think they should've moved on from Bohm last winter, either via trade or even a non-tender
Blotto
7:51
New owners tend to cut back expenses. How will the Padres new owners do that?
Mark P
7:52
We'll have to learn who the new owners will be, before starting the speculation about trimming payroll.  The Padres have already cut back on spending over the last couple of years, plus there's this unusual situation with Darvish's contract and possibly retirement that could represent some unexpected savings for the team.
7:53
There's also the next CBA to determine how baseball's financial structure may or may not change, which also factors into how the Padres and the other 29 teams will approach future spending
Big Sal
7:54
I'm looking better than advertised. What kind of extension do I receive this year? And do you see one of my teammates in Elly and Matt getting extended as well?
Mark P
7:56
The Reds probably don't have interest in extending McLain until they know what they actually have in him.  McLain, for his part, wouldn't want to take a lowball deal from the Reds since he surely feels he has better baseball in him.

Elly is a Boras client, so the chances of an extension are basically zero.  He already turned down a big offer from the Reds in the 2024-25 offseason: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/elly-de-la-cruz-declined-franch...
7:57
As for Stewart, an early-career extension could still be possible, if the Reds are truly confident in him as a cornerstone.  Again, one big opening series shouldn't automatically lock Stewart as a superstar.
Weatherholt
7:58
Is JJ Wetherholt a legit Rookie of the Year Canidate also how hyped should St Louis be about him?
Mark P
7:59
He's a consensus top-10 prospect, and it wouldn't at all be a surprise if he was the NLROY.  The Cardinals and their fans may not have a ton to root for this year, but watching Wetherholt develop should be a big plus
Steve
7:59
Being out of options can be a career death sentence. Do some GM's manage options better than others? That is, they avoid using up a player's option years to the point where they're DFA'd at 24. Obviously it has to do with performance but there has to be some method to it
Mark P
8:03
It's certainly a tricky web to weave, considering how a PBO/GM has to be looking at the status of dozens upon dozens of players in the organization.  As we just saw on Opening Day, a lot of roster decisions were made with an eye towards option status, rather than a pure "who are the best 26 guys?" call.

The bottom line is that for most GMs who aren't in clear rebuild mode, the focus is winning games right now. They won't hesitate to bring a player up if that player is a better fit to fill a direct and immediate need, even if that might burn their last option.  Some execs are former players and know all too well how being out-of-options can impact a player's career, but at the end of the day, it's a tough business.
Dread Pirate Roberts
8:05
What is the biggest issue with trade proposals from chatters?
Mark P
8:06
A lot of them tend to be "my team lands a star for two non-prospects and some roster dead weight. Who says no?"
Ken
8:06
Biggest surprise from the first series of games?
Mark P
8:07
Not a "surprise," but the Marlins needs to go back to the teal jerseys full-time.  They look amazing.
Disgrunted A's fan
8:07
What are the odds that Forst, Kotsay, Aldrete, etc. will finally get fired?
Mark P
8:08
Again, it's just one series.  And if anything, the A's staff has done a good job in trying circumstances over the last few years of rebuilding this team back into a possible contender.
Paul
8:08
Would holding the wbc in mid season work. Maybe eliminate the all star game that year and you could get more players
Mark P
8:09
As others have pointed out, a midseason WBC means that every international league also has to pause in July.  It'd be such a huge undertaking that I'm not sure it's entirely feasible, since even mid-year, you would never get a true "best possible roster" for every nation due to injuries or injury concerns
Drew
8:10
Bonds had 575 plate appearances against Hall of Fame pitchers; he hit .292 with only 7 strikeouts.
Mark P
8:10
Hot take: Barry Bonds was a great hitter
KMG
8:12
This is the dawning of the Age of McGonigle, the Age of McGonigle
Mark P
8:12
Move over Barry Bonds, here comes McGonigle!
Blackout Gatling
8:13
biggest overaction after the first weekend that you actually think is legit?
Mark P
8:13
The Blue Jays should've improved the left-handed side of their relief corps
Al east fan
8:14
Who wins the division this year
Mark P
8:15
According to about 39% of MLBTR readers, Toronto
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/03/poll-who-will-win-the-al-east-3...
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