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Mark P
6:26
Greetings! We'll open up the Weekend Chat in a minute or two, once we get some tasty questions rolling in....
B
6:28
What do you think the Phillies do in terms of trades soon or before the deadline they are turning it around but what do they still need? Third base? Right field? Garcia and bohm haven’t been good.
Mark P
6:31
Bullpen will again be a target area, and rotation depth is a need.  Nola and Painter just aren't pitching well at all, leaving the Phils with just three reliable starters.

But, you're correct that 3B/RF will both also be on the radar.  Bohm and Garcia are simply running out of time to get their seasons turned around.  The Phillies could also use bench depth in general, and someone they obtain for a part-time role could well work their way into more of a regular job at 3B/RF depending on what's available out there on the market.
Undecided CT
6:36
Somebody just officially announced on his instagram he is actually retiring. I’ve never seen someone change their mind twice on retirement in two days.
Mark P
6:38
Annnnnd, the chat is immediately halted for a couple of minutes since I needed to update our Chris Taylor retirement post.

Reading between the lines, I wonder if Taylor decided that he just didn't feel like going through the grind of the rehab process after fracturing his forearm.  It's understandable how a major injury like that might be the final push to get a veteran player on the fence over into retirement.  And hey, can't blame Taylor for taking some time and a few second thoughts about ending a career path that has dominated most of his life.
Doofus
6:39
How much would the Red Sox have to give up for Yordan Alvarez?
Mark P
6:41
Alvarez is signed through 2028, so unless the Astros decide to entirely blow things up and rebuild, he isn't being traded.  While it is increasingly looking like the Astros may be deadline sellers, Alvarez doesn't seem likely to be moved.

It would require a huge offer of top prospects and MLB-ready young players for the BoSox to pry Alvarez away.  Franklin Arias, at least one of Tolle or Early, etc.
Scott Harris
6:41
Of course I’ve failed to build a sufficient offense but can some of my teams shortcomings be attributed time injury?
Mark P
6:43
There are currently 14 players on Detroit's IL, so yeah, "some" is understating things.  One can certainly take issue with how the Tigers chose to build their roster, but there aren't many teams that can get by with so many key injuries
Guest
6:43
Is it possible the Cards are for real?
Mark P
6:45
"For real" in the sense that they can make the playoffs.....probably not, since their pitching (both the rotation and pen) still doesn't seem like it'll hold up over the long haul.

"For real" in the sense that they're looking like a solid team?  Absolutely.  The Cardinals don't need to reach the postseason for 2026 to be a nice step in the right direction.  Even a .500 record is a big success for a step most expected to be terrible.
Scott
6:45
Who loses there job if the cubs dont make the playoffs, Hoyer or Counsell? Thanks
Mark P
6:47
Hoyer just signed a new extension last summer, whereas Counsell is signed through 2028.  Counsell is earning more than $8MM per season, so that would be over $16MM that Cubs ownership would have to eat in the event of a managerial change.

This is another situation where the injuries have to be acknowledge, since it isn't Counsell's fault that the Cubs' list of pitching injuries is well into the double figures.
Dave
6:48
Can the Giants find a trade for Chapman? I know he has a no trade clause but moving him is a key for both Schmitt and Eldridge.
Mark P
6:49
I believe June 15 is the first day teams are allowed to trade players they signed to a free agent deal the previous offseason.  So that means San Francisco has a few more weeks to gauge their situation before opening the door to Luis Arraez offers.  It is far, far more likely that an impending free agent like Arraez is dealt before guys like Chapman on long-term contracts.
6:50
If Arraez is dealt, Schmitt then plays second base, and Eldridge now has a regular spot at either 1B or DH.
Chaim Bloom
6:51
Will I have to ruin the farm system to buy at the deadline if we continue winning?
Mark P
6:52
Bloom's not going to shift course from this long-planned rebuild just to suddenly trade key prospects for short-term upgrades.  If St. Louis is still in the running at the deadline, I can see the Cards making a few modest adds (likely for pitching) but nothing earth-shaking
Bill
6:53
Do you see Breslow making a trade within the next week? Things are getting late fast over there
Mark P
6:54
Very likely.  Probably not a blockbuster type of deal just yet, but getting a RHH depth player seems plausible.
Ken
6:55
What's wrong with Tyler Soderstrom?
Mark P
6:58
The chief issue seems to be that Soderstrom is putting the ball in the air a lot more than in 2025, except those balls are translating into infield flies rather than dangerous blasts into the outfield.

Some of it is just bad luck, as Soderstrom has a .225 BABIP.  He is also making less hard contact than last season, but he's still in the 65th percentile in terms of hard-hit ball rate, which is pretty decent.

In theory, his numbers will pick up once his luck improve, but there's enough awry here that the A's should have some concern.  Two months is more than just a slump.
Astros71
6:59
Any chance for an Astros comeback, or is a teardown the case?
Mark P
7:00
Time for the obligatory "the AL is terrible" comment, as I note that Houston is still only 3.5 games out of a wild card spot, and four games out of first place in the AL West.  While it feels like the Astros are in rough shape, they're still not in that deep of a hole in relation to most of their rivals.
Lovable losers
7:01
It feels like more top prospects are getting called up than usual. Is it just because more media covers prospects? Or is roster construction shifting?
Mark P
7:02
The PPI gives teams more reason to want their best prospects in the majors sooner.  You'd think "wanting to put the best team on the field" would've been reason enough pre-PPI, but....

There also seems to be a bit more of a trend for front offices to push top prospects (especially college players) to the Show a bit sooner.  An argument can be made that modern scouting and preparation tactics make these players more prepped for the jump to the majors than ever before, though obviously there's no substitute for actual game action.
Biggest White Sox Fan
7:03
With so many injuries happening this season, can you see US making a shot at the WC?  If so, do you see the Sox using some of their strong prospects, to give them a shot at a title?
It appears as if you answered my question by responding to the Cardinals fan.  Your answer I think applies to the White Sox as well.
Mark P
7:04
Pretty much, yeah.  For the White Sox to even flirt with .500 two years after losing 121 games is a massive turn-around.  And, given the state of the AL and the AL Central in particular, we can't even rule Chicago out as the most unlikely of out-of-nowhere contenders
Jordan Walker
7:04
MVP candidate?
Zach
7:04
I think people sleep on Turang, he could be a top 5 or even top 3 MVP player.
Mark P
7:06
Not that fWAR is the singular quality of an MVP candidate, but right now Walker and Turang rank third and fourth in fWAR among NL players. (Elly de la Cruz and Corbin "Mr. Triples" Carroll have the top two spots.)

I also submit that if Ohtani keeps pitching like this, he'll win both the MVP and Cy Young in a walk.
Cooper Ingle
7:08
Why won't I get called up
Mark P
7:10
Ingle spent a couple of weeks on the minor league IL, and he has only 59 Triple-A games played over two seasons. Given how the Guardians prioritize catcher defense, that's probably the part of his game that the club wants to see as polished as possible before giving him the call.

Offense-wise, Ingle has been crushing the ball, so it doesn't seem like he has much left to prove in that regard
Jaxon
7:11
Mautz got called up by the Cards for a spot start but it got rained out. If he is sent back down does he get a day of service on the MLB club?
Mark P
7:12
Yes, since it still counts a day on the overall season calendar.  He's just now in the unfortunate "ghost player" zone of being a player on the 26-man roster who is technically not an actual big leaguer just yet
Guest
7:14
Would Boston do a Duran for Torkelson trade?
Mark P
7:15
Not really a fit for Boston's needs, since Torkelson would just be a part-time DH with Contreras holding down first base.
Crown Royal
7:16
What's going on with "the Pasquatch?"
Mark P
7:17
A huge dropoff in his bat speed and hard-hit ball numbers.  As with Soderstrom, luck is a factor since Pasquantino has only a .221 BABIP, but Vinnie P's problems seem deeper than Soderstrom's
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