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Mark P
7:31
The Weekend Chat is now open! We'll begin things officially once a few questions start to pile up...
Garrett
7:34
I'm interested in your Nationals strategy if you were in charge of the team come trade deadline. Personally I feel like they'll sell but mostly focus on expiring pieces vs. an Abrams trade, for example. Maybe a Luis Garcia Jr. gets moved?
Mark P
7:36
If the Nats are still in contention at the deadline, I think you'll see them take the usual path of clubs in borderline contention.  They'll buy but not to any great extent....perhaps in Washington's case, adding some bullpen help and starter to eat innings.  Nothing that would require the Nats to dig too deeply into their prospect base, of course.

As for selling, if the Nats fall apart over the next six weeks, Abrams could certainly find himself dealt if the offer is right.
7:37
Garcia is another potential trade candidate, except he wouldn't get much back in return besides a lotto ticket type of prospect
ABS challenge
7:37
Any updates on Spencer Strider?
Mark P
7:38
He's visiting Dr. Meister in a couple of days.  As ominous as this sounds, it might also be just a standard procedure check-in, rather than a harbinger of a TJ surgery or something
Blue Rodeo
7:38
23 - 9! Wow! 😮
Mark P
7:39
Quite the game today between the Broncos and Raiders.....wait, what's that?
Nick Krall
7:40
How hot is my seat becoming? Am I out by the end of the month?
Mark P
7:41
An in-season firing is almost certainly not happening, and a firing at all probably isn't in the cards.  It's been a tough stretch here for the Reds but wholesale changes don't seem to be in store.
RinginMyBell
7:42
Albeit there is little of trade value and a horrid farm system, should Dombrowski and the Phils sell off approaching the deadline? One could argue they would be in Wildcard contention but can they really compete with so many holes and a past postseason performance?
Mark P
7:43
Barring a truly calamitous collapse in the next month, there is no way on the earth the Phillies sell.
7:44
Any team with Sanchez and Wheeler has to feel good about their chances in a short playoff series.  The Phillies have some real holes on the roster, but make no mistake, this is still a very good team.
Texas
7:46
Luis Arraez or  Willson Contreras For Texas at Deadline I love both…?
Mark P
7:46
Contreras is more expensive but also clearly the better hitter.  All things being equal, he's the one I'd target if I was a Texas team looking for a big bat.
Amateur GM
7:48
You are Brewers GM, since you have Pratt, Williams, and Pena, you decide you could realistically part with Made to make a big move...who you targeting if you are trading the #1 prospect?
Mark P
7:48
Made is the last guy I'd trade within that group.  Given how the Brewers usually operate, there's logic in just going forward with all four youngsters and seeing how things play out.
Amateur GM
7:50
You're no fun! The question was not would you trade him or would MIL, it was under the assumption you would who is a target worth offering him?
Mark P
7:51
Hey, I'm fun!  I wore a Hawaiian shirt yesterday!
Trout on the hook
7:52
can the Phils realistically get Trout? Take on his full contract. What prospect package gets the angels to say yes? Even if you don’t think it will ever happen what package do you think would work?
Mark P
7:53
I doubt Arte Moreno would approve a Trout trade.  But, in the world where that did happen, the Phillies would probably have to include almost nothing on the prospect front if they offered to absorb all of Trout's deal.  Though Trout is having a bounce-back year, that's still a lot of money owed for an aging player with a big injury history, so that still looms as a future albatross on the Angels' books.
Thunderstorm
7:54
With the 7th pick in the 2026 draft the Baltimore Orioles select Roch Cholowsky. I think this is very feasible
Mark P
7:54
There has been reporting that the Giants love Roch, so there's no chance he'd fall past them at #4 (if he even gets to #4 at all)
Steve
7:55
If St Louis is still hanging around the wild card race come mid July, Joe Ryan from Minnesota to the Cardinals for Crooks, Hence, & Nootbar. Who says no? Ryan has 2 years of control plus they’re not giving up any of their three “untouchable” projects.
Mark P
7:57
Like the Nationals, the Cards are another team who is unexpectedly still competitive.  They'd also likely be in the "sorta buying but open to sorta selling" mode come the deadline if they're still in the race.

Now, if the Twins were somehow willing to take this particular offer, the Cardinals do it in a heartbeat.  But Minnesota can get way more for Ryan
Quit harping on it
7:58
Is a more feasible option moving Harper to OF and getting a first baseman?
Mark P
8:00
Harper has said he's open to playing outfield again, but Dombrowski has said the team prefers to just keep him as a first baseman.  Probably not a bad move if it helps keep Harper healthy, and there's a certain "if it ain't broke..." element to keeping Harper just rolling in his current state.  

Obviously the Phillies have a pretty glaring hole in their outfield right now, but the front office probably thinks they can get some help on the waiver wire or (for now) in a lower-level trade.
Matt Arnold
8:03
With Pratt promoted and Rengifo being DFA’d on Tuesday, any chance somebody trades for Rengifo or will the Brewers eat the couple million left on his contract?
Mark P
8:06
One of my biggest hot takes from the offseason was that Rengifo was a great dark horse signing, and I figured he'd have a terrific bounce-back year in Milwaukee.  All I can say is...oops.

Rengifo is owed a little over a $1MM left in 2026 salary, plus there's a $1.5MM buyout of his mutual option for 2027.  It's not big money by any means, but unless there's another team with someone in their front office that shares my Rengifo optimism, he'll likely clear waivers if DFA'ed
Zach
8:07
Whats the percentage chance as of right now that Skubal is traded?
Mark P
8:08
I feel like last chat I answered a similar question and had it 55-45 in favor of being traded?  I think I might actually swing it back a bit to under 50 percent again, since the Tigers have played a bit better and Cleveland's chances took a hit with J-Ram out for 4-6 weeks.
Angels
8:10
Their SP are getting put into trade rumors. Due to upside, by moving them now, they're going backwards to "hopefully" go forward? Prospects aren't a sure thing
Mark P
8:12
Realistically, the Halos aren't in any position to contend until the 2030's.  In theory that should make guys like Soriano or Detmers into trade chips, and as controllable starters with frontline potential, trading either would bring back a massive haul of much-needed prospects.

Again, however, the Angels march to the beat of their own drum when it comes to buying or selling at the deadline.  I doubt we'll ever see any kind of proactive fire sale under Moreno.
Re: nationals
8:12
What is the point of fringe contenders that do light adding at the deadline? You’re already on the fringe— the one reliever or league average bat you might add isn’t gonna get you over the hump. this only makes sense for teams anticipating a big prospect promotion or injury return.
Mark P
8:13
The idea is that the Nationals, Cardinals, etc. aren't going to be actual World Series contenders, and could very easily fall apart over the last two months of the season. For two franchises clearly pointed in the rebuild direction, therefore, they aren't going to go nuts on big deadline additions for a club that ultimately isn't really in position to contend.
AL Central
8:14
....first to 78 wins is division champ?
Mark P
8:15
The AL Central champ will have a winning record.  As to how many wins over .500 that will be, uh, don't quote me on that. :)
Jacob
8:15
Sanchez or Mis for CY young?
Mark P
8:15
Who is your vote as NL Cy Young?

Jacob Misiorowski (76.3% | 424 votes)
 
Cristopher Sanchez (23.7% | 132 votes)
 

Total Votes: 556
Arizona
8:17
ERod and Soroka are looking exceptional as trade candidates. Would it be possible to grab either without a 50FV prospect going to AZ?
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