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Mark P
6:35
All sports change their extra-innings/overtime rules in the postseason. In the playoffs, there must be a winner, and having relatively normal rules is the fairest way of deciding such important games.  In the regular season, for logistical reasons alone, you can't have games just going on forever, which is why you have the ghost runner in MLB, ties in the NFL, and the shootout in the NHL.
6:36
I guess the NBA regular season also has no tiebreaker procedure, which seems like something the league could address at some juncture
Max Muncy Mariner?
6:36
If the Dodgers acquire Sato or someone else to play at 3rd base in 2027, could they trade Max Muncy?
Mark P
6:37
Dealing Muncy isn't totally out of the question, but he was still a pretty productive player last year, and he is a clubhouse staple.
kurt the hurt
6:37
Did Jacob DeGrom help his HOF chances this season ?
Mark P
6:38
Yes, though the changing landscape of pitching is probably the better boost for deGrom.  By the time he retires and five years have passed, Cooperstown voters will be putting even less weight on traditional counting numbers and statistical benchmarks.
Mark H.
6:38
Will the Reds be active in FA or will they be bottom feeders again this year as usual?
Mark P
6:39
It'd be a surprise if the team did anything truly splashy signing-wise.  I made this argument last year, but the Reds' willingness to splurge on Schwarber just because he is a local product was faulty --- fans are going to be excited by any good player joining the team, not just a good player with (broad) ties to the Cincinnati area
6:41
The chat will be paused for a spell while I handle some breaking news on the site.  Keep submitting questions/comments and I'll answer them in due course!
8:09
After that hiatus, let's get back to the chat
Ross Atkins
8:09
What are the chances of me convincing Tarik Skubal to come up north?
Mark P
8:11
Since Toronto is one of the few teams who could reasonably meet Skubal's asking price, the Jays have a pretty solid shot at making the signing.  At worst, it might be another case of the Jays finishing runner-up to the Dodgers on an elite signing.
Guest
8:11
Is Joc Pederson a good fit for NY? Maybe as a DH platoon with Stanton (assuming Rice is the everyday 1B and Garcia Jr is the everyday 2B)?
Mark P
8:11
Signing another player who's basically a DH-only type doesn't seem like a good use of a roster spot
Guest
8:12
Do you anticipate the Braves resigning Tyler Mahle, Mauricio Dubon and Iglesias? If not, it seems the Braves have a tremendous amount of holes to fill. Terrible contracts with Yaz, Profar, Murphy and Strider total almost 60 million dollars. Can they overcome these BAD contracts to fill the rotation, get a starting LF and a decent shortstop? Your thoughts?
Mark P
8:13
Mahle/Dubon/Iglesias will all land solid but not exorbitant contracts.  While the Braves surely would like to have more payroll room, it's not out of the question that all three are re-signed, even if Anthopoulos can't manage to dump at least one of his unfavorable contracts.
Buster
8:15
How about the Giants trading Adames to the Braves for Strider. Who says no?
Mark P
8:16
Atlanta is less likely to say yes since Adames struggled both defensively and at the plate, and he has a lot more money owed to him than Strider.
8:17
This would be a creative way for both teams to address needs while getting rid of unwanted contracts, but the Braves would need SF to either eat more of Adames' contract or take on at least one more of Atlanta's unwanted deals
Rocky
8:18
Do you think that 2 “small market” teams competing in the World Series changes the way GMs and owners will approach Free Agency?  If I recall correctly, the Rays and Brewers were both lower third in payroll
Mark P
8:19
Not to any great extent.  I think teams are mostly already in the mode of shopping for value in the free agent market if they can help it.  Every team wants a bargain, after all.  But, larger-market clubs have the advantage of being able to spend on the players who are simply out of the range of the Milwaukees and Tampas of the world --- though this can be a double-edges sword given how a lot of free agents don't live up to expectations
Fulding Money
8:20
Phils need a high end ute / stopgap middle infielder for a year or at most two. Dubon fits; would JP Crawford be in that mode yet or will he get paid as a starter?
Mark P
8:21
If JPC was a right-handed hitter, I'd call him an ideal fit for the Phillies' needs.  Even as another lefty bat, a signing can't be ruled out since the Phils could use Crawford at multiple spots around the infield.
8:22
This is also one of those off-the-field factors that is hard to gauge, but Crawford's rep as a strong clubhouse voice might help shake the Phillies up
Slick Ric
8:22
Should angry Pirates fans have hope that the team could do what the Brewers just did in the future?
Mark P
8:23
The Brewers' win should make them an even bigger blueprint for small-market teams than they already are...not that it's easy to replicate, of course.  Milwaukee is so good at so many things from an organizational perspective that it's hard to exactly match them from a pure consistency standpoint.
Desertdawg1
8:24
Since there is a good chance of a work stoppage on Dec 1st have the odds grown that the DBacks will trade Marte in your opinion?
Investigator
8:24
What do you think Ketel Marte’s trade value roughly is at this point? Strong signs AZ is done with him at lowish leverage but still a very productive player
Mark P
8:25
Reading the tea leaves of the statements from Kendrick, Hazen, and Lovullo, my feeling is that Marte is on the way out.  A trade will be tricky to arrange (especially by December 1) just because Arizona isn't going to just give him away.  But, I wonder how the D'Backs would respond if another team swooped in with an offer worth, say, 75% of what Arizona is hoping to land.
BrewCrew27
8:26
If Marte refuses to waive his no trade protection, what recourse do the D-Backs have?
Mark P
8:26
And then there's this.  If Marte just doesn't want to go, he won't go, simple as that.  The D'Backs will have to just go forward with him as the second baseman.  Not the worst outcome in the world, if Marte can get back to his 2025 form and avoid any more odd absences
Just Fowl
8:31
The Red Sox were connected to a number of mid-20’s shortstops with 2+ years of control at the deadline last year (EDLC, Neto, Abrams, Lopez). Do they make Arias available in a deal for one of them now to fit the timeline of the rest of their roster? 27-29 seems like a sweet spot.
Mark P
8:32
I think Arias would only be available for De La Cruz, not any of the other three.  Boston wouldn't move Arias unless a real premium talent was coming back in the other direction
Rafael Devers
8:32
Do I get traded again? The Mets need a 1B and could send some expensive pieces like Semien back to trade off some of the short term costs.
Mark P
8:33
The Giants are trying to win, however, so moving Devers (especially for salary dumps like Semien) doesn't help in that regard.  As much as clearing some payroll would seemingly help SF in the bigger picture, Devers is the one of their expensive players who actually lived up his salary.
Antony Springer or George Sandanter
8:40
Assuming Springer doesn't just retire there is no way the Blue Jays can carry both of us on the 2027 roster is there?
Mark P
8:40
Not very likely. My guess is that Springer has played his final game as a Blue Jay
tmarohl
8:41
Where does Jake Bauers sign?
Mark P
8:43
Given Pat Murphy's comments, it would be pretty funny if he signed with the Yankees, though that doesn't see like an ideal fit unless NYY is committed to seeing what Garcia can do at second base.

The Diamondbacks, Padres, Blue Jays, Tigers, Guardians, Rangers, or Mariners all make varying degrees of sense for Bauers
Sonny Gray
8:45
Where do I play next year? Do I get a 2 year deal?
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