JotCast | Trade Rumors Front Office Chat | 8/20/2020

Trade Rumors Front Office Chat

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Steve Adams

2:02

Greetings!

Welcome to our third (fourth? it's my third ... I think ...?) Front Office chat! Thanks again for supporting MLBTR. Already some questions in the hopped and more to come in I'm sure, so let's get underway

Kevin Gausman will be traded

2:03

True or False? And for what kind of return?

Steve Adams

2:03

The only way I can see him staying with the Giants is if he gets hurt between now and Aug. 31. He's among the clearest deadline trade candidates for me.

Speaking of which, we're working on our list of top deadline trade candidates, so keep an eye out for that.

2:04

I don't think Gausman will command a huge return, as you're renting something like 6-7 starts of him at most (plus the postseason). Could be a PTBNL situation where they eventually get someone who nestles into the back end of their top 30 -- but for a pitcher who'd otherwise walk for no return, that's not bad.

2:05

That'll also depend on how much cash the Giants eat, by the way, but they showed with the Zack Cozart thing this winter that they're willing to eat money to get a better deal.

Phanatic for Life

2:05

I read your front office emails and isn't it about time to consider Bryce Harper as a MVP candidate? Very happy to see Nola on your Cy Young list

Steve Adams

2:07

Those ones are written by Connor Byrne! He and I will be alternating hosting these Front Office chats beginning in two weeks, so fire away at him on Sept. 3, ha.

(But yeah, Bryce should be in the MVP mix -- there are a lot of really strong performers, though, so it's tough to narrow things down)

Jorge Mateo trade return

2:07

As Mateo has been Called up to the Big leagues, what’s holding up the A’s return / PTBNL ? Any chance it will be Anderson Espinosa ?

Steve Adams

2:08

I think clubs have up to six months to announce the PTBNL. I wonder if it's someone who isn't in the 60-man player pool and will just be announced after the season. Espinoza's stock has plummeted, but I think Mateo's had dipped just as much if not more. I don't expect it to be anyone of particular confidence

I type this next sentence with great pain....

2:09

Phillies lefty Jose Alvarez just took a comeback liner to the GROIN and is being carted off the field.

:(

Dear lord

Mariner Fan Wayne

2:10

Kyle Lewis or Luis Robert for AL ROY?

Steve Adams

2:11

If the season ended right this instant, Lewis has a few more plate appearances and has been the better hitter. But I think Robert is the better player of the two and expect him to finish better, assuming that hand injury he has isn't major and doesn't drag him down much.

Not a knock on Lewis so much as it is a vote of confidence in Robert. Lewis has the better plate discipline and whiffs less, but he's not going to keep up the BABIP and Robert will add more defensive/baserunning value.

Rick Reichardt

2:12

Can the Angels move Upton to their alternate site?

Steve Adams

2:13

Not without his consent. They'd have to option him there, and players with 5+ years of service can't be sent down without giving their permission.

The Angels could also just straight up DFA him, but he could reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency and sign elsewhere. The Halos would still be on the hook for paying him, and they'd run the possibility of him rebounding elsewhere while they pay the freight.

In short: not happening

Quarantino Martinez

2:13

Do you think Mercado gets it together at the alt site? How quickly should Cleveland be looking to add an OF? Naquin/Zimmer/DDS/Luplow doesn't seem to be working.

Steve Adams

2:14

I really don't know what happened to Mercado, but he was so bad this year that I wouldn't bet on him putting it together in short order. Not calling him a lost cause, but it's hard to expect a quick fix after that type of struggle.

They needed OF help even if Mercado was hitting, btw, so yeah they should be on the lookout.

KBO

2:15

When does the Korean league’s season end? Can teams try to Sign Dan Straily, Aaron Brooks and Raul Alcantara right now?

Steve Adams

2:17

They're planning to play their full slate of games, so their season will finish after MLB's (or during the postseason -- I need to look at exact dates)

Those players are under contract and can't be signed away without negotiating a deal with their teams. That's not going to happen.

Besides, they'd need to travel to the US, go through intake testing, etc. It's not really feasible that they'd be able to provide meaningful contribution before end of season.

Braves rotation

2:17

Folty and Newcomb are soon to be traded, Yes or No?

Steve Adams

2:18

I guess the Braves could move Newcomb as part of the package if they're picking up a shorter-term asset they feel is dependable. I don't see anyone taking on Folty. He's being paid too much and looked lost this year. The Braves are pretty much a lock to non-tender him, and another club isn't going to want to pay him through arb either.

Darrell

2:19

Do the Red Sox go into full purge mode at the trade deadline?? Martinez, JBJ, Barnes, workman?? Any type of decent return?

Steve Adams

2:21

I expect them to be among the most active sellers. Bradley isn't bringing anything in return. JDM could, though, and I think Christian Vazquez would be a sought-after piece as well.

I wrote about the match between the Padres and Red Sox in a JDM deal in this week's exclusive Front Office column, if you've not yet read it. Putting Vazquez in that package certainly works, as well (which I also discussed).

Meanwhile, Mike Zunino must've read my bit about the Rays needing an upgrade at catcher, because he is having himself a game right now. Just went deep with a 3-run shot.

GBS42

2:21

Any guess at who is going to close for the Rockies and Giants?

Steve Adams

2:22

In the short term? Daniel Bard and Tyler Rogers get my vote, but I don't believe either team has set anything in stone.

Guest

2:22

Another good start for Cueto last night. If the Farhans are willing to eat most of what he's owed can they get back a pretty good return or will they have to throw in Solano or a bullpen arm?

Steve Adams

2:24

Cueto is owed a $21MM prorated salary in 2020 and $21MM in 2021. He has a 4.60 ERA and an FIP to match (4.59) since coming back from Tommy John. I saw Heyman and a few others trying to hype his value today, but I cannot imagine him drawing much legitimate interest unless the Giants eat like 90-95% of what he has left.

2:26

Also don't think Solano will have much value. He's a 32- going on-33-year-old journeyman who has ridden a .430 BABIP with the Giants. There's no power there, he doesn't walk much and has always been more of a 2B than a SS. It's been a nice run, but while someone like Yaz looks like a legitimately interesting bat, Solano is the type of smoke-and-mirrors poster boy we look back on a few years from now and say, "Remember when Donovan Solano was good for like 300 PAs? That was weird."

I'm not buying him.

Kirt Bennett

2:27

What could the Rays do to shore up their catching? The Rays have always valued defense over offense at catcher. It is the reason that they released Stephen Vogt and Robinson Chrinos on the same day several years ago. However, Zunino has had some issues with blocking and catching this year and that 110ish batting average is just too much of a black hole.

Steve Adams

2:28

The other subject of my Front Office column this week! And since we're speaking about late-blooming-out-of-nowhere guys like Yaz and Solano, I'll point to my column and add that I think Tampa Bay should be all over Austin Nola.

Griffin

2:28

We heard these supposed “challenge trades” where teams have young player swaps. What teams/players could you see the Yankees targeting and is Andujar or Frazier more likely to be the player the Yankees trade?

Steve Adams

2:29

Clint Frazier for Zach Plesac would be interesting to me.

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