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Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat with Steve Adams: 3/3/25
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Steve Adams
1:04
Good afternoon, all! I'll get this chat going in about an hour and a half, but feel free to start sending questions in now if you prefer. Talk soon!
2:28
Hello! Let's get rolling
Jeff
2:29
If adding payroll was an issue why wouldn't the Reds try to send Candelero or another contract along with prospects to White Sox for Robert to help offset money
Steve Adams
2:29
We don't have any indication they didn't try that. But from the White Sox' vantage point, taking on a huge portion of an unwanted contract significantly worsens the deal, so they'd be asking the Reds to give up even more if they're simultaneously bailing Cincinnati out on Candelario.
2:30
The asking price on Robert earlier in the offseason was already steep
Crochet
2:30
An extension now seems to be in the interest of both myself, Garrett Crochet, and the Boston Red Sox. How would an extension now affect the payroll in regards to the second threshold? If it wouldn't get us there then what are we waiting for?
Steve Adams
2:32
It doesn't have to impact the CBT at all. The Sox can just structure it as a new contract beginning in 2026 and keep his one-year deal for 2025 in place. They did this with Chris Sale.

Camp only just started a couple weeks ago. I'm sure they're talking to Crochet, but I don't think the lack of a deal on March 3 indicates that they're not prioritizing it or that they haven't initiated anything.
otisPDriftwood
2:32
NL only 5x5 10  team league: Is Grant Holmes a keeper at $10? I really like his upside.
And are any of these fellows rosterable closers? 1. Kinley 2. AJ Puk 3. J Tinoco
thanks for these chats!
Steve Adams
2:34
I quickly sifted through NL rotations when this was sent in and without digging too deep into things had Holmes somewhere around SP #40 to 45 in the NL, for fantasy purposes anyway. That was just a quick glance. I don't know the specifics of how many you can keep, how your league is scored, roster size, etc. -- so it's a bit tough to say.

My inclination is that $10 feels steep. He's not going to repeat last year's 5% walk rate. He's never done that at any level, including AAA before being called up last year. But I do love the huge 16.4% SwStr, and his AAA rate wasn't too far below that (15.8%).

I don't love the price, but there's a lot of context baked into that and I don't have all the specifics. I'd worry about workload an a potential demotion to a swingman spot if he has a rocky start and Anderson pitches well as Strider rehabs.
2:35
As for the relievers, no on Kinley and Tinoco, for me but Puk might be a top-5 reliever in all of MLB this year, let alone in just the NL. I wouldn't just roster him, I'd be trying hard to get him. And if you can keep him at a reasonable rate, I'll take that before Holmes at 10
Mike Trout
2:35
Do I even have a legacy of note? For 5 years I was arguably as good as anyone ever, but there have been other guys who have also looked amazing for a short time... y'know, like whatshisname, and that other guy... what have I actually done to be remembered?
Steve Adams
2:37
Mike Trout put up 72 WAR over an eight-year span. He was good for much more than "five" years, and he's been great when on the field since. Just hurt a lot.

Trout has three MVPs (should be at least four). He's currently 36th in the history of MLB with his .410 OBP. All but six names ahead of him are HOFers, with three of the exceptions (Barry Bonds, Manny Ramirez, Shoeless Joe Jackson) omitted for obvious reasons.
If this was a troll job, I guess I took the bait and well done, haha. If not, I would say you're criminally underrating Trout, who could retire tomorrow and be a first-ballot HOF
Will
2:38
Do we read into anything with Bregman only playing third so far in games? I would assume if the plan is to have him at second, he should be getting more work there in game action over third.
Steve Adams
2:39
I wouldn't. Devers has been building up slowly after some soreness in his shoulders. He'll get back to 3B this week. You could say the Sox should be playing him at 2B here, but he already has played a bit there in the past and was a college shortstop... he has good defensive tools across the board. I don't think this is like a Jose Altuve situation where he's been a middle infielder since he was 12 and now you're asking him to go play the outfield.
Plus the Sox have a lot of 2B guys they want to take a look at, so it makes some sense to get them looks there while Devers isn't playing the field.
Cubbies
2:40
Hey Steve, Thanks for the chat! Do you see the Cubs giving Alcantra a spot on the bench this year? He's been hitting the ball hard this spring. Also, What are your thoughts on the Cubs 5th starter. Do you think that it will be Rea or Wicks since Assad is going to start the year on the IL?
Steve Adams
2:41
I'd be surprised if Alcantara got a bench spot. It's the same situation as Pete Crow-Armstrong in the past. He's too well regarded for them to just stick him on the bench, even if he were in a relatively heavily used role. I'd expect Alcantara to AAA barring an injury of note.

On the rotation, I'd lean Rea over Wicks just because of the contract, but Rea's swingman experiences opens the door if Wicks pitches well. Ben Brown should probably be listed here, too.
Billy Morton
2:41
Hi Steve! Any chance the Tigers, with their outfield injuries would sign Whit Merrifield? Or somebody else to play OF.
Steve Adams
2:43
Sure, I guess on a minor league deal. But I'm not sure either of the Vierling/Meadows injuries is enough to prompt a major league signing. Tigers already have some depth options in Justyn-Henry Malloy, Wenceel Perez, Zach McKinstry. They could also just give Kerry Carpenter more ABs in right field, which would get Torkelson some early ABs (if he earns them with his spring play)
RoxTalks
2:44
If he has a solid bounce back season, should the Rockies look to extend or trade Marquez? He's shown he can handle Coors when healthy, but they aren't exactly in win now mode. He could be kept to mentor the young guys they have coming up (especially Dollander).
Steve Adams
2:45
If he's health and in the middle of a rebound, they SHOULD absolutely be willing to trade him. But the Rockies are endlessly loyal to the guys they develop. I know Marquez was originally a Rays signee, but he's been a Rockie for more than a decade now and has grown up in  that system.

I imagine they'd be more apt to extend him. Not the route I'd go, but history tells us that'd be likelier than shopping him, conventional wisdom be damned.
MikeTrout
2:46
I know he's been hurt a lot over the last few seasons, and perhaps some fans are frustrated at his lack of health, but the overall Mike Trout disrespect has to stop. His production and ability throughout the 2010s was pretty much unmatched and fans got to see a top 10 player of all time flourish in front of out eyes
Steve Adams
2:48
There is indeed a weird air of "he's hurt a lot and never really went to the playoffs so he's overrated" that's popped up, but I don't think that extends to anyone who'd be voting for his hall case. Trout is as easy as it gets with respect to Cooperstown. I'm sure there'll be a handful of curmudgeons who give him the Ichiro treatment, but should be on every ballot and will get close to being there. I'd be surprised if he came in at under 97-98% of ballots whenever he does retire and land on the ballot.
CubsCore
2:48
Could Sandy Alcantara be a good target for the Cubs come June/July if he has a strong start? Or would his trade market be competitive to the point where the Cubs would exit and look somewhere else for a SP?
Steve Adams
2:49
He'd be a great fit for any contender if he's healthy in June or July. The market for him will be immensely competitive, but that shouldn't scare the Cubs off. They've already surrendered significant assets to get one year of Kyle Tucker. They shouldn't let prospect asking prices significantly deter them in subsequent trade endeavors.
GoGreen
2:49
Pitch review seems to working smoothly in spring. I've heard mostly positive coming from pitchers and hitters. Do you think it will debut in some capacity at the MLB level in 2025? Have you heard any execs commenting about yhe system?
Steve Adams
2:50
No I think it's too late for it to impact this season but 2026 or 2027, sure.
Dave
2:50
Is LAD Triple A starting rotation 1-5 better than about 10 MLB rotations?  Thanks for the chat.
Steve Adams
2:52
Heh. They've got good depth but not that good. Especially with some MLB injuries probably bumping a combo of Knack, Wrobleski and Casparius up to big league roles.

But if they had a healthy big league roster with, say, Bobby Miller/Landon Knack/Justin Wrobleski/Ben Casparius/Nick Frasso in the OKC rotation down in AAA, you could convince me that's on par with or a bit better than a pure, deep rebuild team like the White Sox.
Ken M
2:52
How are the Cardinals doing a reset when they still have Fedde, Matz, Arenado and Helsley? And with a work stoppage potentially hitting after next season, what is their plan?
Steve Adams
2:54
Broken record reply from me here, but I don't know how they can call this a reset. The offseason seems like a total failure. You can't just buy out the options on a couple veterans and say you're rebuilding.

If you're building your entire retool/player development focus on trading pricey guys with no-trade provisions (i.e. Arenado, Sonny, Contreras), then you should:

A) Make sure those guys are actually willing to be traded before publicly announcing the reset

and

B) Have a Plan B if they're not willing to move.
2:55
Plan B should've been moving Fedde and Helsley, specifically, but showing a willingness to listen on Donovan and other 3+ service guys.
2:56
Hell that should've been Plan A if they weren't going to make a real effort in 2025. I just can't wrap my brain around this being their offseason. It is a mountain of missed opportunities. If Helsley or Fedde gets hurt in the season's first couple months, my word...
Rick
2:56
Of the 3sluggers that came over to the NL which one do you think will transition best? Soto, Tucker or Naylor?
Steve Adams
2:58
I think you could drop Soto and Tucker onto Neptune and they'd still rake.

Naylor is the biggest regression candidate among them. He's a power-over hit 1B who's moving to a park that has quietly been the worst in MLB for left-handed home run hitters across the past three seasons, per Statcast.
Well, tied with KC's Kauffman for the worst
Crying Shane
2:59
Any chance R5 Shane Smith claims one of the CWS starting jobs? Curious in general about whether they start promoting people or let them toil in the minors another year.
Steve Adams
3:02
I don't see why not. They can easily put Bryse Wilson in a swing role and/or option most of the rest of their guys (Sean Burke, Jairo Iriarte, etc.) to make room for Smith.

I imagine they'd ease him in via a swingman role before giving him some starts 6-8 weeks into the season if he looks decent. A's did this with Mitch Spence last year and it worked out well.

Plus, Smith only had 94 innings in 2024 (Spence had like 160+ in his platform year for the Rule 5), so starting Smith in a swing role helps to tamp down the workload leap if you do eventually move him to the rotation.
TheBeatlesShow
3:02
Hey, Steve.  Thanks.  Who among the still unsigned free agents is the biggest surprise (that they're still out there)?
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