You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat with Steve Adams: 4/11/25
powered byJotCast
Steve Adams
12:25
Greetings, everyone! Back for another subscriber chat after having last week off. We'll get going at 2pm CT, but feel free to submit questions in advance. Looking forward to it!
2:02
Hello! I'll get underway in one minute. Just finishing something on Hunter Harvey's injury for the site
Brian
2:04
Is it just me, or is offense WAY up this year compared to the last couple seasons? (especially early in the year)
Steve Adams
2:05
I regret to inform you -- it's just you!

MLB hitters through April 10 last year: .242/.318/.387
MLB hitters through April 10 this year: .235/.312/.383

Those darn torpedo bats are ruining the sport, I say.
Cambo
2:05
How long before Miami decides not to play chicken with a potential injury or bad performance and trades Sandy A? I wonder if the Phillies reaching out again and offering Ranger + prospects would be appealing. Miami could then turn around and deal Ranger for more prospects. The Phils rotation does not need (3) left handers.
Steve Adams
2:09
I think they should trade him ASAP, both to avoid the injury scenario you mentioned and also because teams would presumably give up more for 28-30 starts of Alcantara this year than they would for, say, a dozen or so following the deadline. You're basically getting three full years of him if you make an early move.

I think it's likelier to happen in the summer, though.

As for the Phillies scenario, that's overly complicated for the Marlins. They're not going to want any part of Suarez, who's a rental himself. Rather than take on a pricey veteran and then trying to put together an entire second trade of him, they'll just focus on adding as much young talent as possible for Alcantara. They'll get a better return that way anyhow.
Springer
2:09
You think this lasts? He's on fire.
Steve Adams
2:12
There's no way he keeps hitting THIS well. A .552 average on balls in play isn't sustainable, no matter how hard he's making contact.

That said, Springer is absolutely torching the ball in a way we haven't seen from him ... basically ever. He's also elevating the ball at the same rate he did during his 2019-21 peak.

There's clearly some regression coming, but so far he's been far more selective at the plate -- his overall swing rate is down about nine percentage points -- and finding pitches to hit in the air, which is working out for him.
Mike
2:12
Outside of Spencer Jones and Lombardi Jr do the Yankees have the prospects to make an upgrade at the trade deadline?
Steve Adams
2:15
Any team "has the prospects" to make upgrades at the deadline. It's pretty rare that we see any top-100 types traded in today's brand of ultra-conservative baseball operations departments.

FanGraphs gives the Yankees eight 45-grade or better prospects. MLB.com (which is more generous with its grading) gives them 15. One of those is Jasson Dominguez, who's obviously not getting moved, but they have names like Chase Hampton, Cam Schlitter, Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, Edgleen Perez and plenty of others who'll hold appeal. There are always plenty of prospects who shoot up rankings with big first halves as well.
2:16
More simply put: yes, they have more than Lombard and Jones (the latter of whom I'm not particularly bullish on, but that's a separate debate)
Angels fan
2:17
When will we see Zach Neto and Christian Moore
Steve Adams
2:19
Neto is on a rehab assignment right now and hitting well. I doubt he's too far off. He's played eight Triple-A games already.

Moore still only has 123 professional plate appearances and has started the season 1-for-13 in Double-A. The Angels are the most aggressive team in MLB when it comes to promoting prospects, but I think an late May/early June promotion is about the soonest I can see with him.
Nationals Fan
2:20
The Nationals just finished a 4-2 homestand against the Diamondbacks and Dodgers and were a bullpen eruption away from another series win against the Phillies in the first week. Is this team just an arm or two from being a sneaky wild card threat?
Steve Adams
2:25
They're giving Alex Call, Paul DeJong and Josh Bell pretty regular at-bats right now and don't have a great bench. They're more than a couple arms away, but they've also gotten nothing from Dylan Crews so far and I think he'll turn it around sooner than later. Plus James Wood is a damn monster. He's one of my favorite young hitters to watch. He's going to be great.

They have a lot of nice pieces in place, but there's some depth issues that I think will be exposed as time goes on. Some of that could be fixed by Brady House continuing his mammoth AAA start and forcing his way into the majors, granted.

I don't think a Wild Card run is wholly out of the picture, but it seems likelier that they return to contention in 2026. Your question works both ways ... they're also 1-2 pitching injuries away from a rotation of like ... Jake Irvin, Trevor Williams, Brad Lord and Shinnosuke Ogasawara.
Thomas
2:25
Let’s say Jac Caglionone is ready for the bigs in June. If you’re the royals, what are your plans for him? Try to play him in right field (assuming he’s capable)? Put him at first and move Vinnie to DH and the bench when salvy and Fermin are in the lineup? Looking to the future are you looking to trade pasquintino this offseason? That would be a difficult one but I think they have to
Steve Adams
2:28
Put him in the outfield. He cannot possibly be worse than what the Royals are  running out there every day right now. I'd put him and Pasquantino at 1B/DH when Perez is catching and run Caglianone out in left or right when Perez is the DH. I don't think the situation merits trading Pasquantino, who's one of the few competent bats in a top-heavy Royals lineup.
George B
2:28
Royals have to do something with that outfield. Who could be available?
Steve Adams
2:28
Speaking of which!
2:30
Yes, they need to do something, but that's been true for years now. They tried with the Renfroe signing, I guess, but that always felt like an overpay coming off a pretty lackluster platform for him. I cannot wrap my head around the organization's unwavering faith in MJ Melendez, who just does not look like a credible big leaguer but is getting his third season of regular at-bats in left field.
2:31
I've written about their puzzling inability to develop any outfield solution for subscribers in the past:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/the-royals-outfield-drought.htm...
Guest
2:31
I do not think the SD Padres starting rotation is going to cut it. Agree?
Steve Adams
2:33
As currently comprised, I agree. But they'll hopefully be getting Yu Darvish and Matt Waldron back at some point, which helps. I still think they'll be looking for rotation help at the deadline, though. The depth isn't there, and one injury to Cease/King/Pivetta would be brutal.
Rox
2:33
German Marquez has looked excellent so far in 2025, one bad inning against the A's notwithstanding. Considering he's a FA at season's end, if the Rockies were willing to move him (big "if" there, seeing how the Rockies operate), could he be one of the more coveted arms at the deadline? If so, what's a reasonable return for him? Thanks!
Steve Adams
2:38
I'd push back on "looked excellent," considering he's walked 13.3% of his opponents and thrown a career-low 49.4% of his pitches over the plate. He's gotten good results, and it's encouraging that after a long injury layoff, his velocity appears back to its typical level, but Marquez isn't missing bats or locating well so far.

He's a talented pitcher though, and at his best he's good enough to be a playoff starter. I don't think Marquez would have the value that a higher-end rental like Jack Flaherty had last year. He fetched a 50-grade/borderline top-100 prospect (Thayron Liranzo) and a MLB-ready infielder (Trey Sweeney) -- albeit a glove-first/glove-only one.

Marquez probably brings in a headliner that's a 45-grade prospect as the headliner, which isn't a bad return for a couple months of him.

As you said though, it's the Rockies. They'll probably extend him or let him walk. They never seem to pull the trigger on trading their best assets.
Chris
2:39
Dylan Crews has had an abysmal start to 2025. I didn't even know it was possible to produce a negative OPS+ like Crews did in his first 37 AB. Too early to call him a bust, but why haven't the Nats sent him down to AAA yet?
Steve Adams
2:40
They took him with the No. 2 overall pick and gave him an Opening Day job in the outfield. It'd be pretty quick to reverse course on that and ship him to Rochester after two ugly weeks. And while it's not great, he's started to show signs of emerging. He went 0-for-19 with 12 (!!) strikeouts to start the season and is hitting .238 since that time.

I'm a big Crews believer overall, and while he hasn't done my Rookie of the Year pick for him any favors with this start, I still think he's going to be a key piece for the Nats and still expect him to start hitting here.
Mets Fan
2:40
How much guys like Pete Alonso, Kyle Tucker and other high profile position players could benefit next offseason after the new deal of Vladimir Guerrero Jr? Thanks in advance.
Steve Adams
2:43
I don't think it impacts Tucker all that much, outside of just increasingly making teams more comfortable with the idea of paying $400MM, $500MM for top-tier players. I've always thought Tucker was going to get 400+ and has a chance at 500. Vlad's deal "helps" in the sense that it normalizes that number a bit more, but I don't think teams look at Tucker and say, "Great, if Vlad's a $500MM, Tucker's a $575MM player." Different ages, different positions, different skill sets, etc.

I don't think it really has any bearing on Alonso whatsoever, outside of removing the possibility that the Mets sign Vlad and subsequently move on from Pete.
Dave
2:43
I need a 2B and I have two SSs.  I was offered Jackson Holliday for Zach Neto.  How are we feeling about Holliday?  Still the golden boy or are we concerned about his failure to launch?
Steve Adams
2:45
That's tough. Is it a redraft league or a keeper/dynasty setting? I'm more bullish on Holliday long-term than Neto and think Holliday has shown some positive signs this year (chasing way less, contact rate up). But with regard to the current season, I'd probably lean Neto to provide more value, especially since he's close to being activated.

They're both going to be good players, but Neto's a bit less of a project right now, assuming the shoulder issue's behind him.
Jaysfansince1977
2:46
Your thoughts on how long of a leash the Jays give Davis Schnieder before he gets sent to the minors???
Steve Adams
2:48
He's only had 17 plate appearances, four of which have resulted in a walk. I'm not a big Schneider guy at this point, and I think he more or less showed what he was last year: tons of walks, tons of K's, middling pop. It's Cavan Biggio all over again.

The Jays clearly like him more though. I doubt they'd send him out based on 17 PAs after rostering him all last season and having him break camp in '25. Probably has enough leash to stick around until late April or early May, but I'm just speculating there.
Donny Baseball
2:48
Thanks for the chats.  How much longer do the White Sox continue to give Andrew Vaughn at bats?  He has been worth 1 WAR in his first four seasons and is even worse in his small sample size to start this year.  It seems the would be better off moving on and giving those AB’s to someone, anyone else?
Steve Adams
2:50
I thought they should've non-tendered Vaughn. At this point, he's a 28-year-old first baseman with below-average power and no defensive value of which to speak.

The Sox obviously disagreed and gave him $5.85MM. They're not cutting him anytime soon. I'm sure the hope is that he finally has something of a breakout and they can trade him this summer, but I'm not optimistic. If he's still floundering this summer, a move becomes likelier, but he'll get a long leash for now.
Tigers Fan
2:50
Has tork finally figured it out?
Steve Adams
2:55
Yes! And no!

Tons of hard contact and the best in-zone contact rate/lowest swinging-strike rate of his career. That's all good!

He's also still striking out a ton and teetering on passive at the plate. He's sitting on a .423 average on balls in play that he can't possibly sustain. That's all ... less good!

I think he can hit around .250 with an above-average OBP (.330-.340?) and plenty of power. So ... yes, I'm buying the positive steps forward, but not to this extent.
Steve Davis
2:55
The Mariners are now down 2 regulars from a weak lineup. What would you do to remedy this situation?
Steve Adams
2:57
Get a time machine, go back to October, slap John Stanton in the face and tell him to spend a little cash to support his incredible rotation?

Short of that, there's not a ton they can do. They didn't have a great mix to begin with, and now it's banged up. They can go grab a Christian Arroyo or someone and hope it's a serviceable stopgap, but the infield and the lineup in general are going to be problematic until the deadline. The Mariners have to hope they can stay in contention enough that Dipoto can leverage that juggernaut farm system -- they currently have NINE of Baseball America's Top 100 prospects -- to get some more offensive help for J-Rod, Arozarena and Raleigh.
2:58
I also wouldn't be super beholden to Rowdy Tellez; if he struggles too much longer, shake it up and give Tyler Locklear a look.
Load More Messages
Connecting…