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Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat with Steve Adams: 6/20/25
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Steve Adams
11:57
Good afternoon! We'll get going around 2pm CT, but feel free to ask questions ahead of time.
2:01
Hello! Let's get underway
Carlos Garcia
2:01
Do you think Dodgers will go after a starting pitcher or wait until the offseason?
Steve Adams
2:03
I think with regard to the rotation, it hinges more on the health of Snell, Glasnow, Yamamoto ... their expected playoff arms. If they think that group is going to be healthy come October, then I don't think they're going to make a huge push to bring in a high-end rotation arm. They'll always be opportunistic, but I imagine they'll have higher priorities. They're so deep in arms to help get them there, it's more about who's taking the ball in those critical playoff games.
Rox
2:04
Although he isn't pitching particularly well right now, could the Cubs target someone like German Marquez? He's had good stuff in the past and could be reinvigorated going from the Rockies to a contender.
Steve Adams
2:07
Marquez actually isn't pitching all that badly right now. He's not up to his previous bat-missing levels, but across his past eight starts he's sitting on a 3.50 ERA. It's only a 16.4 K% in that time, but a 6.2 BB% and 40% grounder rate are solid. Velocity isn't quite where it was at its peak, but his heater is less than a mile per hour off.

I feel like the Cubs would aim higher, personally, but I do expect that there will be plenty of teams in on Marquez. The Rox have whiffed on trading him in the past, but I don't know how they can idle through another trade deadline. They're not going to QO Marquez. He's a free agent at season's end. They should be shopping him aggressively to the highest bidder, and there should be plenty, given the pitching injuries throughout the league
Dodgers
2:08
Are the Dodgers just going to slow play Dalton Rushing so that he doesn't get 150 AB's this season? I'd hoped he'd get regular time in the OF while serving as backup C and have some fantasy value this year.
Steve Adams
2:08
They said when he was called up that he wasn't going to play the OF and would catch about twice per week:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/dodgers-rumors-dalton-rushing-c...
2:09
If Will Smith gets hurt, I'm sure Rushing gets more playing time, but if you're in a redraft league, I wouldn't be rostering him right now.
Positively Half St
2:10
The Nats went from promising to miserable rapidly. Do they just trade Nathan Lowe, or send some younger players somewhere to get a pitcher for next season?
Steve Adams
2:11
I would expect it'll be trading Lowe and Finnegan as the main moves. Soroka/Bell if someone will take them, but neither's value is very high. (I'd gamble on Soroka as a reliever, though)

I could see a team needing a RH bat offering something small for Amed Rosario or Alex Call.
Halos
2:12
I don't see Hendricks sustaining his recent success and Anderson has been struggling as of late. Help find a SP to help this team make a leap. Luis Castillo?
Steve Adams
2:14
The Angels are far more than one starting pitcher from making that leap. They have a -60 run differential, are 29th in the majors in batting average, 30th in OBP, 21st in starters' ERA, 27th in bullpen ERA, and 27th in both Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average.

I wouldn't mind them finding a way to get a controllable arm or two, but I wouldn't be shopping for a pricey mid-30s arm like Castillo (who I don't expect to be available -- particularly to a division rival)
Mike d
2:15
This is not likely and crazy to think but would Cleveland ever consider trading Jose Rameriz?  Cleveland has always seem to have the knack for trading players at their peak and Jose is starting to get a little older and make more money (still affordable to most teams).  Would they entertain a trade with reds if the headliner of the deal was Chase Burns?
Steve Adams
2:17
He's still playing at an MVP level and signed way below market value for three more years. Cleveland typically trades players they don't have signed long term when they're a year or maybe two from free agency. Ramirez is an entirely different animal. I can't see any way they'd trade him, especially in season. If they were to move him, it'd be an offseason thing and someone like Burns -- good as he is -- would just be the tip of the iceberg on the return.
RAGBRAI
2:18
Does Lawler only make it up again with a Suárez trade? Did they give him enough consistent ABs the first time up?
Steve Adams
2:19
I was surprised they called him up for such minimal playing time last time around. A Suarez trade seems pretty likely to me whether the D-backs are in the Wild Card race or not, so as long as Lawlar is healthy I think there's a good chance he's getting regular ABs at third down the stretch in 2025.
Steve D
2:20
Mildly surprising move in Seattle today with the dfa of Tellez.  If the Diamondbacks fall out of contention what do you think it would take to get Josh Naylor in Seattle.  Also, what about a good vibes only reunion of Suarez and Naylor.  What cost should i be bracing myself for?
Steve Adams
2:26
I don't think the cost of acquisition on Naylor will be through the roof. Darragh McDonald recently pointed out that the 2023 cost for the Cubs to rent Jeimer Candelario was a pair of 40+ FV prospects: DJ Herz and Kevin Made.

Naylor is better, but he's twice as expensive. Even looking last year, when the Nats traded Lane Thomas -- who had 1.5 years of control left -- you're still talking a return centering around two guys in that 40+ or 45 FV range.

For the Mariners, that could be someone like Michael Arroyo, Ashton Izzi, Brandyn Garcia, Michael Morales
Ben Cherrington
2:26
Do I really think I can get something for Pham?
Steve Adams
2:27
I'm surprised the Pirates haven't just moved on. Pham hasn't worked, and he's not going to net them much, if anything, of value at the deadline
BJ
2:27
Is addison barger the real deal?
Steve Adams
2:30
I'm cautiously buying. The quality of contact is borderline elite. Swing decisions are generally good, but I'd like to see him exert a bit more patience still. Contact rate in the zone is plus though, and he seems like a viable defender at right or in an outfield corner. I don't think he's quite this good a hitter when all is said and done, but I buy him as a legitimate regular for the Jays, yeah.
Pete
2:31
Tampa sits Caminero tonight to play…Curtis Mead.  No question, but I think Tampa outsmarts themselves sometimes.
Steve Adams
2:32
Caminero has played in 71 of 74 games for the Rays and hasn't had a day off since mid-May. Sometimes it's good to get a guy a breather.

But as an absolute over-the-top, all-in Junior Caminero believer myself, I get the frustration, haha.
RoxTalks
2:33
Who's deal is more of a steal: Will Smith or Cal Raleigh? I'd have to lean Raleigh, but given that Smith's deal is longer with a lower AAV, I could see the argument there. Both are having unreal seasons for catchers.
Steve Adams
2:37
They're not entirely comparable. Smith was going into his second arb year when he signed, and Raleigh into his first. Smith should naturally be paid more as a result. The AAV is also a function of Smith and the Dodgers agreeing to spread the guarantee out over a longer term in order to tamp down the luxury hit. They effectively agreed on the cost to buy out his remaining arb years and a massive block of free agency, then just spread out the term to the team's benefit. A lot of luxury payors do this (Padres, Yankees, Mets).

I'd prefer the Raleigh deal just because he's a better all-around player and it's a shorter term, but Smith is a nice bargain for L.A. as well. I just don't think the two can be directly juxtaposed since they were signed at different points in the arb path and with different goals in mind for two teams who operate their payrolls very differently.
Leonard
2:38
What players do you see The Tigers trying to acquire at the trade deadline?
Steve Adams
2:43
It depends in part on if they think Colt Keith can really hold down third base from a defensive standpoint. I've been assuming they'll go after a third baseman -- Ryan McMahon, Eugenio Suarez, etc. -- but if they're content with Keith's glove there, it's less of a priority.

They'll be in on relievers, like every other contender. David Bednar would be a nice fit for any contender, but someone in that mold (excellent bat-missing ability/good command and an extra year of control) feels like he'd be particularly nice for a Tigers club that hasn't seemed to want to spend aggressively on bullpen help in free agency under Scott Harris.
El Chupacabra
2:44
Isn’t a good trade deadline strategy for those 15 or so clubs in the middle of the standings to buy now, then be able to buy/sell/hold in late July once they know where they are in the standings?
Steve Adams
2:46
Sure, but the sellers need to be on board with that, and most prefer to wait until closer to the deadline when there's a broader market forming. Today's front offices -- much to my chagrin -- wait until the eleventh hour to make decisions for even mundane deadlines like arbitration exchange and Rule 5 protection.

Even if a bubble team like the Reds, Twins, Brewers, Rangers, Royals, etc. wanted to make a proactive move right now, they probably feel like the current asking prices are prohibitive.
Chris D
2:46
What's your take on Davey Martinez and the Nats? His commentary on how the coaches are never the reason for poor play and losses was the final straw for me. How can the team justify keeping him in the midst of a season marked by regression in play by multiple young players and overall listless and sloppy play?
Steve Adams
2:52
I think he made a pretty egregious misstep and didn't take accountability for it, which is one of the only things we can really call managers out on from the outside. Most criticism of managers is based on bullpen usage or platoon decisions and that sort of thing, but so much goes into those that we'll never know. Guys being lightly banged up, sore, unavailable for different reasons, and part of the manager's job is to shield them from that.

But to throw the players under the bus and say "we can't hit for them or pitch for them or catch the ball for them" and then say the next day "I never mentioned the players, it's not about them" is just brazen contradictions.

I'd rather have seen him say "Hey, I was trying to stand up for my coaches, and I got heated and went too far. I talked it over with the clubhouse. I didn't mean to throw anyone under the bus," or something to that effect.

To basically say "I never said what I very clearly said yesterday" lacks accountability.
I'm not saying fire the guy or anything, but it's a crappy look and something I'd rather have seen him own.
2:54
Speaking of being wrong on things -- I was told by someone close to that minor Dodgers/Red Sox trade that there was more than just cash going back to the Red Sox. And the teams announced just now that it was ... cash. Ha. Color me wrong.
Peraza
2:54
Is Oswald Peraza getting DFA'd if the Yanks trade for an infielder? He's not hitting but plays great defense, and at 25 years old it seems smart to wait around and see if he starts hitting. Keeping him on the roster probably means optioning Rice or Escarra, who have performed better but still have minor league options. What path would you take?
Steve Adams
2:56
I don't know what the Yankees are doing with Peraza. At this point, a DFA seems all but inevitable when he has a 50 wRC+ and no minor league options. The Yankees do this frequently with their top prospects ... hang on for dear life (despite no clear path to playing time) until there's little to no semblance of trade value left.
Arise, Sir Loin of Beef
2:56
Are the Mets giving Tidwell the start tonight to showcase him, hoping he'll pitch well and attract interest at the deadline?
Steve Adams
3:00
They're giving him a start because the vast majority of their rotation is hurt, they needed a starter, and Tidwell was on turn to make his start tonight. If a team watches him and thinks he looks good, that's nice, but the notion of "showcasing" a prospect for a trade isn't as relevant as it probably once was -- not in a time when every scout and every analyst with every team has endless hours of footage on all of these guys at their fingertips.
Lefty
3:00
What second basemen do you anticipate will be on the trading block?
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