RosterResource Chat – 6/25/26

2:02

Jason Martinez: Welcome to the RosterResource chat! Last chat of June and then I’m sure we’ll all be heavily focused on trades for the next several weeks. As of now, 4 AL teams look like sellers (DET, KCR, LAA, BOS all 12+ games under .500) but still too early since they’re all within 5-6 games of a playoff spot. 3 NL teams (NYM, SFG, COL) are far enough out where they’re getting ready to sell. Should be a fun July. Here we go …

2:03	Phil: What’s your best guess as to the total number of Red Sox traded? Is it going to be a Bloomian tweak or a Cheringtonian purge? I’m kind of assuming Gray and Chapman are inevitable.

2:05

Jon Becker: I think closer to a tweak than a purge. I’m not even sure Aroldis gets traded because he has a vesting option for next year that’s all but certain to vest (he just needs 40 IP + a passed physical), and they’ll have to kick in some money to move Gray but he’s probably as good as gone, yeah. Beyond that, it’s a lot of rentals who won’t get much of anything back (Coulombe, IKF, maybe Patrick Sandoval) and a lot of big contracts. Maybe they entertain moving Contreras but then who plays 1B?

2:05	Ragbrai: Rincones anything more than position depth? Does he have starter potential?

2:07

Jason Martinez: He’s a good enough prospect that he should get more than one opportunity if this first one doesn’t work out well. His MiLB numbers suggest he can be useful vs RHP. A lot of Ks but also a lot of walks and power that should make up for it. HOWEVER, he’s only 4-for-28 with 1 HR, 0 BB, and 7 K thus far in what is a golden opportunity for him. Not many other options behind him and shouldn’t be much pressure hitting at the bottom of a good lineup. Phillies are playing great and they probably won’t be in a hurry to add another bat so he should have some time to turn things around.

2:08	drplantwrench: after years of resisting the urge to believe in firesales, i am ready for the angels to burn everything to the ground. putting aside the evils of arte, how much do you think a reasonable firesale could garner the angels?

2:10

Jon Becker: They should’ve had fire sales many times over for years now, but they’re uniquely positioned to reap the benefits from one, though I’d be really surprised if they did do a fire sale because that’s just not how they operate; they just don’t move non-rentals and then they delude themselves into believing they can contend the next year. But with so few non-contenders they could get a ton back if they really ripped it down to the studs and moved Adell, Soriano, Detmers, maybe even Neto (though he has an additional year of control than the other three). Adell and Detmers would be especially coveted, I think.

2:11	Phillip Denny: Moniak is back, Carrigg seems up for good, and McCarthy deserves to start every day. Between Freeman and Johnston, along with the eventual returns of Doyle and Beck, how does the OF logjam in CO work out?

2:15

Jason Martinez: I think it will work itself out for a few reasons. Beck has struggled and was already sent to AAA early in the season. He could be heading back once he’s activated from the IL. Doyle had also been relegated to platooning vs LHP since he wasn’t very good either. I think he’ll get more of an opportunity but he’s not likely going to be locked in as the everyday CF. Carrigg has been taking grounders at 2B. Seems like the most logical move to clear things up if he’s adequate defensively at that spot and if Doyle earns more playing time.   Johnston has had a great season but he’s only started 3 of the last 6 games vs RHP. I’ve said this before but they seem to really like Freeman because he plays a lot despite his numbers never being great. Maybe Johnston goes to AAA for a bit. The X-factor is going to be Moniak and how quickly they can trade him (if at all). I think they will flip him (good value since he has another season of team control) and it’s just a matter of a desperate team ignoring the Home/Road splits from 2025 and meeting their high asking price.

2:15	richielamps: What does Freddy Peralta get back at the deadline? Top 150 prospect? Or not even?

2:16

Jon Becker: He was pretty typical Freddy Peralta until the last three starts or so so unless this trend continues and the wheels seem irreparably fallen off, I think he’d garner more like someone in the 50-75 range (if he’s going for just one prospect) or a package that still includes some notable names. Starters are always in such high demand but the Mets don’t have to move him if they think they’d get more from the QO than back in trade.

2:18	richielamps: The Mets have to keep running Ewing out there in CF even if Robert comes back right? He’s been everything they could have hoped as a 21 year old

2:21

Jason Martinez: Correct. And it doesn’t sound like Robert will be back anytime soon so there’s no pressure. HOWEVER, allowing Robert to play regularly late in the season at least gives him a chance to regain some value and hope they can trade him in the offseason to a team willing to take on all or at least most of the $20MM salary (club option). And that’s assuming he stays healthy and productive once he returns. But the alternative is to just decline his club option and it was basically a wasted year and trade. But even in that case, I think Ewing would still play a lot. He just might need to bounce around the diamond a bit and show off his defensive versatility. Unless he goes into a huge slump, he’s solidified his spot in 2027 and beyond.

2:22

Rollie’s Mustache: How long do you see the Kodai Senga bullpen experiment lasting in NY? They’re a bad team so plenty of opportunities to eat innings in garbage time and hope something clicks. But how likely is that if it’s in long relief as opposed to short stints where his stuff might play up? Is a fresh start elsewhere the realistic eventuality? Does that $14M salary next year factor in at all?

2:23

Jon Becker: I’ll be interested to see his usage for sure; if he’s a multi-inning mop-up guy I’m not sure how free he’d feel to just empty the tank in a given inning, but I’d be fascinated to see how he looks in one-inning bursts where he’s simplifying to high fastballs and low forkballs. I don’t think a fresh start next year is impossible but to your point the $14M is an impediment. And he’s always pitched in a six-man rotation and he’s just not nearly good enough to accommodate for that right now. He might be closer to a DFA in the offseason than a trade right now, but a lot of time to show something interesting.

2:24	Hazmat Corntail: I see you have Dean Kremer in for the O’s starter on 7/4, has there been any new news on him reflecting how he’s looking? Is the projected date based on at least one more rehab start?

2:27

Jason Martinez: FYI – The data from our Probables Grid comes directly from RotoWire and we don’t override any projections unless it’s an obvious mistake … https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/probables-grid Looking at Kremer’s progress, 7/4 does seem like a strong possibility. He made his 1st rehab start on 6/21 and pitched 3.2 innings. If he can stretch out to 5 in his next start, there’s a chance he’s ready on 7/4. But probably no later than the next turn after that.

2:27	Zachary Bergman: Does Cox become a full time starter for the Giants this year?

2:28

Jon Becker: Not the way they’ve been using him as a platoon bat and pinch-runner, no. If he’s not leapfrogging Drew Gilbert on the depth chart I have a tough time foreseeing the Giants finding him playing time when Heliot Ramos is back (maybe as soon as this weekend), not to mention Harrison Bader (timeline still unclear because plantar fasciitis can linger for a long time).

2:29	Western Metal Supply: What in the Chris Denorfia is going on with Samad Taylor?

2:32

Jason Martinez: That’s a great call. I’ve been trying to think of a more recent comp. I’m old so I can’t help but think of Bip Roberts, who was also a 2B moved to the OF, wreaked havoc on the basepaths, limited power but high OBP/low K%, and he could absolutely fly. One of my favorite Padres ever. I hope Samad has a better career than Denorfia (more than just a very good 4th OF for a few seasons), although he also would’ve been a perfect fit on this team. Core of this current lineup is super aggressive, which doesn’t work well when so many pitchers have plus stuff these days. Samad helps balance them out a bit and is hopefully pulling those guys back to what they were in 2024 with professional hitters like Profar/Arraez/Solano/Peralta having a big influence on that offense.

2:33	bird33: Any concerns with Henry Bolte’s playing time?

2:34

Jon Becker: Not with Zack Gelof on the IL with his hand laceration and contusion as of an hour or so ago. Makes DH even more open than it was for guys like Butler/Cortes/Thomas/Meneses/Bolte himself, and Bolte keeps playing well. That team needs all the offense it can get because it’s going to win with its offense more often than not.

2:35

Alex Remington: Atlanta’s in a June swoon, and while the offense will probably right itself, the pitching staff is starting to look awfully thin, particularly if Martin Perez turns into a pumpkin. Who should they target, and who should they be willing to move? (Obviously, for Skubal, it’s “heaven and earth,” but he’s 1 of 1.)

2:39

Jason Martinez: They’ve come back to earth quite a bit. No Acuña and Baldwin struggling doesn’t help. And if Suarez has to miss any more time, the bullpen could also take a hit. But, as of now, that bullpen is one of only a few in baseball that isn’t a complete dumpster fire aside from maybe 2-3 guys. That should continue to carry them to the playoffs. Adding a starter seems likely, but the challenge will be that so many other contenders will be in the same spot because SP depth just doesn’t hold up very well. Braves’ farm system is as deep as it’s been in a long time, though. A lot of pitching prospect depth (upper and lower level) and a few really good lower-level position player prospects on the rise (Hartman, Southisene, Gil, Guanipa). I think they’ll hold on to Hartman unless he’s the only guy that can get them Skubal. TBD on how aggressive teams will be considering the asking price and his salary. That’s a lot to take on mid-season.

2:40	GatorKen: What is the wide wide world of sports is wrong with Drake Baldwin?

2:42

Jon Becker: From what I’ve seen from him since coming off the IL he doesn’t seem physically compromised or like his oblique is still bothering him or anything, but in hindsight having him play just one rehab game might’ve been rushing him back before he had his timing back whatsoever. I’m not really concerned in the long- or even medium-term because it can flip in an instant, but they obviously need him to be far far better than this.

2:43	Ropeia: Are the Reds really going to turn Edwin Arroyo into a defensive back up? Is super util guy his ceiling instead of starting infielder?

2:47

Jason Martinez: He’s only 22 and has only 61 PA in the big leagues so I don’t think his projeted ceiling has changed at all. Probably not quite MLB-ready but good enough to get some valuable big league experience. As long as they can give him 3-5 starts per week, which seems completely feasible on the current roster, I think he’ll continue to stick around. But like just about every team in the WC race, they’ll re-assess in a few weeks and decide what is best for the player (if they’re out of the playoff race) and/or the team (if they’re still in the race). My guess is they need another bat and Arroyo needs to play every day in AAA. But, of course, he can just play every day in the majors if the Reds are out of it.

2:48	MF Luder: If/when Boston trades Chapman et al., what kind of return do you think they are seeking? A pu pu platter of prospects, one high-end prospect, or young MLB-ready players?

2:50

Jon Becker: I don’t think teams love to pigeonhole themselves into one package or type of package, it’s ultimately about getting the best players you can. It probably gets you more love on social media for getting players that fans have heard of but if the best package is some 18-year-olds in Low-A that their analytics people think can pop, they shouldn’t hesitate to go in that direction. That said, I do think the “young MLB-ready players” package could be in vogue with so view non-contenders; teams might have to get creative.

2:51	GatorKen: Is it safe to label Carlos Cortes fantasy irrelevant?

2:54

Jason Martinez: Probably. At least for now. A 28-year-old MiLB free agent with no track record can’t go in a 2-for-30 slump. And Lawrence Butler, who will continue to get opportunities due to his upside, contract, etc. has looked much better over the last few weeks. I love players like Cortes — professional at-bats, lefty contact hitter — but numbers can tank once the BABIP declines.

2:54

Beer:30: Man, the Cubs are in rough shape, rolling Peterson, Rea and Velasquez out against the Brewers Big 3 this weekend. Going to be hard for them to be buyers with a limited prospect pool but, if things go further south, could they be sellers? Seems unfathomable given the commitment to Bregman, Swanson, Hoerner but would they?

2:56

Jon Becker: Depends how much further south but yeah if they just have an awful July, they’ll have to consider it. I would think non-rentals would be off the table because they’ve got too much of their core together for next year, but Imanaga, Happ, Suzuki, Boyd, Thielbar, Kelly, Milner all have value.

2:56	Zachary Bergman: Does Hyeseong Kim get moved at some point? Does he have a role with the Dodgers next year?

2:59

Jason Martinez: With Edman and Freeland in the mix for the next several seasons, it’s not gonna be any easier for Kim to get at-bats in the big leagues. He’s also not putting up huge numbers in AAA so his trade value isn’t all that great at the moment. But he also makes very little $ (if club options are exercised, he’d be under contract for a little over $14MM between 2027-29). Teams would have interest but the Dodgers value depth. I think they’ll be open to trading him but won’t just give him away.

3:00

Beer:30: While Hamilton has been a solid option at third for the Brewers, it seems an upgrade would have a huge impact in that lineup. When looking at the sellers and who may be available, however, the list of options seems relatively short, either coming with hefty contractual obligations or seemingly untouchable status. Any ideas who may be available? Lewis, Paredes?

3:01

Jon Becker: Lewis is already more of a 1B than a 3B now and I don’t see Paredes as available with two more years of control and that team so ravaged by injuries. My best guess is that the Brewers plan to tread water with Hamilton/Ortiz knowing that they have so many infield prospects coming soon, and I don’t really see any clearly-better-than-what-they’ve-got rentals out there when you factor in what those two bring on defense.

3:01	MF Luder: Who comes up first, Quinn Mathews or Charlie Condon?

3:05

Jason Martinez: I’d guess both late season, although Condon would be in a regular role and the path is less clear for Matthews. As discussed in an earlier question, the Rockies have a bit of a logjam that I think should be cleared up enough for Condon to debut later in the season. He should play regularly between RF/1B/DH no later than September. Cardinals rotation is stable enough at the moment and Hunter Dobbins is also ready to go when needed as the SP6. Matthews might not have a clear path unless there are multiple injuries to the rotation or if they completely tank in July and become sellers. In that case, Dustin May would be traded, Leahy could move back to the bullpen to limit his innings, and Matthews could get a good look in August/September. But as things stand, I don’t think he’d get a shot unless it was a spot start to push everyone back a day. And even then, someone like Mautz is already on the 40-man so he’d be more likely.

3:07	Jason Martinez: That will do it for today. Thanks for joining us. We’ll be back next Thursday

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