MLB Trade Rumors Podcast

Steve Adams joins Darragh McDonald to discuss Ronald Acuna Jr. tearing an ACL for the second time in his career, who the Braves could target to replace him in the lineup and the state of the team in general. Also, Hal Steinbrenner's comments about the Yankees' payroll being unsustainable due to the luxury tax, a potential battle between high-payroll teams and low-payroll teams when the time comes for CBA negotiations and the reporting that teams expect Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki to be posted this offseason.

Listener question topics include an idea for a relief pitching bonus based on WPA and if Taylor Ward would be a good fit for Atlanta.

Anthony Franco joins Darragh McDonald to discuss what kind of offer it would take to convince Juan Soto and Scott Boras to forgo free agency, the seven-year extension offer that the Mets floated to Pete Alonso last year and what he and the team will decide to do this year as he is set to become a free agent. 

Listener question topics include whether the Orioles and Tigers could match up on a trade involving a bat for a bullpen arm,  some questions about the prospect promotion incentive: if a rookie traded mid-season qualifies, why Mason Miller isn't eligible and if rookies from foreign leagues can help their teams get a draft pick. Lastly, why has Corbin Carroll struggled so much this year and and what the Diamondbacks should do about it. 

Steve Adams joins Darragh McDonald to discuss Paul Skenes debuting in Pittsburgh, the way the media hypes up young players and places impossible expectations on them, the new TV deal between Roku and MLB and what it means for the future of broadcast availability, the brutal WIllson Contreras injury suffered from getting hit by a swing and why pitch framing is causing catchers to get closer to the hitter's bats, and the surprisingly good return the White Sox got from the Rangers for Robbie Grossman despite him being a minor league signing this offseason. 

Listener question topics include who the Astros could sell if they don't turn things around after their poor start, if the Phillies would consider prospect Mick Abel a rotation surplus and trade him for a bat, and if the Tigers should sell high on Tarik Skubal.

Anthony Franco  joins Darragh McDonald to discuss Luis Arraez getting traded to the Padres, what other assets the Marlins could trade and the wheeling and dealing front office in San Diego. 

Listener email topics include when Paul Skenes will be called up by the Pirates and when Jackson Holliday will be called back up by the Orioles, what an automated strike zone could look like in MLB, and why the Tigers aren't making changes to their struggling lineup. 

Steve Adams joins Darragh McDonald to discuss Jose Abreu agreeing to be sent down to the minors, Mike Trout's torn meniscus, the myth of teams having too many players at a certain position, when top prospects like Junior Caminero and Jackson Jobe could be called up, why the White Sox won't be able to pick higher than tenth in the 2025 draft despite their bad record, the average time a repaired tendon can last after Tommy John surgery, the first date a newly-signed free agent is eligible to be traded, and Erick Fedde's trade value after a strong start to the season. 

MLBTR's Anthony Franco joins Darragh McDonald for an all-mailbag episode with topics including: which division leaders are mostly likely to stay in first place, the Cardinals' struggles and their overreacting fanbase, some technicalities teams deal with when making minor trades, the potential trade market for Jazz Chisholm, what pitch mix would be best to minimize injuries, why there isn't more accountability for bad umpiring, the difficulty of evaluating coaches, how the money owed to Javy Baez compares to the cost of launching rockets into space, and if it is too early to cut bait on players underperforming so far this season. 

MLBTR's Steve Adams joins Darragh McDonald to discuss the site's newly published Free Agents Power Rankings, how Gerrit Cole could potentially end up a free agent this year, the legal details that came out about Shohei Ohtani's interpreter allegedly stealing millions of dollars and the mess that is leading the A's to temporarily move to Sacramento. 

Listener email topics include how pitchers can get charged for a blown save in the seventh inning, if the Tigers would consider cutting Javy Baez and what the Braves can do to replace Spencer Strider in their rotation. 

It's a four-person panel with Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams and Anthony Franco all joining Darragh McDonald to discuss why the offseason didn't go as expected, what lessons they can take into next year's top 50 free agent list, some bad predictions they made,  which trends could continue in the future, what to expect in the next CBA to protect young players and the middle class of free agency, ways to improve parity and if there will be a lockout during the next CBA negotiation.

MLBTR's Steve Adams joins Darragh McDonald to discuss the Dodgers locking up catcher Will Smith to a ten-year contract extension, the Pirates trading for Joey Bart to improve their catching depth, Mike Clevinger signing with the White Sox and a three-way trade sending John Berti from the Marlins to the Yankees, and Ben Rortvedt to the Rays. 

Listener question topics include whether the Rangers would consider trading for Jordan Montgomery if the D-Backs sell, if Roki Sasaki can game the system by signing a short-term free agent deal next winter and if there's a reason that most draft picks aren't allowed to be traded.