RosterResource Chat – 5/9/25

Jason Martinez: Welcome to the RosterResource Live Chat! I believe we’re about 6 weeks into the season. There have been a lot of good and bad performances that have been surprising. As far as standings, not so much aside from maybe the Orioles (10 games under .500) and Giants (10 games over .500). Another fun weekend ahead with Cade Horton expected to make his MLB debut on Saturday.

Here we go …

BlueJayMatt: How long until Ross Atkins gets fired? Is he gone before the trade deadline?

Jon Becker: Baseball ops heads getting fired in-season is extremely rare — as best I can tell, the last one was Josh Byrnes in 2014, who was fired in mid June before Preller was brought in in early August. The Blue Jays have been pretty disappointing, especially lately, but I think he’ll get the full year and then could well be gone if they don’t make the playoffs. I suppose if there’s a deadline sell-off, Schneider could get axed before the season ends.

kdp: Happy Asian Heritage month! Besides Hyeseong Kim, who do you think would be the next native Asian guy to step up to the big league?

Jason Martinez: Sounds like Munetaka Murakami will be the next Japanese superstar to be posted. I believe that will be prior to the 2026 season. There are also a few prospects in the lower minors to keep an eye on. The A’s have two pitchers in Low-A …  Tzu-Chen Sha and Wei-En Lin … who are off to good starts and they also signed a highly-touted two-way prospect (SS/SP Shotaro Morii) who has yet to debut.

drplantwrench: lets say Devers demands out of boston, and for some reason, demands to be traded to the Angels.  what return would you the red sox would want?

Jon Becker: Devers’ contract was signed by the last front office, and if he’s really a DH for the long haul, they’d be happy to just get a large majority or all of the last 8.75 years off the books without getting much in return. The offensive bar for being a particularly valuable DH is so high and even if Devers is getting into a groove and starting to hit that, he’s got red flags (Z-Con of barely 70%, and swinging less overall which makes him easier to pitch to if/when the power dips) that don’t portend aging well.

Ozzie: How would you get Moises Ballesteros bat in this Cubs lineup?

Jason Martinez: I see no path in 2025 unless Carson Kelly gets injured and misses an extended period of time. Even then, they could easily just go with a veteran like Reese McGuire. Maybe some DH at-bats open up if one of the outfielders gets hurt. Being a catcher is a tough job in the big leagues and we’ve seen some great catching prospects with above-average hitting tools struggle for years. But his value is peaking and I think he’s a trade chip at the deadline.

Jb: Thoughts on Casey Mize? Went from fighting for a rotation spot to the tigers second best starter

Jon Becker: I’m not sure he’s this good, but it’s nice when we can point to things like pitch mix changes as a reason for why he’d be performing so well, as opposed to pitching the same way he always has but getting better results, which can be more of a mirage. Assuming he’s healthy he should have that spot all year, with Jobe likeliest to be the roster casualty whenever Cobb is back.

Your Name: Is there any point to being a Pirates fan?

Jason Martinez: If you’ve suffered through all the bad years, you’d never forgive yourself if you stopped caring and had to jump back on the bandwagon when they were good again in 2027 or 2028 with a rotation of Skenes-Chandler-Keller-Barco-Ashcraft and a lineup that included Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin. I don’t blame you for feeling like you should just stop caring but that’s part of why the celebration will be so much fun. I’m a Padres fan so I’m just hoping for one championship in my lifetime.

Stick to Sporer-tzball: Schneeman?  In lineup most days moving forward?

Jon Becker: Yeah, I think the performance uptick is real since he’s got increased EV, so he should at least be in there against just about every righty, plus he can play all over the field. Juan Brito will be out until late June at the earliest and Bazzana’s been good but not amazing at AA, so there’s nobody coming for his job anytime soon.

MrMet: When will it be Roman Anthony time in Boston?

Jason Martinez: Raffy isn’t helping the situation much since it would open up some DH at-bats if he starts playing 1B. But I really don’t think there’s any reason to keep putting off the inevitable move of Rafaela to the bench, Duran to CF, and Anthony to LF. It wouldn’t surprise me if it happened in the next few days in order to get away from the “Devers isn’t a team player” news cycle.

Insert Witty Name Here: More of a general question: do you see anything that the more savvier teams are doing with their rosters that perhaps the Rockies and the Pirates aren’t doing?

Jon Becker: I see different issues for the two teams. The Pirates could have been somewhat-plausibly contending if they actually spent money on offensive acquisitions, but they didn’t, and they haven’t really developed a multi-year offensive threat since Reynolds (who was largely developed by the Giants anyway). The Rockies are simply in denial about needing to rebuild, something that other teams don’t do. They don’t do future Rockies teams any favors when they extend anyone who’s been there long enough (60% of their rotation, Kinley, McMahon), and there’s no reason for a team that bad to be playing Nick Martini instead of letting Zac Veen learn on the job. You don’t learn how to succeed in the majors at Triple-A.

Lorenzo: When do Giants drop Jordan Hicks from rotation and insert Hayden Birdsong?

Jason Martinez: He’s been pretty good in his last two starts, although I still think he’s one really bad start away from losing the spot to Birdsong. But he could also secure it with 2-3 more good ones in a row. Ideally, he gives them 20 starts and finishes in the bullpen while they fight for a playoff spot.

Guest#2: Royals-what can they realistically do to improve the offense?

Ozzie: Do you have any reports on how Cags has been doing in RF?

Jon Becker: Cags is the obvious answer here, though to answer Ozzie’s question I haven’t seen anything on how he’s playing out there nor have I seen highlights (but he hasn’t made any errors!). But he’s such an athletic freak I’m sure he could handle it — they’re playing India in left a lot so it’s not like they’re prioritizing corner outfield defense so much anyway. Nick Loftin has also been great in AAA, and Peyton Wilson was awesome in AA and just got bumped up to Omaha. Farther down the line they’ll look at the trade market, but teams aren’t really in sell mode yet.

Jim Leahy: Is Kyle Leahy a dark horse candidate to be in the 26 Cards rotation? Looking much better in the pen this year, but has a starters arsenal.

Jason Martinez: For sure. I think all teams are focused on identifying who can make the move back to the rotation after having success as a reliever. Reminds me of a funny line from Michael King in a recent interview. He was told by the Yankees that he was too valuable in the bullpen so they didn’t want to let him start again. He responded that Gerrit Cole would also be too valuable out of the bullpen if they moved him there but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t move him back.

Ozzie: The best solution to the Red Sox first base problem is Kristian to first and call up Mayer to play 2B right?

Jon Becker: If we’re taking Devers off the table, the best solution is whatever gets Mayer or Anthony on the roster, sooner, whether that’s one of them playing 1B, Campbell at 1B, or even Bregman at 1B. None of those guys have 1B experience so if I’m them I’m trying all three of them out there, at least before games, and seeing who has the best footwork. Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro just shouldn’t be the guys when they can do better.

1st to kno when it rains in Miami: Innings restriction for Eury when he gets back?  If so, innings per game or overall season limit?

Jason Martinez: As evidenced by the fact that he’s thrown a total of 3 innings in 3 rehab appearances, the Marlins are going to be very cautious with their future ace. In fact, I don’t see him returning at the end of the 30-day rehab window at this rate. Either he takes a break from the rehab assignment at some point and starts it up again later or he’s activated and optioned to AAA to continue building up.

Ozzie: If Cade Horton looks good, how are you dropping from the Cubs rotaion when Shota gets back?

Jon Becker: If Rea keeps pitching like he has, it’s probably Brown, and the question there then becomes if it’s best to send Brown to AAA to work on a third pitch or to unleash him in the bullpen in a Birdsong-like multi-inning role where having just the two pitches works fine. But Rea’s also got plenty of swingman experience so they might think it’s best for overall roster construction to put him back there no matter how well he’s pitching.

Danny: Ryan O’Hearn recently drew a start against a lefty. What are the chances the O’s turn him into a full-time starter? And if that happens, would he become a must-add in OBP fantasy leagues? Better bet than Vinnie P ROS?

Jason Martinez: And he’s something like 5-for-17 so he’s holding his own against lefties thus far in 2025. However, once guys like O’Neill, Urias, Westburg, and Gary Sanchez return from the IL, it’s more a matter of stacking the lineup with dudes who have a track record of crushing LHP and having O’Hearn available for a high-leverage pinch-hitting appearance late in the game. I do think his performance makes it more likely that they rarely pinch-hit for him when he’s in the starting lineup unless it’s a situation where he’s facing Aroldis Chapman in the 9th inning. So he’s gonna face some lefties. Just not usually a left-handed starter.

Chris: Do you think DJLM will play regulalry at 2B until Jazz returns then regularly at 3B (obv health pending)?

Jon Becker: I think that’s the likeliest course of action, yeah, though to what extent LeMahieu will require load management days off remains to be seen, and of course, he has to perform to keep a starting spot even while Jazz is out. That’s a tough division as always and if a Vivas/LeMahieu platoon helps them win more than LeMahieu every day, they’ll do that.

Bart Ratly: Any chance Tim Elko gets some run? Or do the sox think he’s just a AAAA guy?

Jason Martinez: He’ll be in the majors in 2025. Just a matter of when. I think the main issue might be that Andrew Vaughn is in the role that Elko would be in if he’s called up. And they’re gonna be bad either way so might as well see if Vaughn can get back to what he was last season when he had a 119 wRC+ vs LHP. That could at least give him some trade value as a platoon 1B.

Shane Mackalackahan: Who gets booted from the rotation when I’m back?

KC Pain: Boyle looking good in minors for TB. Seymour keeps being great and getting no chances. Will TB make space for them by trading guys out, trade these 2, or keep them down in minors as depth?

Jon Becker: I was watching the Rays broadcast last night and they noted that in the last 11 games the starting pitching had only struck out 23 batters, or something like that (might be off on the specific numbers but it was something crazy low like that, with a high of three) so there might be room for a lot of changes. Littell has been a lot better lately but he’s got bullpen experience; Pepiot’s fastball, usually his best pitch, has been horrible; and Baz has had a few rough starts in a row. So it’s unlikely but there might be room to squeeze on all three of those guys if they want to make some big changes.

Bow Tie Mo: Is 3 catchers going to be sustainable? At least they sent down one of their many 1B/DH types, but still so little bench flexibility.

Jason Martinez: Luken Baker was a DH-only vs LHP so replacing him with a catcher at least gives them some defensive flexibility. Herrera and Pozo can both hit so they are both pinch-hitting and DH options. I like the move, even if it’s just short-term. Herrera is likely gonna DH vs LHP so having Pozo on the bench gives them options late in the game if they want to pinch hit for Pages and not lose the DH.

Ozzie: changed my name to Ozzie to get a question in…How long before Boston trades for Nate Lowe?

Jon Becker: If the Nationals do end up moving Lowe, I think it’d be right at the deadline at the earliest, if not in the offseason, and maybe not at all. The Nats only have 1% playoff odds right now, but it’s not zero, and I think it would be sending the wrong message to so quickly trade their biggest offseason acquisition.

Guest: Is Colt Keith finally performing to expectations or is this just a flash in the pan?

Jason Martinez: He was bad for a month, which isn’t uncommon for even some of the better hitters in the league. And he’s been really good for about a week, which even some of the fringiest AAAA hitters are capable of doing if given a chance. So it’s a good sign but it’s a long season and I think we’ll be able to best judge him based on how consistent he is over the remainder of the season.

Guest: Thoughts on Nick Kurtz?

Jon Becker: I’m liking that he’s seeming to adjust pretty quickly: hilariously small sample alert, but in his last four games he’s walked almost twice as much as he’s struck out and has a 166 wRC+. After striking out multiple times in almost every game that’s a nice little run. Hopefully the slugging comes next, that’s something we’re yet to see except for one triple.

Kate: Think Jerar Encarnacion gets a shot at everyday PT once he’s back?  Or will he have to work his way into more regular ABs?

Jason Martinez: Not out of the question but unlikely because they love Wilmer as the everyday DH. And Wilmer is clutch and always seems to be coming up with the big hits when they’re winning. Jerar should play vs LHP (Villar’s current role) when he returns from the IL.

Guest: Is Roki a ticking time bomb or do you think he will come around?

Jon Becker: I’m not holding my breath for a massive step forward this year. In his last start he wasn’t even getting whiffs on the splitter, which is a huge problem. Not sure how a 94-96 dead zone fastball and walk rate of almost 15% is supposed to play, and he’s not simply going to get back to 99-101 overnight.

Matt: Any updates on Darvish or Musgrove? Really interested in Kolek and hope he continues to get an opportunity in the rotation, even if he has a rough outing here and there

Jason Martinez: We won’t really know much about Musgrove until Spring Training 2026 but he should have a very good chance to be on the Opening Day roster. Of course, they could also be cautious and give him a few extra weeks just to make sure he’s going to be available for a full season (and post-season).

Sounds like Darvish is close and they’re even discussing whether to just bring him back from the IL without a rehab assignment. That wouldn’t be smart, though. I’d like to see Kolek get at least two more starts. They need to find some consistency out of the No. 5 spot and he might be their best option when everyone is healthy.

Kate: Eli White has been a pleasant surprise for Atlanta.  I’m assuming him and Verdugo fall into a platoon once Acuna is back?

Jon Becker: Yep. White got a little infield time in Spring Training and has minor league shortstop experience, too… I’m not sure they’d actually start him there since Allen’s glove is really good but it wouldn’t completely shock me, either.

Mets bullpen: Who’s the permanent lefty if there even is one? Does a David Robertson reunion make sense given his great splits vs lefties, do we just keep with the up and down churn, or is there a significant trade target either at the deadline or sooner? The bullpen has looked a lot thinner and more flawed since both Minter and Young went down for good and Stearns generally looks for the bullpen to be a strength

Jason Martinez: I’d expect that to be Brooks Raley (signed to MLB deal a few weeks ago) in the 2nd half. Not sure about his timetable but he underwent TJ surgery (internal brace) last May so I think late July seems about right. I’d never rule the Mets out of anything so Robertson could be an option, especially if there are any injuries to their top setup men.

The Biebs: Who do you like more to make an impact this season, jared jones or shane bieber

Jon Becker: Bieber. Just threw a live BP so he seems to be progressing normally, whereas Jones just started a throwing program so he still has bullpens, live BP, sim games, and a rehab assignment, meaning Bieber’s a couple steps ahead. Plus there’s always a fear with guys like Jones (conservative approach to a UCL sprain) that they’re just delaying the inevitable, even if that’s not always true.

drplantwrench: is Tyler Anderson good or bad? fangraphs has him at 0.2 fWAR, baseball-reference has him at 1.8 bWAR, which one do you believe?

Jason Martinez: WAR can be useful for some things, but we can just look at Anderson’s entire stat line and his game logs. That tells us everything. He’s been good in all 7 of his starts. At least 6 IP in four consecutive starts. Has yet to allow more than 3 ER. He’s been very good. Whether he will continue to be good is another question and there are also a lot of stats that can tell us that, too.

Jason Martinez: That will do it for today. Back next Friday. Enjoy the weekend!