The Inside Pitch w/Josh Towers: Ep 16

Former MLB Pitcher Josh Towers and Scott Seidenberg take a look at teams that are buyers or sellers and players that could be dealt as we inch closer to the trade deadline.

Scott Seidenberg and Josh Towers began the podcast by highlighting the proximity of the MLB trade deadline on July 31st and exploring player perspectives on potential trades (0:02-0:54). Josh Towers shared insights about clubhouse attitudes, noting that players on borderline teams usually do not focus too heavily on rumors unless they perceive their team as a genuine contender (0:54-2:22).

Scott specifically referenced Zach Allen's scenario, discussing extra motivation players might feel to perform exceptionally well, either as a farewell to their home fans or to appeal to potential acquiring teams. Towers concurred, emphasizing how recent performances heavily influence trade interest (2:23-4:26).

For players on losing teams, Towers explained they often refrain from openly expressing dissatisfaction but admitted they privately may urge agents to facilitate a trade, highlighting their focus remains primarily on what they can control—their performance (4:27-5:58).

They then discussed prominent potential free agents, notably Kyle Tucker, Pete Alonzo, Ranger Suarez, and Framber Valdez. Towers indicated that Tucker could command a significant contract, speculating around $500 million due to the limited number of big names available (6:05-9:16).

Scott and Josh shifted their focus to the Philadelphia Phillies, anticipating aggressive trade deadline actions given the impending free agency of key players like Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto, stressing the Phillies' urgency for success (9:17-10:30).

They conducted a detailed breakdown of specific potential trade candidates:

• Eugenio Suarez from the Diamondbacks was deemed a definite trade candidate due to market scarcity (10:31-10:40).

• Sandy Alcantara, despite a 7.14 ERA, was viewed positively due to his talent and health (10:55-11:24).

• Mitch Keller from the Pirates and Zach Allen and Merrill Kelly from the Diamondbacks were discussed as attractive pitching targets, with Towers uncertain on Kelly's market value given his declining velocity (11:35-12:54).

• Nolan Arenado was considered a possible high-value trade piece, especially if packaged with Ryan Helsley, making him attractive to teams like the Yankees (12:54-13:53).

• Reid Detmers was identified as a valuable asset despite recent struggles, with Towers emphasizing his potential if developed properly (13:54-14:34).

They then analyzed various teams:

• The Milwaukee Brewers' recent success raised questions about their legitimacy, given historical postseason struggles (17:06-18:25).

• The Toronto Blue Jays, despite inconsistency, were cautiously viewed as potential contenders (19:46-21:33).

• The Seattle Mariners were described as too streaky and lacking offensive consistency (22:27-23:10).

• The Texas Rangers were recognized for strong pitching but considered lacking sufficient offensive consistency (24:19-24:45).

• Tampa Bay Rays were praised for their unpredictable yet effective roster-building approach (24:46-25:33).

In the National League:

• The San Diego Padres' potential was acknowledged, but Towers indicated internal cohesion issues possibly hampering performance (25:59-27:59).

• The Giants were dismissed as inconsistent and thus not genuine contenders (28:03-28:40).

• The Cincinnati Reds were enthusiastically discussed as a young team with potential but needing additional key offensive pieces to become legitimate contenders (29:21-33:27).

Finally, they briefly touched on the Angels, suggesting that adding two pitchers could significantly enhance their playoff chances, despite current struggles and a negative run differential (34:29-35:47).

Scott concluded by emphasizing the approaching trade deadline's impact on MLB futures markets, hinting at further discussions to come (37:47-39:51).

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