The losses are substantial in JP, Randy, and Luis going mid season.
Just a few thoughts:
* I think Sir Anthony Dominguez is going to slot right in as a decent middle of the pen guy.Right now the pen is decent enough slotted to be Munoz, Brash, Ferrer, Seranthony, Buzzardo, Speier, and Vargas which is fine, but only Ferrer and Brash have options and if they are healthy they are up.
* But there are always injuries and and performance variables to deal with. The M’s try their usual diamond in the ruff and grab some option-able arm talent.
* Japan’s Teruaki Sato is one of the top 5 FA for this offseason: But he has some of the same worts as Murakami less K’s but also less walks and he is a lefty. So because of all that I am passing on his bat.
* LAA moved on from their former owner who basically refused to deal with Jerry and is now under new management. I am. Going to go in a different direction than many of you in replacing JP and that is with a double dip a LAA guys. I want a SS and Otto, and Elly are both great options but what about Zach Neto:
He has Ben 20-30 guy in doubles, HR, and SB and a 5+ WAR guy 3 years running and will be 26 years old in 2027 and has clearly been LAA’s best player on a 100 game loser. He is controlled up until 2030 so 3 years remain of ARB. He is a righty and a really good defender at short and has a longer history of being and above average bat vs Otto. He clearly doesn’t have the highest ceiling vs Elly De La Cruz but he would be an absolute get in the trade market.
We have had a history of looking at Otto, Elly and CJ Abram’s among others but I think part 2 of this trade for LAA bats is going to push out of the Kirby Gilbert zone and into pure prospect and long term controlled players.
* Seattle starting pitching: on Roster resource we have six SP listed: Gilbert, Kirby, Woo, Miller, Hancock, Anderson, but you also have MLB ready Logan Evans and Sloan
* LAA Mike Trout is a right handed masher who hit for a 131 OPS+ in 2026 in 142 games which is the games played since he was 26. He had 4.1 WAR. He is owed nearly 150 Million over the next 4 years but he is a right handed masher that produces if he is on the field. He is a HOF guy so LAA may want to keep him around for the face of the franchise, but I am proposing that between him and Neto they get 5 or 6 top prospects and rebuild under new ownership. Comp A or B picks whatever comes in the new agreement, maybe the M’s use their 1st rounder to pick someone the Angels want in a player to be named later if legal under the new terms, etc,etc.
1. M’s sign A. Morejon 5 years 75M. Morejon will be age 28-32 during that run and provides a solid 1option to share closing duties with Munoz if needed and adds to the top of the lefty BP depth. He has had an ERA in the 2’s the last 3 years and should continue to be one of top lefty BP guys in the game. I think with this move the M’s would have a “Super Pen”.
2. M’s trade for Neto and Trout. 5-6 top prospects, but LAA pays down Trout’s contract and the team enters 2027 with 170 to 175 M on the roster. I don’t care to name out exactly how it goes but this is your 2027 team:
1 3B Brendan Donovan L
2 CF Julio Rodríguez R
3 RF Dominic Canzone L
4 C Cal Raleigh S
5 1B Josh Naylor L
6 SS Zach Neto R
7 2B Cole Young L
8 DH Mike Trout
9 LF Luke Raley L/ Arroyo R
Projected Bench
Bench C Jhonny Pereda R
2B/OF Michael Arroyo R
C/OF Boston Smith L
INF Colt Emerson
▼
SP1 Logan Gilbert R
SP2 Bryan Woo R
SP3 George Kirby R
SP4 Kade Anderson L
SP5 Bryce Miller R
Projected Bullpen
▼
CL RP Andrés Muñoz R
SU RP Matt Brash R
SU/C BP Adrian Morejohn L
SU BP Jose Ferrer L
MID RP 58 Seranthony Domínguez
MID RP 41 Eduard Bazardo R
MID RP 55 Gabe Speier L
LR RP 54 Carlos Vargas R
In the trades I have Kirby, Miller, or Hancock going out, LAA could ask us to go get certain prospects from a contender and it could be Kirby is the vehicle they want to part with their prospects. But in this case I choose Hancock. I also have Celesten, Becker, Stevenson, Sloan, and Farmello going out.
Let me know how dumb this is
