So it begins, The official Hot Stove League Thread 2024-25 Offseason

[Hasslecracked]

Meanwhile Dipshito still doing nothing…

[Seattle or Bust]

Lowe traded for a mediocre lefty reliever. Nice.

[D-train]

I would love Lowe but why would they trade him?

LOL just traded him to the Nats!

[Seattle or Bust]

I would love Lowe but why would they trade him?

LOL just traded him to the Nats!

Probably will sign Alonso now.

[harmony]

These podcasters speculate on Mariners-Red Sox trade possibilities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH9GM0upOx8

[Pharmabro]

I would love Lowe but why would they trade him?

LOL just traded him to the Nats!

Probably will sign Alonso now.

They could have been making room for Burger at 1B. But they could just DH him and then grab the big Bopper for 1B.

[harmony]

The Call Up podcasters discuss the Mariner farm system:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8DhFJJjo3A

[Donn Beach]

Wow, way to make Donn look bad. Yeah, seems Burger is going to be used at first. I did bring that up earlier as a possible mariners idea, oh well.

And Garcia is actually a pretty elite leftie, don't go by era. He's also under control until 2029

[Seattle or Bust]

Wow, way to make Donn look bad. Yeah, seems Burger is going to be used at first. I did bring that up earlier as a possible mariners idea, oh well.

And Garcia is actually a pretty elite leftie, don't go by era. He's also under control until 2029

Elite lefty that has been worth .3 bWAR over 91 innings as a reliever?

Suppose the peripherals are there... but he hasn't been able to turn it into run prevention.

[Donn Beach]

He was tied for the fifth-most appearances of all MLB left-handed pitchers in 2024. Garcia’s xERA, according to Statcast, was much lower than his actual ERA at 2.53.

He ranked among Nats relievers in strikeouts per nine (1st, 11.31), strikeouts (2nd, 75) and innings (4th, 59 2/3). His 11.31 strikeouts per nine figure was the second-highest by a qualified left-handed reliever over a single season in Nationals history, trailing only Sean Doolittle’s 2018 (12.00 SO/9).

That's the thing with trades, they are very subjective. Rangers going after what they must have considered a particular need.

Passan

. If that's it for Lowe then it's a very odd trade as a whole. Extremely light in what the Nats are giving up and if it's a 1:1 swap then I'm super confused.

But I will say it's objectively a good get for a Rangers pen that still needs help desperately. Garcia was extremely unlucky last year, and all the under-the-hood stuff points towards a great 2025. 30% K%, 2.77 xFIP, 2.71 SIERA, and all three pitches are really good. A 37% CSW% on his 4-Seam and 37.4% Whiff% on his Changeup should tell a chunk of the story. He should slot into the back end of that pen nicely in the 7th or 8th, maybe even close some depending on what else Texas does. It's not worth Nathaniel Lowe but it will fill a need well