Ken Rosenthal’s 2025 All-Stars, Verdugo DFA’d/Profar’s return, Blue Jays optimism/Yanks struggles, Luis Severino trade thoughts

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Do I expect that they're going to get back to where they were earlier or somewhere close. Yes, I do, X Starter, Flaherty, whoever else. You're in pretty good shape.

00:00:15
Speaker 2: Let's hit the inside scoop with that FT senior insider Kannisenthal. The All Star Game is around the corner. Kens always part of the coverage. Ken, you've got some All Star predictions for us? Did you start slicing through the rosters and then let the comments begin?

00:00:31
Speaker 1: I did, and I did my best. I always do my best, but I always seem to have one miss, and the one miss this year was Andrew Abbott, and I'll tell you why I missed it. So for everyone out there, here is my process so you can see where I screwed up. I always check the league leaders and kind of work off that. Now, Andrew Abbott has been brilliant all season, but he's like two inning short of the league leaders something like that, so he wasn't showing up, and my feeble brain I forgot he was having such a great year, so I didn't initially include him. Naturally, the comments lit up, so I put him on the Notable Emissions. Didn't put him on the team. He probably should be on the team regardless. It's a fun exercise and I actually have a lot of fun doing it because it's quite challenging to get every team represented, to get the right number of players on each team, and it shows you just how difficult it is for the managers in the league in filling out their rosters after the fan votes are tabulated. It's not as easy as you might think. But I always say this, Scott that ultimately, most likely your favorite player is going to get in because there are players who are going to have injuries real and imagined. There are starting pitchers who will throw on Sunday before the game who will not be eligible or will back out because of that reason. So don't worry if I snubbed you, or if even the league snubs you, your players probably be okay.

00:02:01
Speaker 3: Ken, just because you're a front runner, okay and you don't get and because when you do your Fox games you only see the Dodgers, the Mets, the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Cubs.

00:02:10
Speaker 1: You don't get to see the.

00:02:11
Speaker 3: Rest of the league like some of us do. I understand why it was so tough for you to not pick those five six teams to go to the All Star Game. You had to look at like the Rockies guy and the Red oh Man Andrew Abbatime in a good year. I haven't seen him in seven years because I only do the A game. I understand, ken.

00:02:28
Speaker 1: Aja, you sound like one of the knuckleheads in the comments section. And the reality is if you read the Athletic, which you don't, you would understand do quite well. Now you understand quite well that I cover every team. I would say that I cover every team, probably better than anyone in the country. Now. I don't know that the coverage is so good or that it's what everyone wants to read all the time, but I do get to every team in one form or another, so I'm quite aware of who's playing. But in the case of Abbot, I will be quite transparent. I screwed up.

00:03:00
Speaker 3: You don't hurt your shoulder patting yourself on the back, Okay, kid.

00:03:02
Speaker 1: Ow wow aj. I just went on this wide ranging program that has aired all over the world and said, fact that just said open my remarks by acknowledging the mistake I made in this column. What more do you want? On?

00:03:18
Speaker 4: Man, he's techy, he's tough to please. He probably wouldn't have liked it if you came to his poker table either last night, So he's kind of he's kind of a pissy guy. But anyway, all of these names, which one's your favorite that you sit out there and you go, man like, this is a this is an exciting player that nobody saw coming, nobody saw getting a start because normally it's like it's chalk. It's all the Dodgers were out there, the Yankees were out there. We're just gonna chalk those guys in. Which guy was your favorite that's going to be a starter, not just make the team.

00:03:54
Speaker 1: I would say Jeremy Paine because he has re emerged in what he was in the twenty twenty two playoffs, But of course he's hurt. He's probably not going to be in the game, or at least might not be in the game. There's a chance he still will play. So that's one. But Eric, the one for me that is maybe the most exciting is a guy who pitched last night and was really good again, Jacob de Gram. Jacob de Gram has not been in an All Star Game since I believe twenty twenty one. We have missed this version of Jacob de Gram and to see him performing at such a high level right now, doing what he has done in the past, it's really exciting and it's really gratifying for him, I'm sure to be kind of back to where he was. He's never satisfied, I get it. But he knows that he's pitching as well as he's pitched in several years, and he's healthy. That's the key thing with him, of course. So that one, to me is really exciting. And we'll see who else makes the team and how this all plays out. But we've got some great young players in the game. We talk about them all the time. Elie Dela Cruz is one, and there are a number of others as well.

00:05:00
Speaker 2: Ken, do you know what your toughest choice was? Was there one where you're like, ah, and you're going back and forth and you're comparing numbers and part two of my question, do you think that voting needs to change at all to allow some of the I don't know, smaller fan markets to get their teams in. There's complaints about Tasker Hernandez instead of James Wood for the finalist action, same with Jonathan Ronda, who I see you have as a starting first baseman for the al.

00:05:28
Speaker 1: I have James Wood as a starter as well, and when you ask the toughest, that actually was one of them. Because it's James Wood over Juan Soto. I've got the two Cubs outfielders in there as well. James Wood in terms of star power is not Juan Soto yet, but he's had this incredible first half. He of course was part of the first one Sodo trade and it just seems to me he is rather deserving. Last I looked third in the Majors in ops, if I'm not mistaken, or third in the National League, so that was one American League third base was all so difficult. So in there you've got obviously Jose Ramirez, he's the clear starter, but he Zach Parades and Junior Kamanero both really good. Michael Garcia from the Royals also really good. Cej I'm paying attention to a Midwest team and it was just kind of a tough choice to narrow down. But really the difficult ones guys are the starting pitchers, and National League starting pitchers was extremely difficult. I don't have on my team Abbott, who I mentioned earlier, Schwellenbach and Matt boyd. Those three guys are all clearly deserving. The pictures I have on my list obviously are also deserving as well, at least in my opinion. But the National League starting pitchers, You're just not going to get everyone on there that you want to. Now, one of those three I'm sure will replace sale if they're not on already, and that will help matters and other pictures will bow out as well. But that was a tough one for me. National League starting pitchers.

00:06:55
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00:07:02
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00:07:05
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00:07:11
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00:07:13
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00:07:18
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00:07:30
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00:07:57
Speaker 3: Hey Ken. Speaking of a starting pitcher, Luis Severino has had a lot of comments lately about Sacramento and.

00:08:02
Speaker 4: How he hates it there.

00:08:03
Speaker 3: Basically he wants to get out of there.

00:08:05
Speaker 1: Now.

00:08:05
Speaker 3: There's two New York teams that he's played for where he's had some success with both. They both kind of need pitching. Would he be a fit anywhere maybe one of those two New York teams making a comeback?

00:08:17
Speaker 1: He would. The problem is he's owed a lot of money two years at twenty million plus each year, and while he has good numbers on the road this year, though they were inflated by his last start at Yankee Stadium, some of his other peripherals are not so intriguing. Low strikeout rate, that's a problem. High ground ball sorry, low ground ball rate, that's a problem as well. So how much value he has that remains to be seen. But of course, part of this will reflect on the supply and demand. So if there are not a lot of good starting pitchers available, and it sure doesn't look like there are going to be, then Luis Severino becomes perhaps more appealing. The A's will listen. They're not dying to get rid of him or anything like that. I spoke to some of their people yesterday. They understand that not everyone's going to be happy with the park. But at the same time, he did sign the contract. He didn't know what he was getting into, and from that perspective, you can kind of say, hey, Luis, calm down. From a fans perspective, at the same time, he gets asked questions a boy reporters and he's speaking his mind and saying what he thinks. I don't know that we can ever fall guys for doing that. He is not saying get me out of here. I demand the trade. This place is a joke. He's just saying it's difficult there, it's not up to major league standards, and that is absolutely accurate.

00:09:40
Speaker 4: Is the Yankee slide going to be something that was inevitable anyway based on how they built this roster? Or is it surprising how this lineup has just not shown up for a little while.

00:09:54
Speaker 1: It's a good question, Eric, I'm not exactly sure how I would answer that. I guess it's not uprising any team. Anytime a team regresses from a hot start, or a player regressless from a hot start, that's normal baseball. Some of the things that are happening, though, are concerning, and it's not just offensive regression. It's not just the questions that you might have in the bullpen. But there have been some plays over the last couple of weeks that look like kind of Game five of the World Series. Maybe not that bad, but that kind of thing where they weren't doing things fundamentally sound or making poor decisions. That is a concern to some degree. Do I expect that they're going to get back to where they were earlier or somewhere close? Yes, I do, But will they be this clean team that you want to see out there, a crisp team playing fundamentally sound baseball. They've got some players perhaps out of position right now, jas Chisselm maybe should be at second instead of third. So I expect that after the deadline we're going to see a different roster for that matter for starters, and then beyond that we'll see how they will adjust. Let's say they get a third basement, Jazz goes back to second. That probably improved their defense some. So these kinds of things are all in play for them, and all things that I'm sure they're looking at, but will be in better position to judge exactly where they are after the deadline, because they're going to need to address their bullpen, maybe address their rotation, and certainly an infielder would be how helpful as well.

00:11:26
Speaker 3: It's weird, you know, it's weird how much you know about the Yankees and the.

00:11:29
Speaker 1: Al ask you about the Rays? Asked me about the malls. Do you know that, Agent?

00:11:39
Speaker 3: I knew that. We talk about it every day, Ken, we talk about it every day. Okay, let's starn Florida, so I know all about the Rays and the Marlin.

00:11:47
Speaker 1: Because they're living your home state.

00:11:49
Speaker 2: As question, then we'll switch.

00:11:51
Speaker 3: It's not he's good. He's good to hit it. He hit on it. If you weren't listening, Scott, you're like Ken. Ken and I are in the same way, same wavelength.

00:11:59
Speaker 4: So I was going to ask you about what was jazz and shifting positions he didn't and he hit it. Me and Ken we're on the same wave life, but that's because I read articles Ken.

00:12:07
Speaker 3: Ken. So again, it's weird. You know about the Yankees, but there's a Midwest team out there that's in the AL Central Division you don't cover very often. So the Tigers. They crushed it on Sunday Night Baseball. They have the best record in the American League easily. How good can this team be? What are they looking for a starter?

00:12:27
Speaker 1: Or at least they should be. And yes, Flowherty is there and along with Schooble and Resoulson and the others, but it just seems to me to be the postseason team they want to be. They need one more now. Of course, everyone needs a starter. It seems like there are very few quality starters available. But that is what I would like to see them do. And most of all, they have an offensive team that is quite versatile and can do a number of different things in a number of different ways. One more bat, yes, I'm sure they're looking for that as well, right handed, but I don't know that they need much in that regard. They're going to be okay. Now. Injuries are always a problem. Kerry Carpenter just went on the il, but I would like to see them get one more big starter if possible, and it might not be possible, because to me, that would be the way for them to be that much more dominant if they can be dominant in the postseason. Schooble, X Starter, Flaherty, whoever else, You're in pretty good shape.

00:13:29
Speaker 4: How about those paper tigers up above the border. Are they the team that we've expected them to be the last two and a half seasons and this offense is now starting to turn around. They had a blip on the radar yesterday with defense, unusual couple airs, but they've been killing it on defense and they're actually above AJ's Rays right now.

00:13:53
Speaker 1: Yes. And I've called them the paper Tigers in recent years because they were better on paper than they were in reality. This is a much better version of the Jays, and I was skeptical at first. In spring training they were talking about how they're much more together. The clubhouse is great here. This is in every clubhouse in spring training. But evidently there's something to it with Toronto because if you look back at their offseason, it's not working out so great. Santander still hurt Hoffmann up and down, but they're getting contributions from guys like Barger and Lucas and Clement and yesterday which struck me and which really should be striking everyone. This is again Aga, I'm paying attention here to what's going on. George Springer Grand Slam yesterday was merely the highlight of a resurgence season for him, and it's made a huge difference in who they are. Springer when he is like this is a game changer. So I kind of like where they are. They too, are a team that as long as Shures are is healthy, then their rotation's okay, But otherwise they might have some issues there. The bullpen always can use a reliever, but they're competitive and they seem like this year finally they're playing to their capabilities, and that's been my complaint with them. Actually, my biggest complaints have been with their front office and kind of the way they've run things. But even though, as I said, Santandr Hoffmann and I'll throw Andres Jimenez in there are all struggling or hurt, this team has come together really nicely and it's kind of cool to see. That was a great Canada Day crowd yesterday. It was a great win over the Yankees and really one of the highlights of the season from Toronto's perspective.

00:15:32
Speaker 3: And Ken it ended the conversation about them having bad luck on their Red Jersey day. You didn't know that because you don't pay attention, right, So we talked about that.

00:15:40
Speaker 1: Now red Jersey records. That's absolutely after.

00:15:47
Speaker 2: I second that.

00:15:49
Speaker 3: The Braves they defade Verdugo for profar that now, fine, I get it why they're doing that. Verdugo will end up somewhere else more than likely. My question is not on the Verdugo side of it. I guess you can answer that too. But to me, as a former player and an anti steroid guy, why can't guys rehab before their eighty games is up and then they come back on the eightieth game. I know it's collectively bargained, but to me it kind of bothers me because they they should have to sit out eighty games. Oh, then I got to rehab and then I get to come back because they're actually playing games while they're technically on suspension.

00:16:23
Speaker 1: They're not playing major league games, and that's what the suspension is for major league games. But aj you're not the only one who feels that way. And in fact, I was in Atlanta over the weekend and heard some sentiment along those lines. So I can see where you're going with that, and I can see what your point is. Yes, it's collectively bargained, and yes, the union would have to make a point. I'm sorry, the league would have to make the point to the union, guys, we don't want guys on a rehab assignment sixty five games into their suspension. We want them to serve the full eighty and then they can work their way back. But the union's argument would be that's more than an eighty game suspension then, So I see both sides of it, and certainly this move is not exactly a surprise, But I'm actually glad you mentioned it, Aj, because for Dugo is a guy, he's still only twenty nine, and he's going from team to team struggling, and if i'm him right now, I'm a little concerned that I might be at the league soon, because yes, you're right, someone's gonna pick him up, someone will give him a shot. But this keeps happening, and he's too talented for this to keep happening. So something's got to change. And there are people fans who really like Alex Radugo and want to see him succeed, and yet it's just been a tough go for him in the last couple of years.

00:17:41
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's sure. We'll see if he gets picked up. And I mean, his defense is fine, but you're looking for he doesn't hit.

00:17:47
Speaker 3: The way he was people thought he would hit on his career. Yeah, what kind of his calling card was hitting? And he hasn't hit the way people especially you'renna play corner outfield.

00:17:56
Speaker 2: You've got a bang he did years ago with the Dodgers, But yeah, it's not the same right now. It's a good point, Ken. Thank you. We'll catch you on fair territory tomorrow.

00:18:05
Speaker 1: All right, I'm gonna go read up on the rest of the league now A. Thanks Mark, don't worry.

00:18:09
Speaker 3: Don't worry.

00:18:09
Speaker 2: I'm with you for the first I'm with you for the first fifteen minutes tomorrow we will know.

00:18:14
Speaker 1: I'm going to bear with Jersey.

00:18:16
Speaker 3: Where's Ken's game this week?

00:18:18
Speaker 1: Ken?

00:18:18
Speaker 3: Where's your game this weekend?

00:18:20
Speaker 1: Los Angeles? Oh? Whoa against?

00:18:26
Speaker 3: WHOA?

00:18:28
Speaker 1: What do you want?

00:18:29
Speaker 3: I don't know, I don't know.

00:18:30
Speaker 4: Reds Brewers, Baby, jealous, jealous, jealous.

00:18:35
Speaker 2: Thanks Ken, talk to you tomorrow. Bye Fair Territory. Tomorrow, A lot is out, I'll fill in. I'll jump in with you Ken for at least the first half or so of the show, and he'll take your grilling Keen questions. I know many coming fast and furious as we are getting close to trade deadline, action talks heating up.