Steve Adams | March 6, 2026 1:55 PM CDT
steve adams
- Good afternoon! We hope you enjoy all of the Spring and/or WBC games today. (Currently broadcasting from Panama/Cuba!) We’ll start around 2pm CT. But as always, you’re welcome to ask questions in advance.
- Let’s get going!
Giolito
- Why doesn’t Giolito sign? There’s certainly a spot in the Athletics, Braves, Phillies, Padres or Astros rotation.
Stebm
- Are there any plans for Minnesota at all? The team doesn’t scare me. If Pablo is out, should Giolito be brought in? He knows the center well. I don’t know how effective he is anymore, but that’s an idea.
steve adams
- I imagine Giolito would have gone into the offseason looking for a multi-year deal that he might have had in line if not for a season-ending elbow injury. With most of their offseason budget gone, most clubs are probably looking at him as a first-year player. It’s surprising Atlanta didn’t sign him, especially with Profar’s money freed up. He’s a clear upgrade over the players competing for the top five spot (Joy Wentz, Bryce Elder, Jose Suarez), and the rest of the Braves’ rotation is at risk for injury.
- All of this also applies to Zack Littell.
- (Well, the elbows aren’t the scary part)
- The twins would also be an easy and obvious fit for either Giolito or Littell. They lost Lopez. Festa’s shoulders are burning brightly. Ryan was already experiencing minor back problems. And Tom, the pohlad du jour there, has said publicly that he wants to be aggressive since he took over as executive chairman.
- With the other teams listed for Gio… he probably wouldn’t want a short-term deal to pitch in a hitter-friendly minor league park (the A’s) and would end up paying the Phillies more than double because of the luxury tax. It appears the Padres have no money left. (Hence the cheap nature of their late signings.) Astros, I disagree that they need him. Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Tatsuya Imai, Mike Burrows… a pretty decent top four, with Ryan Weiss, Lance McCullers, Spencer Arrighetti, AJ Blubaugh, Colton Gordon and Miguel Ullola as options at the back of the rotation. Their owner, Jim Crane, doesn’t want to pay the luxury tax either. And they’re about $10 million short right now.
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