July 31, 2025 • 11 mins
In the final hours of the legal tampering around the MLB, the trade deadline is set to conclude later this evening at 6:00 p.m. ET, finalizing rosters as we enter the second half of the season and onto the postseason. Evaluating a few trades around the league and focusing on the Astros in particular, ESPN's Tim Kurkjian shares some great insight regarding the Astros' new pickup yesterday evening and possible additions that will add depth to the Stros' lineup, if the Astros look to make another splash before the deadline expires.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Tim, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Really appreciate your time, especially on such a busy day.
You got myself, Dan Matthews. You got a man that
I'm sure you probably know from days in Bristol. Sean
Saulisbury here with you.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Timmy, good to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Brother.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I want to talk about as you jump shot the
hell with baseball man.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Well, Shawn, I'm sixty eight years old. I have an
artificial hip. I'm three feet four, I weigh one hundred
and thirty eight pounds, so I can still shoot a basketball.
But I'm just doing it by myself. Now, by myself
anything else, I think I'm a little too old and
a little too slow.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Well, we could spot you up and just have you
bang jumpers from beyond the arc. Brother, I'm okay with that. Man.
We'll do all the other work I got you.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yeah, I'll need some I'll need some enforcement around me,
big guys like you to get me off the screen.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Right there you go, Thanks for joining me. He goes by,
set shot kerching. Now I'll take it. I think that's
what Tim goes by. But Tim start first with the trade.
The shows pulled off last night to get Ramona Arius.
I mean, I don't know how much you know Orioles
games that Astros fans watched. So for the Astros fans,
what type of player are they getting in this deal?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Well, he is an elite defensive third baseman, and that's
always help pull down the stretch, especially when you have
great pitching balls put in play. He is going to
make the play. Now offensively, he's not even close to
where he is defensively, But I've done all the research
(01:36):
on bad defensive teams. They don't go anywhere in the postseason.
They don't even make the postseason. So the Astros really
made themselves a better defensive team. But if they're going
to do get to where they want to go this year,
they're going to have to do more than arias a third.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
All right, So, Tim, what is that? Is it a combination?
And if you were the GM and you're saying I
had like Dana Brown and had to make one move,
is it a power hitting left handed guy, another Carlos
Coorea type of third, or is it Dylan Ceese or
a pitcher one move? What does it have to be
if it's a wow factor one for you.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Well, Sean, they need am both, they need a left
handed hitter and they need a starting pitcher, so Dylan
Cease might be at the top of that list. I
know he's having a really down season, but he was
a cy young contender a couple of years ago. He's
still got really good stuff, So I would start there
(02:34):
because their best chance of doing something down the stretch,
winning the division and then doing something in October is
to have three four starting pitchers. So I would go
after Dylan Cees, see how much it takes to get him,
and then try to fix whatever's wrong with him, because
then with you know, Valdez and Hunter Brown and Dylan
(02:57):
Ceese at his best, that's a pretty good threeesome you
throw out.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
There, All right, Timmy, let's just say that they can
they pull off Cease for you know, prospects and maybe
have to get rid of one of their major league
players or so. And he comes here and you've seen
the movie before, they come here and seems like they
elevate for whatever reason. They're they're very well trained, they
got good coaching staff. So let's just say it is
the pitcher. Now look at the rest of the rosters,
people trying to get healthy with you know, Jordon and
(03:22):
Payiny in the group. Is this a World Series team
if Dylan Cease is a member of it.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Well, if Dylan Cease is the old the best of
Dylan Sees and they can get some of these injured
guys back, including Jordon from the hand, and there's no
telling when that's going to be or what he's going
to be like when he's coming back. Yes, I think
they are a world Series team in a very winnable
(03:51):
American league that doesn't have a dominant team out there.
But a lot has to happen for the Astros to
be a World Series team. And again it starts with
Cease or another starting pitcher that's gonna be critical for them.
And then they need Alvarez back, and if they don't
get him back completely healthy, they need to add another
(04:13):
left handed hitter. But I'm just not sure that real
impact left handed hitter is out there for them right now.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Again.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Tim Kirchin ESPN also hosts the Is This a Good
Game or What? Podcast with his son join us here
on the Seawan Salisbury Show and going along those same lines,
we saw the move that the Mariners made last night
to bring back a Haino Suarez, and I guess we'll
wait and see what the Rangers do. Where do you
think the Astros, even without moves made, stack up against
(04:43):
those other two teams down this stretch.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Well, I like the Astros mostly because they have a
five game lead. But let's be clear. Now, let's be clear,
Seattle is demonstrably better than it was a week ago.
Josh Naylor at first base gives them way more production there,
and u Haanio Suarez gives them way more production at
(05:08):
third base, got thirty six homers and eighty seven RBIs. However,
as much as I love that guy and as much
as he will be very comfortable in Seattle, Seattle is
a harder place to hit and in Arizona, or in
Cincinnati or other places that he has been, so it's
not like he's gonna come in and just absolutely dominate
(05:32):
like he has to this point, because the ballpark is
so different. However, that starting pitching for Seattle is good
and is going to get better. Their bullpen is good,
and now they can run out one through six in
the lineup pretty darn good. Mariners have been a low
average offensive team for years, but now with Naylor and Suarez,
(05:54):
Julio Rodriguez, Randy Rozarena, and of course, big dumper in
the mid Suddenly they are a dangerous team that is
gonna make a huge run at the Astro.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
All right, Tim, I call you up, you're the general manager,
you're Dana Brown again, and I'm in Minnesota and I
call you up and I say, Carlos kray is available.
What's your response?
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Well, I gotta know how much I'm gonna have to pay,
because that matters whether you're trying to win a World
Series or not. It matters. But if I got a
shot to get Carlos Koream without giving up an enormous
amount and without having to pay everything on the contract,
I would put him at third base and think I'm
(06:39):
in much better shape than I am right now given
the injuries that the Astros have at that position, not
to mention shortstop and all over the place. But I
don't think that's going to happen. But I would certainly
look into it because one thing we know about Carlos
Karan love playing in Uston and he was big in October.
(07:02):
And even though he may not be the same player
he was, say four years ago, he's still Carlos Korey.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
What would you part with? Tim? Well? I mean, you're
not giving up cam Smith obviously because you did too
much and they did the Tucker trade to get him
and he's got a bright future, is it?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
You know?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
A Melton? Are you willing to part with Matthews? Where
are you with right now at this stage? And the
cash you're gonna have to pay that you didn't want
to pay him when he was a free agent the
first time around. So what are you willing to give
up for Carlos Kray if they asked.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Well, I'm not giving up cam Smith. And with the
way Melton through the other night, that was really impressive.
I talked to a couple of people who were there
and they said, Wow, didn't know he was this good.
So I'd be real careful with that. And I would
not trade a top prospect or a top young player
to get Karrea if you have to pay as much
(07:54):
money as you think. So it's got to be very
very much weighted in the Astros direction, and I'm just
not sure the Twins are gonna allow that to happen again.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Tim Kirch and ESPN join us here on the Sean
Salisbury Show, and Tim, we've seen it, you know throughout
trade deadlines of the past, where you've got the names
out there that are rumors. But are you hearing anybody
out there that might be a surprise name that floats
across today.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Well, every final day of the trade deadline in the
forty five years that I've been covering, something happens that
makes you slap your forehead and say, where does that
come from. I'm just not sure that guy's out there.
I mean, Sandy al Contra's out there and the Astros
might be in on him. I'm not sure he's gonna move.
(08:45):
And I'm not sure there's a position player that we
haven't even discussed that's gonna move. I just think Luis
Robert Cedric Mullins. Those are two guys. Maybe the Mets
are interested, they have to get a center fielder, But
I'm I'm just not sure there's that gigantic move out there,
surprise move that's going to change and turn a non
(09:08):
contender into a contender and a contender into a champion.
But again, every year somebody comes up and you go, Wow,
didn't see that coming. That's certainly possible today, I just
can't identify that guy.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Hey Will Tam As we sit now before some of
these deals, you know, push towards the deadline or are
going to happen without speculation. Where does the World Series
go through? What team do you have to go through
to be playing and get yourself to late October early
November in the American League? In the American League?
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Oh, in the American League, Ah, John, That is a
great question, because, as I've said, there are no great
teams to the American League right now. There are five,
maybe even six teams that are good enough to win
the World to go to the World Series from the
American League. But I still think the Tigers have the
most complete team in the American League, even though they
(10:03):
just hit a terrible stretch, lost eleven out of twelve,
but they're starting to pull it back together. They have
the best pitcher in the league on their team. They
made a couple of nice moves Chris Paddock to help
with that rotation. So I think it goes through Detroit. However,
the Mariners might be that team, the Rangers might be
(10:24):
that team, The Astros might be that team. These next
two months in the American League is going to be
fascinating to see who's the best team in the American League.
Heading into October.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
It's the fun time of the year, there's no doubt
about it. Tim, really appreciate your time today and we
always enjoy catching up with you, and hopefully we'll get
a chance to do it maybe sometime in October. Talking
about this team going deep, nobody better. Tim, I sure
appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
It's really good to talk to you, brother, and thank
you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Well, great to talk to you again, Sean, talk to
you later
Speaker 2 (10:56):
All right, Thank you going, Tim Kirchin
Tim, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Really appreciate your time, especially on such a busy day.
You got myself, Dan Matthews. You got a man that
I'm sure you probably know from days in Bristol. Sean
Saulisbury here with you.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Timmy, good to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Brother.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I want to talk about as you jump shot the
hell with baseball man.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Well, Shawn, I'm sixty eight years old. I have an
artificial hip. I'm three feet four, I weigh one hundred
and thirty eight pounds, so I can still shoot a basketball.
But I'm just doing it by myself. Now, by myself
anything else, I think I'm a little too old and
a little too slow.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Well, we could spot you up and just have you
bang jumpers from beyond the arc. Brother, I'm okay with that. Man.
We'll do all the other work I got you.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yeah, I'll need some I'll need some enforcement around me,
big guys like you to get me off the screen.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Right there you go, Thanks for joining me. He goes by,
set shot kerching. Now I'll take it. I think that's
what Tim goes by. But Tim start first with the trade.
The shows pulled off last night to get Ramona Arius.
I mean, I don't know how much you know Orioles
games that Astros fans watched. So for the Astros fans,
what type of player are they getting in this deal?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Well, he is an elite defensive third baseman, and that's
always help pull down the stretch, especially when you have
great pitching balls put in play. He is going to
make the play. Now offensively, he's not even close to
where he is defensively, But I've done all the research
(01:36):
on bad defensive teams. They don't go anywhere in the postseason.
They don't even make the postseason. So the Astros really
made themselves a better defensive team. But if they're going
to do get to where they want to go this year,
they're going to have to do more than arias a third.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
All right, So, Tim, what is that? Is it a combination?
And if you were the GM and you're saying I
had like Dana Brown and had to make one move,
is it a power hitting left handed guy, another Carlos
Coorea type of third, or is it Dylan Ceese or
a pitcher one move? What does it have to be
if it's a wow factor one for you.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Well, Sean, they need am both, they need a left
handed hitter and they need a starting pitcher, so Dylan
Cease might be at the top of that list. I
know he's having a really down season, but he was
a cy young contender a couple of years ago. He's
still got really good stuff, So I would start there
(02:34):
because their best chance of doing something down the stretch,
winning the division and then doing something in October is
to have three four starting pitchers. So I would go
after Dylan Cees, see how much it takes to get him,
and then try to fix whatever's wrong with him, because
then with you know, Valdez and Hunter Brown and Dylan
(02:57):
Ceese at his best, that's a pretty good threeesome you
throw out.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
There, All right, Timmy, let's just say that they can
they pull off Cease for you know, prospects and maybe
have to get rid of one of their major league
players or so. And he comes here and you've seen
the movie before, they come here and seems like they
elevate for whatever reason. They're they're very well trained, they
got good coaching staff. So let's just say it is
the pitcher. Now look at the rest of the rosters,
people trying to get healthy with you know, Jordon and
(03:22):
Payiny in the group. Is this a World Series team
if Dylan Cease is a member of it.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Well, if Dylan Cease is the old the best of
Dylan Sees and they can get some of these injured
guys back, including Jordon from the hand, and there's no
telling when that's going to be or what he's going
to be like when he's coming back. Yes, I think
they are a world Series team in a very winnable
(03:51):
American league that doesn't have a dominant team out there.
But a lot has to happen for the Astros to
be a World Series team. And again it starts with
Cease or another starting pitcher that's gonna be critical for them.
And then they need Alvarez back, and if they don't
get him back completely healthy, they need to add another
(04:13):
left handed hitter. But I'm just not sure that real
impact left handed hitter is out there for them right now.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Again.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Tim Kirchin ESPN also hosts the Is This a Good
Game or What? Podcast with his son join us here
on the Seawan Salisbury Show and going along those same lines,
we saw the move that the Mariners made last night
to bring back a Haino Suarez, and I guess we'll
wait and see what the Rangers do. Where do you
think the Astros, even without moves made, stack up against
(04:43):
those other two teams down this stretch.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Well, I like the Astros mostly because they have a
five game lead. But let's be clear. Now, let's be clear,
Seattle is demonstrably better than it was a week ago.
Josh Naylor at first base gives them way more production there,
and u Haanio Suarez gives them way more production at
(05:08):
third base, got thirty six homers and eighty seven RBIs. However,
as much as I love that guy and as much
as he will be very comfortable in Seattle, Seattle is
a harder place to hit and in Arizona, or in
Cincinnati or other places that he has been, so it's
not like he's gonna come in and just absolutely dominate
(05:32):
like he has to this point, because the ballpark is
so different. However, that starting pitching for Seattle is good
and is going to get better. Their bullpen is good,
and now they can run out one through six in
the lineup pretty darn good. Mariners have been a low
average offensive team for years, but now with Naylor and Suarez,
(05:54):
Julio Rodriguez, Randy Rozarena, and of course, big dumper in
the mid Suddenly they are a dangerous team that is
gonna make a huge run at the Astro.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
All right, Tim, I call you up, you're the general manager,
you're Dana Brown again, and I'm in Minnesota and I
call you up and I say, Carlos kray is available.
What's your response?
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Well, I gotta know how much I'm gonna have to pay,
because that matters whether you're trying to win a World
Series or not. It matters. But if I got a
shot to get Carlos Koream without giving up an enormous
amount and without having to pay everything on the contract,
I would put him at third base and think I'm
(06:39):
in much better shape than I am right now given
the injuries that the Astros have at that position, not
to mention shortstop and all over the place. But I
don't think that's going to happen. But I would certainly
look into it because one thing we know about Carlos
Karan love playing in Uston and he was big in October.
(07:02):
And even though he may not be the same player
he was, say four years ago, he's still Carlos Korey.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
What would you part with? Tim? Well? I mean, you're
not giving up cam Smith obviously because you did too
much and they did the Tucker trade to get him
and he's got a bright future, is it?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
You know?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
A Melton? Are you willing to part with Matthews? Where
are you with right now at this stage? And the
cash you're gonna have to pay that you didn't want
to pay him when he was a free agent the
first time around. So what are you willing to give
up for Carlos Kray if they asked.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Well, I'm not giving up cam Smith. And with the
way Melton through the other night, that was really impressive.
I talked to a couple of people who were there
and they said, Wow, didn't know he was this good.
So I'd be real careful with that. And I would
not trade a top prospect or a top young player
to get Karrea if you have to pay as much
(07:54):
money as you think. So it's got to be very
very much weighted in the Astros direction, and I'm just
not sure the Twins are gonna allow that to happen again.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Tim Kirch and ESPN join us here on the Sean
Salisbury Show, and Tim, we've seen it, you know throughout
trade deadlines of the past, where you've got the names
out there that are rumors. But are you hearing anybody
out there that might be a surprise name that floats
across today.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Well, every final day of the trade deadline in the
forty five years that I've been covering, something happens that
makes you slap your forehead and say, where does that
come from. I'm just not sure that guy's out there.
I mean, Sandy al Contra's out there and the Astros
might be in on him. I'm not sure he's gonna move.
(08:45):
And I'm not sure there's a position player that we
haven't even discussed that's gonna move. I just think Luis
Robert Cedric Mullins. Those are two guys. Maybe the Mets
are interested, they have to get a center fielder, But
I'm I'm just not sure there's that gigantic move out there,
surprise move that's going to change and turn a non
(09:08):
contender into a contender and a contender into a champion.
But again, every year somebody comes up and you go, Wow,
didn't see that coming. That's certainly possible today, I just
can't identify that guy.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Hey Will Tam As we sit now before some of
these deals, you know, push towards the deadline or are
going to happen without speculation. Where does the World Series
go through? What team do you have to go through
to be playing and get yourself to late October early
November in the American League? In the American League?
Speaker 3 (09:41):
Oh, in the American League, Ah, John, That is a
great question, because, as I've said, there are no great
teams to the American League right now. There are five,
maybe even six teams that are good enough to win
the World to go to the World Series from the
American League. But I still think the Tigers have the
most complete team in the American League, even though they
(10:03):
just hit a terrible stretch, lost eleven out of twelve,
but they're starting to pull it back together. They have
the best pitcher in the league on their team. They
made a couple of nice moves Chris Paddock to help
with that rotation. So I think it goes through Detroit. However,
the Mariners might be that team, the Rangers might be
(10:24):
that team, The Astros might be that team. These next
two months in the American League is going to be
fascinating to see who's the best team in the American League.
Heading into October.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
It's the fun time of the year, there's no doubt
about it. Tim, really appreciate your time today and we
always enjoy catching up with you, and hopefully we'll get
a chance to do it maybe sometime in October. Talking
about this team going deep, nobody better. Tim, I sure
appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
It's really good to talk to you, brother, and thank
you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Well, great to talk to you again, Sean, talk to
you later
Speaker 2 (10:56):
All right, Thank you going, Tim Kirchin
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