This is great, really great. A couple things catch my eye in particular:
- The team "not necessarily being as focused on a top-end starter as the fans." I'm aligned if they're not going out hunting for a Cy Young contender, but I assume the plan is to net a legitimate playoff starter? Like you don't need Chris Sale but I do think you *need* someone else at least Matt Boyd caliber?
- The Ryan McMahon stuff is interesting, but if you bring him in for Nico that feels ideally like an offseason move. Nico's a big part of the clubhouse, and moving Shaw or McMahon back over to second feels like it would temporarily hobble the defense while either guy got back used to the position and in sync with Dansby. That said Nico is part of the post '26 roster cliff while McMahon is signed for an additional year. Plus McMahon as a lefty infielder is a good fit, and I assume there's some low hanging player development fruit to get more out of him than the Rockies have been lately
- I also really like Drew Rasmussen. Passan flagged him in his column earlier this week, and I think Rasmussen and Fairbanks is pretty much ideal one stop shopping for Jed. And then tying back to the last point