MLB Rumors: Ronald Acuña MVP doubters, Astros future at catcher, Trey Mancini switches sides

MLB Rumors: Is Ronald Acuña NL MVP case in doubt? One MLB insider thinks so

Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña has been a favorite for NL MVP seemingly all season long. And frankly he hasn't fallen off enough to take him off that pedestal just yet. However, the emergence of two Dodgers stars -- Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts -- proves this won't be a runaway competition.

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan poked the bear that is Braves Country by tweeting about the possibility of Freeman or Betts surpassing Acuña in the NL MVP ranks. While Acuña matches both in most of the stats that matters as well as stolen base total, there is some science to Passan's argument.

"Won't run away with" is not the same as either player surpassing Acuña, yes, but it was enough to rile up Braves country. Passan, like all insiders, surely has an ax to grind, but suggesting either Dodgers star will receive some votes isn't so farfetched.

Passan made sure to qualify his argument with the stolen base total, taking nothing away from Acuña's season as a whole.

Acuña can change a game with one swing of his bat, just like either player. Unlike Betts and Freeman, though, he tends to create havoc on the basepaths, which isn't measurable via a simple baserunning above average calculation. While it's great that both players make wise decisions when they do reach base, they aren't taking the same kinds of calculated risks as Acuña -- at least not at the same frequency.

MLB Rumors: Will the Houston Astros stick with Martín Maldonado?

Martín Maldonado is batting .180 and strikes out nearly a third of the time he hits, which isn't great for optics. Maldonado is as close as there is to a sure out in the Houston Astros lineup. However, Houston has done little to replace him. Dusty Baker trusts him, and most importantly, the Houston pitching staff has a solid rapport with the Astros catcher since 2019.

Yahoo's Hannah Keyser wrote an excellent piece examining why Houston is so reliant in Maldonado, and unwilling to give Yainer Diaz, who is slashing .281/.297/.540, more games behind home plate.

“He’s my field general,” manager Dusty Baker told Yahoo Sports. “Yainer right now is at West Point learning war strategy, whereas Maldy’s already been at war.”

Eventually, playing Maldonado every day will be untenable for the Astros, but that time is not now. If Diaz can gain some experience behind home plate and learn to interact with the pitching staff as well as 'Maldy', then he will surpass the veteran on the depth chart. That time is not now, though, and it's unclear if it's anytime soon.

“I think there are a lot of intangibles that go into the catching position — and every position on a baseball roster — but in the catching discipline in particular that don't get measured,” Astros pitching coach Josh Miller said. “It's not easy to put a metric on: How does he instill confidence? How does he let a pitcher relax so they can focus on executing a pitch, rather than thinking about what pitch they should be throwing? You know, those things don't get measured.”

The Astros call Maldonado the most prepared catcher in all of baseball. He scours over scouting reports for opposing hitters, knowing that is why he's in the everyday lineup, rather than his bat. Astros fans may be frustrated by his actual plate appearance, but it appears keeping Maldonado as the frontline starting catcher is well worth it for Baker and Co.

MLB Rumors: Why did Trey Mancini sign with the Cincinnati Reds?

Trey Mancini signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Cubs this offseason, but was released just two months later. Mancini struggled mightily at the plate, slashing .234/.299/.336 (worst of his career) with a 29.7% strikeout clip. Mancini can play right field and first base, so there's some value to that, but he was hurting the Cubs far more than he was helping them.

Nonetheless, Mancini still has some value for a team should he be able to restore his old swing. Mancini is a former All-Star with the Orioles who has lost his way. The Reds signed him to a minor-league contract with an MLB option. Should he succeed in the minors, he could have a role with Cincinnati in the short-term as they compete for a postseason spot in the crowded NL Central. MLB Trade Rumors' Anthony Franco outlined Mancini's potential in Cincy in a best-case scenario outlook:

"If they call Mancini up, he’d add a much more accomplished bat to the bench. He’s also regarded as a strong clubhouse leader, which would surely be welcome in a generally young Reds’ locker room as they vie for an unexpected postseason berth. Since he joined the organization before September 1, Mancini would be eligible for the playoffs if the Reds find their way into October."

The Reds are on the hook for the remainder of Mancini's $7 million salary, so he's an expensive bench bat. However, signing Mancini offers further belief that the Reds front office believes this young team can make a run. If Mancini helps make that happen, then he's worth the money and the risk.