We are officially into the second half of the MLB season! By now, it has become clear which teams will be looking to acquire players to make a World Series push, while other teams will be looking to ship away their coveted assets to add young players to supplement their future roster. Personally, as a baseball fan, there are very few periods that match the week before the trade deadline!
Most analysis on trades are regards to how they affect each team, but what about the players involved. Through the 4:00 PM ET trade deadline on July 30th, I will be analyzing each trade from a fantasy perspective. How are these trades affecting the players’ long-term outlook from a fantasy outlook? You’ll get all the answers to help you manage your dynasty teams here!
Braves Acquire OF Joc Pederson From Cubs
Full Trade: Braves Acquire OF Joe Pederson From Cubs In Exchange For 1B Bryce Ball
Although some expected the Braves to act as sellers after losing Ronald Acuna Jr. for the season, they instead made a move to try to replace his production. Given he’s a rental, this won’t change Pederson’s outlook much. For win-now teams, going to a very friendly ballpark for offense might be appealing, especially since he’s been hitting leadoff for them.
Rather, Ball is the piece to focus on here for dynasty managers. The 23-year-old rose up a lot of prospect rankings based on his performance at lower levels in 2019, in addition to how he performed in alternate-site events. Thus far this season, however, the 23-year-old has just a 96 wRC+, and that’s boosted with a 18.6% walk rate. Between his high strikeout rate (27.1%) and high pull rates, he won’t hit for much average, and the power hasn’t shown the way many expected it to. The power potential is immense, though, and for fantasy purposes, he’s an intriguing lottery ticket in 350+ prospect leagues.
Rays Acquire DH Nelson Cruz From Twins
Full Trade: Rays Acquire DH Nelson Cruz From Twins In Exchange For RHP Joe Ryan and RHP Drew Strotman
The Rays are going for it! Cruz, with a 142 wRC+, is a major boost to their lineup, while his contact skills (18.3% K) and power (.253 ISO) are a great fit for their lineup. That said, they definitely paid a steep price to acquire him. In the minors, Joe Ryan has established himself as a K-BB ratio savant. In AAA this season, the 25-year-old has a 34.9% K rate and 30.2% K-BB ratio in 57.1 innings, while his K-BB ratio has been over 30% at every level. His fastball, with a deceptive release, has elite vertical carry, allowing him to rely on it often; sure, he needs to deepen his arsenal, but you always want to bet on someone with a plus fastball and strong command. With Tampa Bay, there was a question about his ETA to the majors and his role when there. In Minnesota, however, he’ll likely be called upon by the end of the year, with far less concerns about his future role. For me, he’s a top-100 prospect, and he’s clearly someone I want to target before he gets promoted to the big leagues. Strotman, meanwhile, has struggled in AAA with a 24.7% strikeout rate and 13.1% walk rate. His ability to induce ground balls has helped his overall numbers, though given his age (24), pitch mix, and struggles, many have him pegged as a reliever long-term. It’s always interesting when prospects change teams, though, so I’d still keep an eye on how he fares in Minnesota’s organization for the rest of the year.
Padres Acquire 2B Adam Frazier From Pirates
Full Trade: Padres Acquire 2B Adam Frazier From Pirates In Exchange For 2B Tucupita Marcano, OF Jack Suwinski, RHP Michell Miliano
You knew that AJ Preller wasn’t going to sit tight at the deadline, but few expected them to be in the market for Frazier. The 29-year-old is having a strong season with a 130 wRC+, though his batting average on balls in play (BABIP) remains above his career norm. If he can continue to hit line drives at a 30.7% rate, he’s going to continue to run a very high BABIP thanks to his even sprays, but you’d expect the line-drive rate to eventually regress as a more unstable metric. On the plus side, he’ll play multiple positions and will likely be asked to run more in San Diego, and it will be important to monitor lineup position with regards to his value for the rest of the season. Really, this has more of an effect on Hae-Song Kim, Jurickson Profar, and Eric Hosmer. Kim’s path to playing time is non-existent, continuing his fall in terms of dynasty value, and the same goes for Profar. Rumors indicate that they are trying to trade Hosmer, which, is so, would hurt him dramatically from a stolen base, RBI, and playing time standpoint.
Ironically, Marcano is a player who projects similar to Frazier in a lot of ways. Still just 21-years-old, he is walking (13.6%) more than he is striking out (12.6%), and projects to provide value in terms of batting average and stolen bases in the future as someone who’ll play a lot of different positions. I wouldn’t COMPLETELY discount some power coming, too, as he’s showing more (.172 ISO) of it this year with less ground balls and still has time to develop physically. He ranks as a top-250 prospect for us. Suwinski, meanwhile, has loads of power (.282 ISO in AA), but we’ll see about his ability to hit for average. He’s currently striking out 27.7% of the time and has pulled over half of his batted balls, but he is someone who could continue to rise with further strong performance and is especially useful in OBP leagues; he’s a worthwhile addition in 300+ prospect leagues. The 21-year-old Miliano is strictly a reliever and has struggled with command, though the combination of his high strikeout totals and ground-ball rates make him feel destined to one day be spotlighted in our random relievers section of the weekly notes!
Yankees Acquire RP Clay Holmes From Pirates
Full Trade: Yankees Acquire RP Clay Holmes From Pirates In Exchange For INF/OF Hoy-Jun Park and 2B Diego Castillo
Looking to add to their bullpen, the Yankees clearly see something in Holmes that they like. In 42 innings this season, the 28-year-old hasn’t stood out from a K-BB perspective, yet has managed to be effective enough thanks to his ability to limit home runs with a 72.7% ground ball rate. That home run suppression and him having four more years of club control clearly appealed to them.
Thus, they were willing to pay a price of two very intriguing prospects. Park has burst onto the scene this season with a 177 wRC+ in AAA this season. Always coveted for his plate discipline and contact skills, the 25-year-old is hitting fewer ground balls then ever and tapping into more power. Going from a crowded organization to a rebuilding one does wonders to his path for playing time, and I’d be looking to roster him in 200+ prospect leagues. The positional versatility, speed, and offensive profile is very intriguing, especially in OBP formats (20.6% BB this season). Castillo, meanwhile, has also experienced a power spike in Double-A (.228 ISO) with a swing change, yet has maintained his contact ability (13.7% K). Should his power output turn out to be legitimate, he’ll have a rather complete offensive profile at second base. The 23-year-old holds similar value than Park, but offers greater upside considering that he’s two years younger.
I’d say this trade is a definite positive for both prospects, who now have a much clearer path to the major-league roster. If all goes well, here’s hoping that both can be a part of the next contending Pirates team! These are two prospects on the rise I really want to roster based on the chance they’ve truly put it all together.
A’s Acquire RP Andrew Chafin From Cubs
Full Trade: A’s Acquire RP Andrew Chafin In Exchange For OF Greg Diechmann and RHP Daniel Palencia
The A’s currently are the second wildcard in the American League, and have been in search for bullpen help for some time. Chafin, by virtue of his 2.67 FIP, provides them with that. Meanwhile, the Cubs get a bat that should make an appearance on their roster this season. If you’re in an OBP league, Diechmann’s 19.2% walk rate should stand out for you, and it is worth noting that he’s cut down on his strikeout rate (23%) by a noticeable margin. We’ll see about the power, which should rebound given that he’s suffered from a very low home run/fly ball rate (8%), but many cite with him with having the type of raw power that could be unlocked with a swing change. For what it’s worth, that appears to be a strength of the Cubs organization currently. Although he won’t feature in our top-500 prospect list, he’s definitely someone who gets a major boost in OBP leagues, and I’d stash him in 15-team leagues. He has the type of raw power the could to an unsustainable hot stretch when called up, which could allow you to flip him for an asset much more valuable than a standard waiver claim; this trade clears his path to a scenario like this potentially playing out. As for Palencia, he’s a 21-year-old in Low-A after the A’s signed him out of Venezuela in 2021. Although he comes with plenty of velocity, he’s a work in progress and behind the developmental curve, which limits his fantasy value for now.
Astros Acquire RP Kendall Graveman From Mariners
Full Trade: Astros Acquire RP Kendall Graveman and RP Rafael Montero In Exchange For 3B Abraham Toro and RP Joe Smith
The optics of this trade don’t look great for the Mariners; trading your top reliever to a division rival when you’re one game out of the wildcard never will be. However, it’s a move that is understandable given how much they’ve outpaced their run differential. From a fantasy perspective, Graveman’s value takes a hit. Although he goes to a better team, he won’t be closing games for the Astros with Ryan Pressly in the fold, so you’ll need to factor in holds in your league for him to maintain a strong fantasy impact.
What piques my interest with this trade is Seattle acquiring Toro, who now has a much clearer path to playing time in the long term. He had been filling in for Alex Bregman at third base, yet he certainly did not have a long-term role with Houston most likely and is in a much better spot with the Mariners. Considering that he has posted a 158 wRC+, .208 ISO, and strong plate discipline metrics (11.9% BB, 15.5% K) between 2019 and 2021 in the upper levels of the minors, it’s easy to see the intrigue with the 24-year-old. I will note that he hasn’t fared great with a 76 wRC+ in his first 308 MLB plate appearances, though a .208 BABIP plays a major role here. We’ll see about his power, but he should settle into someone who doesn’t burn you in any specific category. Eduardo Escobar stands out as a comparison I really like, and he’s worth an add in 12-team leagues should he not already be rostered; the chances are that he is though since he was getting everyday at bats with Bregman hurt.
Mariners Acquire SP Tyler Anderson From Pirates
Full Trade: Mariners Acquire SP Tyler Anderson From Pirates In Exchange For C Carter Bins and RHP Joaquin Tejada
Earlier reports indicated that Anderson would be heading to Philadelphia, but he lands in a much better spot after there was an issue with the medicals with one of the Phillies’ prospects. Although the 31-year-old isn’t going to provide you with a lot of strikeouts, the lack of walks (5.8%) helps his WHIP, and he should continue to post an ERA in the 4.30 range. Considering he’s also working deep into games and going to an organization that allows their pitchers to work deep into games, he’s an interesting cheap trade target for dynasty teams looking to make a push- pitching depth is as scarce as ever. For more on Anderson, Matt Thompson detailed his intrigue for contending teams on our latest dynasty podcast on the Patreon.
Marlins, A’s Make Very Fascinating Swap
Full Trade: A’s Acquire OF Starling Marte In Exchange For SP Jesus Luzardo
Woah! This is a big trade! Marte has been fantastic for the Marlins this season, posting a 140 wRC+ and proving a lot of value in fantasy based on his batting average (.305) and stolen bases (22) with enough power. Although his .376 BABIP, his combination of speed, limited pop-ups, and even sprays make him destined to overachieve his expected stats, and he was already playing his home games in a suboptimal ballpark for hitters. Given that he’s going to be 33-year-old and won’t likely be asked to steal as many based not with Miami, he’s someone I’d be looking to sell if you’re a rebuilding team. One of our Patreon supporters recently traded Marte for Jack Flaherty, for perspective, so it’s clear he’s still held in high regard by winning teams.
Then, there’s Luzardo, the most intriguing aspect of this deal. Seen as one of the top pitching prospects in the sport, he’s been hyped up for some time now, and was generally a top-100 player drafted in redraft leagues this offseason. However, the 23-year-old struggled mightily with a 6.07 FIP, causing him to be sent down to the minors. That said, I’m still encouraged for the most part about his future. His career 30.1% called-strike whiff rate and 12.8% swinging-strike rate, and his main problem has been a career 8.7% barrel rate allowed. That said, batted-ball data for pitchers can be volatile, and you certainly would expect that number to decrease with general progression of a young pitcher. The lefty’s curveball (55.3% whiff, .215 wOBA) has been a fantastic offering, as has his changeup, which I expect to Marlins to lean on often. With the success they’ve had with their young pitchers recently, I would not put it past them to get him on track, while he’ll likely feature on their MLB team this year. This is the perfect change of scenery for him. Major props to Marlins ownership for taking on Marte’s contract to secure a talent like this.
Astros Acquire RP Yimi Garcia From Marlins
Full Trade: Astros Acquire RP Yimi Garcia In Exchange For OF Bryan De La Cruz
The Astros are clearly going for it, so with bullpen being the weakest part of their roster, it’s not a surprise to continue to see them try to improve it. Projected for a 3.77 ERA from Steamer, Garcia will be a nice addition for them, though he won’t be closing games anymore. Now, this hopefully can set the stage for Anthony Bender as the closer in Miami. The 26-year-old sports an absurd 32.4% K, 26.6% K-BB ratio, and 2.60 SIERA, and is someone that not only can help you this year, but the next few years as well. The 24-year-old De La Cruz, meanwhile, has generally hit for average in the minors with low-enough strikeout rates and is hitting for more power (.195 ISO) than he ever has. That said, as someone who doesn’t draw a lot of walks and comes with some concerns about his power, his future role is limited, which hurts his fantasy potential. There’s certainly some intrigue with the profile, yet of the recently Triple-A outfielders traded, I’d rather take a chance on Greg Deichmann.
Brewers Acquire 3B Eduardo Escobar From Diamondbacks
Full Trade: Brewers Acquire 3B Eduardo Escobar In Exchange For INF/OF Cooper Hummel and INF Alberto Ciprian
With how potent of a pitching staff they have, it makes sense that the Brewers would be looking to upgrade their offense. Escobar, with a .232 ISO this season, will provide them with the type of power they’re looking for, likely filling in at third base and first base. This would appear to take potential plate appearances away from Luis Urias and Keston Hiura, though the 33-year-old is only under contract for this season. The ballpark will will provide a boost from a power perspective, helping Escobar’s value for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Hummel has posted an absurd 152 wRC+ in AAA this season, and I’d expect him to see some time with Arizona this year. If so, he’s a very intriguing bench stash in OBP leagues with consistently high walk rates, though his value is significantly in AVG leagues.
Yankees Acquire OF Joey Gallo From Rangers
Full Trade: Yankees Acquire OF Joey Gallo and RP Joely Rodriguez In Exchange For 2B Trevor Hauver, 2B Ezequiel Duran, RHP Glenn Otto, and SS Josh Smith
It finally happened; Joey Gallo has been traded. This is quite the doozy of a trade, but we’ll start with Gallo. The 27-year-old boasts a 140 wRC+ and .374 wOBA this season, and likely will see his power (.268 ISO) numbers increase going from an unfriendly hitter’s ballpark to the 5th-most friendly for left-handed hitting home runs. With the lowest swinging-strike rate (15.1%) and pull rate (42.1%) of his career, his batting average has already not been the liability it generally is as well, though I wouldn’t expect him to run as much in New York. The hype associated with him is going to be through the roof to the point it’s not worth trading for him now, but if you have shares of him, congrats!
This prospect package for the Rangers is quite deep, with a lot to break down. A third-round pick last year, Hauver’s 159 wRC+ in Low-A is impressive, albeit less so considering he’s old (22) for the level. His high strikeout rate (26.1%) and scouting reports indicate someone who won’t hit for average, yet in OBP leagues (21.4% BB), he’s a definite top-200 prospect. The same goes for Josh Smith, who is just a top-200 prospect overall. At LSU, he struck on just 12.63% of his plate appearances, and will also steal some vases and hit for some power; he’s definitely someone who I am very high on moving forward. Duran, meanwhile, is the same age as Hauver, but is at High-A and is hitting for more power (.243). He’ll rank in our top-150 prospects with our next update, which is more than deserved for someone who has continued to produce at an elite level.. As for the pitchers, Otto might be the player in this trade who is the most intriguing to break down. He's currently second in the minors in strikeouts (115 in 75.2 IP), and has answered concerns about his “reliever risk” with a 5.6% walk rate while working deep into games. I’d expect the 25-year-old to debut for the Rangers this season, which could work out fantastically in a favorable ballpark for pitchers. He’s someone trending up worth rostering in 300+-prospect leagues, and would be worth a stash in 15-team leagues; 12-team leagues as well depending on the state of your roster. As we’ve seen with other pitcher debuts this season, his is the type of player that could see his stock rise significantly with a strong first showing, and you’ll want him on your team if and when that happens.
Oh, and Joely Rodriguez now won’t be in position to be next in saves for the Rangers if Ian Kennedy is traded. Instead, look to Josh Sborz, one our original random relievers and has a 28.7% strikeout rate with a 3.89 FIP this year. His combination of likely opportunity and overall effectiveness makes him a very intriguing target for this season, but the future as well.
White Sox Acquire 2B Cesar Hernandez From Cleveland
Full Trade: White Sox Acquire 2B Cesar Hernandez From Cleveland In Exchange For LHP Konnor Pilkington
The White Sox are starting Andrew Vaughn at second base today; it’s pretty clear they’ve needed a second baseman to replace the injured Nick Madrigal for some time. Hernandez was someone I identified for our Patreon supporters as a solid veteran for win-now teams, and clearly the White Sox for the same in non-fantasy baseball as well. Although the 31-year-old has just a 100 wRC+, that’s due to a .231 batting average coming from a career-low .256 BABIP. That likely will regress, and, hey, you never know if the power (9.4%) barrel will stick. Going to the White Sox should help his fantasy outlook overall. The same goes for the lefty Pilkington, who goes to one of the best organizations for pitching development in the entire MLB. He won’t be in our top-500 prospects, but the 23-year-old lefty is currently having his best season (30.5% K) ever in the minors at AA. The arsenal is very limited here, so the most likely for him to fit in the Cal Quantrill mold as a back-end starter.
Blue Jays Acquire RP Brad Hand From Nationals
Full Trade: Blue Jays Acquire RP Brad Hand In Exchange For C Riley Adams
As a rental reliever, Hand won’t likely impact Jordan Romano’s ability to close out games next season, and I’m concerned about his outlook in Toronto. He isn’t missing bats (7.5% swinging-strike rate) like he is used to, and considering he only induces ground balls at a 39.6% rate, there could be some blow-up games in the AL East. Daniel Hudson likely will be traded, which would likely put Tanner Rainey in position to receive save opportunities. Adams also will get some playing time in Washington, which might be intriguing for those in OBP leagues given his high walk rates, but the 32.2% strikeout rate in AAA isn’t a great sign for the 25-year-old.
Mariners Acquire RP Diego Castillo From Rays
Full Trade: Mariners Acquire RP Diego Castillo In Exchange For 3B Austin Shenton and RP JT Chargois
Especially with Pete Fairbanks going back on the injured list, it’s a bit surprising to see the Rays part with Castillo, though his arbitration price this offseason was likely going to be too high for their liking. Good luck trying to predict who gets save opportunities for them, and hopefully Nick Anderson is back healthy soon. As for Seattle, I’m assuming they’ll have Castillo be their “closer”, which is fantastic for fantasy. The 27-year-old has a 33.8% strikeout rate and 26.9% K-BB ratio this season, and is stepping into a favorable closing situation. We’ll see if he or Ken Giles gets the 9th-inning role next year, though, which could hurt his long-term outlook slightly.
I’m sure the sheet boys are fascinated most, though, by Shenton’s including in the deal. The 23-year-old tore up Low-A with a 165 wRC+ and .281 ISO. He’s definitely old for the level, but he’s also performed well since being promoted to Double-A, and is generally expected to hit for power. In OBP leagues, he should be rated higher, yet he is still a potential top-200 prospect. I’d expect him to eventually settle as a platoon corner infield bat for the Rays, a la Ji-Man Choi, by next year.
Yankees Acquire 1B Anthony Rizzo From Cubs
Full Trade: Yankees Acquire 1B Anthony Rizzo In Exchange For OF Kevin Alcantara and RHP Alexander Vizcaino
Wow, the Yankees are really going for it! Rizzo, 31, has been a quality fantasy producer with a 115 wRC+, though it’s below his pre-2020 norms. That said, his 9.4% barrel rate is the best of his career and his quality of contact numbers are all strong, so I wouldn’t be overly-concerned. Plus, having a 28% increase in left-handed home run park factor will surely help! The “going to Yankee stadium” hype might be too much, but if not, or in the offseason, he might be an interesting trade target for a contending team.
In return, the Cubs will get a much different return than what the Yankees got for Joey Gallo; two ultra-intriguing lottery tickets. Alcantara hasn’t played in full-season ball yet, though his power-speed combination is what we chase in fantasy, making him a top-200 prospect at just 19-years-old- sad to see him leave the Yankees farm system, though, given their recent successes with development on the hitter side. Vizcaino, meanwhile, is a 24-year-old still in High-A, though that’s mainly due to injuries. If he can prove his health, it’s not a guarantee he’d be a reliever with a his decent walk numbers and three-pitch mix, but he’ll have to work his way up the farm system quickly. He’ll rank within our top 300 prospects and is a nice buy-low target right now, especially since his path to the big-league roster eventually is much easier to foresee in Chicago.
Dodgers Acquire SP Max Scherzer, SS Trea Turner From Nationals
Full Trade: Dodgers Acquire SP Max Scherzer, SS Trea Turner From Nationals In Exchange For C Keibert Ruiz, RHP Josiah Gray, RHP Gerardo Carrillo, and OF Donovan Casey
Um, say what now? This is the blockbuster of all blockbusters. It looked like the Padres were going to land Scherzer, but here come the Dodgers! The 37-year-old Scherzer has continued (35.1% K, 28.9% K-BB) to be one of the top pitchers in baseball, and goes from the sixth-most friendly ballpark to the 12th for hitters, a decent upgrade. We’ll see if he re-signs there, though his outlook changes very little. Turner, on the other hand, is more interesting. The Dodgers will be moving him to second base, which gives him extra positional flexibility for this year, and I’d expect he plays enough shortstop next year (even if they sign Corey Seager) to maintain that. The Dodgers are one of the most conservative teams from a stolen bases standpoint, but he’s going to dominate in terms of runs scored hitting near the top of a prolific lineup. With a 137 wRC+ and 21 stolen bases, he’s continue to be one of the top fantasy baseball assets, and will continue to be one moving forward. Does this mean they won’t re-sign Corey Seager? That’s an interesting proposition; at some point, the money runs out.
The Nationals’ haul, in my opinion, is a bit underwhelming, though the top-two pieces are great additions for them. Ruiz holds a lot of real-life value as someone who projects to be a above-average everyday catcher, and this is great news for him in fantasy- he won’t have to compete with Will Smith for future plate appearances. With a 139 wRC+, he’s been fantastic as a 23-year-old in AAA, and combines with elite contact skills (11.7% K) with newly-found power (.320 ISO) created by a clear swing change. I’m really excited to see what how he fares in the big leagues and think he could eventually be one of the top fantasy catchers in baseball if all goes well. It was fun seeing Gray debut with the Dodgers this season, and he also becomes very interesting with a more-defined role as a true starting pitcher for a thinner pitching staff. I’m in love with his three-pitch mix headed by a vertical fastball and two dominant breaking balls, and his track records indicates a K-BB ratio savant with a low BABIP based on his ability to induce a lot of pop-ups. I personally had him as a top-40 prospect, have more confidence in him now, and am pumped about a future pairing with Cade Cavalli in Washington. As for the other two, the 22-year-old Carrillo is interested with a deep pitch-mix and his ability to miss bats and induce ground balls, though the profile reads much more like a Brusdar Graterol-esque reliever. Casey, to top it off, is a 25-year-old relying on a BABIP over .400 in AA with a strikeout rate over 30%, meaning his future value would mainly come just from stolen bases.
I’d definitely inquire on the top-two pieces from this trade, especially Gray, who benefit significant in terms of opportunity moving forward. The two marquee players going to Los Angeles don’t see their value change much at all, though you wouldn’t expect that given how talented they are. This is a really fun trade, and certainly is a headliner for what has been a very exciting trade deadline thus far.
Red Sox Acquire OF Kyle Schwarber From Nationals
Full Trade: Red Sox Acquire OF Kyle Schwarber From Nationals In Exchange For RHP Aldo Ramirez
So, this trade is interesting. Schwarber, once he comes off the injured list, will provide the Red Sox with extra power to an already strong lineup; he is setting himself well for a nice payday with a 137 wRC+, .317 ISO, and .382 wOBA. What intrigues me, though, is that Schwarber likely will slot in at first base for Boston. That extra positional flexibility will be a nice boost for his value, and tremendous for teams needing help at first base. If your trade deadline hasn’t passed, I strongly would recommend making a move for him.
Brewers Acquire RP Daniel Norris From Tigers
Full Trade: Brewers Acquire RP Daniel Norris In Exchange For RHP Reese Olson
I’m only putting in this trade to take about Olson, who ranks as a top-500 prospect for me. The former 13-th round pick features a strong four-pitch mix, and has missed bats (26.9% K) in High-A. Really, though, he’s ranked where he is based on the overall description of his arsenal, which points to a player who should be getting more hype than he is currently. Detroit has done well recently with their pitching development, and perhaps Olson can be their next success story.
Cleveland Acquires RHP Peyton Battenfield From Rays
Full Trade: Cleveland Acquires RHP Peyton Battenfield From Rays In Exchange For OF Jordan Luplow and RHP DJ Johnson
Should this instead be labeled as the “Jordan Luplow trade”? For what it is worthy the 27-year-old did have a 112 wRC+ in 121 plate appearances, and has hit for power (.229 ISO) throughout his MLB career. Perhaps he can be enticing in daily OBP leagues based on his high walk rates and success vs lefties, but, otherwise, there isn’t much to note here. Battenfield, however, is much more fascinating. The 23-year-old has been dominant in the minors the season, posting an absurd 36.8% strikeout rate and 32.2% K-BB ratio between High-A and Double-A. He is an ascending prospect than I would look to roster in 250+ prospect leagues, and Cleveland is a tremendous fit for him. Keep an eye on him; his stock is only rising.
Cleveland Acquires OF Myles Straw From Astros
Full Trade: Cleveland Acquires OF Myles Straw From Astros In Exchange For RHP Phil Maton and C Yainer Diaz
It isn’t every day that you see the team with best record in the American League trade their starting center field, yet here we are. With elite defense and a serviceable 93 wRC+, Straw seemed to be a fine contributor for Houston, though this opens up playing time for Chas McCormick, a player I’m very high on in OBP leagues given his high walk rates and power production. In 12-team OBP leagues or 15-team AVG leagues, he needs to be rostered immediately. Straw, meanwhile, probably now has a longer leash in Cleveland than with the Astros. He is going to hurt you in the power department and isn’t a standout with batting average, so he’s mainly a play in points leagues (above-average walk rate, tons of steals) or OBP leagues, yet I’m not confident with him being a long-term piece to your dynasty team, especially following this trade.
Braves Acquire RP Richard Rodriguez From Pirates
Full Trade: Braves Acquire RP Richard Rodriguez From Pirates In Exchange For SP Bryse Wilson and RHP Ricky Devito
Rodriguez was always destined to be traded at some point from the rebuilding Pirates, who clearly see something in Wilson. The 31-year-old Rodriguez comes with three more years of service time this year, and has pitched well with a 2.58 FIP, albeit with just a 0.47 HR/9 and 3.3% HR/FB rate. He’s a strike-thrower and a pop-up inducer, who’ll always outperform his xFIP, but his value is lessened unless he beats out Will Smith for the closer role. Can Pittsburgh revive Wilson? That is the hope for the former well-regarded pitching prospect. It’s been a struggle for the 23-year-old with a 7.2% K-BB ratio and 5.36 SIERA in his first 76.1 MLB innings. Meanwhile, Triple-A hasn’t treated him much better with just a 17.9% strikeout rate. Here’s hoping he can turn it around, and it might be worth taking a shot on him in 15-team leagues, especially if you’re rebuilding; he’ll get an opportunity in Pittsburgh.
Yankees Acquire SP Andrew Heaney From Angels
Full Trade: Yankees Acquire SP Andrew Heaney From Angels In Exchange For RHP Janson Junk and RHP Elvis Peguero
Hey, Heaney’s been finally freed from the Angels! Glad to see he’ll be pitching at ……. Yankee stadium???? This is the prime example of a player that signs a one-year “prove-it” deal with the right team in the offseason and becomes the pitcher we all have wanted him to be- looking at you, Kevin Gausman. There’s clearly something here with a 28.2% strikeout rate and 20.4% K-BB ratio, but his ERA sits at 5.27 due to poor Angels defense (.319 BABIP). An ERA closer to his 3.72 SIERA seems like a much-more likely case moving forward, and I’d be doing everything I can to acquire him before the ascension happens.
Phillies, Rangers Swap A Lot of Pieces
Full Trade: Phillies Acquire SP Kyle Gibson, RP Ian Kennedy, and RHP Hans Crouse From Rangers In Exchange For RHP Spencer Howard, RHP Kevin Gowdy, and RHP Joss Gessner
First of all, rest in piece to Kyle Gibson’s fantasy value. The 33-year-old isn’t exactly missing bats this year (20.4% K), but strong Rangers infield defense (.267 BABIP) and home-run luck (9.9% HR/FB rate) allowed him to post a 2.87 ERA anymore. Now, he’ll go at Citizens Bank Ballpark and behind the second-worst defense in defensive runs saved. Fun. It’s also interesting to see Philadelphia get Crouse back in this trade. The once highly-touted 22-year-old currently is performing fine (17.9% K-BB ratio) in Double-A, and many believe he’ll ultimately end up a reliever. He currently isn’t in our top-500 prospect list, although he’s still a fascinating player.
I’m not sure any player saw their stock increase more from a trade than Howard. With Philadelphia, the 25-year-old wasn't stretched out, and was throwing 70.5% fastballs. Yet, this has been a player that has consistently performed in the minors as a true starting pitcher, and clearly wasn’t being optimized appropriately. Pitching in a favorable ballpark, in addition to a revamped pitch usage and working deeper into games, could lead to him finally being the player he was touted to be. I don’t know what owners of him are asking for in trades, yet I’d be pounding the table to get as many shares of him right away.
White Sox Acquire RP Craig Kimbrel From Cubs
Full Trade: White Sox Acquire RP Craig Kimbrel From Cubs In Exchange For 2B Nick Madrigal and RP Codi Heuer
Massive trade alert! The cross-town rivals are coming in with a very fun trade here! Good luck sorting out who gets saves between Craig Kimbrel and Liam Hendricks, especially if the White Sox exercise his $16 million club option for next season. I guess that’s the benefit of being in saves+holds leagues?
The return for the Cubs is much higher than I anticipated it would be, even for a reliever like Kimbrel. Madrigal is a 24-year-old second baseman who isn’t a free agent until 2027- he’s going to be around in Chicago for a while. I get Kimbrel is fantastic, but wow! In terms of dynasty value, you’ll have to swallow a lack of power, yet he’s consistently run strikeout rates below (8%), has even spays, and doesn’t hit many popups, leading to a very high average. If he can hit at the top of the Cubs lineup, leading to him also being able to score runs and steal bases, he’ll be a strong-enough performer, albeit probably less valuable in fantasy than in real life, considering his strong defense. It sure will be fun to see a middle infield of him and Nico Hoerner essentially never strike out! (Cue spider-man meme). Hey, and Heuer isn’t too shabby either. The 25-year-old has a career 17.4% K-BB ratio and 3.60 SIERA for his 62.1-inning, and the Cubs might let him save some games for them. Keep an eye on that development.
Blue Jays Acquire SP Jose Berrios From Twins
Full Trade: Blue Jays Acquire SP Jose Berrios From Twins In Exchange For OF Austin Martin and RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson
The Blue Jays wanted to make a splash with them returning to Toronto, and here it is! It’s safe to say that Berrios will be a major addition to their starting rotation, which already includes Robbie Ray, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Alek Manoah (Nate Pearson in on the way hopefully soon!). With a 3.74 SIERA and 19.2% K-BB ratio, the 27-year-old is having a fine season, but I’m guessing the Blue Jays also believe they can unlock something more out of him. Yet, his curveball is already his most-thrown pitch, and he seems to be relatively optimized? Trust me, I like Berrios. However, with him moving to the AL East and simply with his overall profile, there are other pitchers that I think should be rated higher than him that aren’t. Now (or the offseason) might be a nice time to cash in on him.
That’s what the Twins are doing, after all. Martin may be having a down year at Double-A, but let’s remember that this was one of the top offensive producers in all of college baseball at Vanderbilt. While there are some questions about his power, he’ll hit for average, get on base, and steal bases, which will help him in every other category. I also wouldn’t discount the power completely, which many believe can get to average and is being undersold with just a 4.5% home run/fly ball rate. If there was a time to buy-low on him, now is the time; Minnesota is generally held in high regard for their hitting development. The same goes for Woods-Richardson, who has struggled with command (12.9% BB) in Double-A and is currently with the Olympic team. That being said, he’s 20-years-old and has struck out 33.2% of the batters he has faced in 45.1 innings! That sounds like a top-100 prospect to me! This is a great return for the Twins, and owners of these prospects should be thrilled to see their talents taken to a organization with a strong front office.
Mets Acquire SS Javier Baez From Cubs
Full Trade: Mets Acquire SS Javier Baez, SP Trevor Williams From Cubs In Exchange For OF Pete Crow-Armstrong
Francisco Lindor is out until late August with an oblique injury, so the Mets made sure to acquire the second-best Puerto Rican shortstop in the MLB to replace him! I am very excited to see a middle infield pairing of Lindor and Baez, with this being a great time to discuss the latter’s dynasty value. There is a chance he ends up at second base long-term if he does end up staying in New York (which he supposedly wants to do), and his power (13% barrel, .236 ISO) and speed (13 SB) would make him one of the better fantasy options there. At the same time, he’s also striking out 36.3% of the time, is starting to see decline in his home-to-first time, and may not age well as someone who chases (44.9%) as much as any other hitter in baseball. He’s the classic example of someone you’ll want to sell high on before it’s too late. Hey, and Crow-Armstrong is a really nice return for the Cubs. A torn labrum has prevented us from getting data points on the 19th overall pick in the 2020 draft, but he’s cited as someone who’ll hit for average, has tons of speed, enough power, and will be a major leaguer simply based on his defense. He is a top-40 prospect for us at the moment who could take off even further if he dominates when healthy with his new organization.
Giants Acquire 3B/OF Kris Bryant From Cubs
Full Trade: Giants Acquire 3B/OF Kris Bryant From Cubs In Exchange For OF Alexander Canario and RHP Caleb Kilian
With that, the Cubs sell-off is complete! I am actually surprised that they ended up trading all of their major trade chips, though it makes perfect sense. As someone with corner infield + outfield flexibility, power (.236 ISO), and average (.267), Bryant has been a major contributor for fantasy teams this season. Luckily, he was already in a slightly unfavorable ballpark for hitters, though going to San Francisco is obviously less than ideal for his fantasy outlook for the rest of the season. We’ll see if he re-signs there, though if so, this could be a notable development. I actually just traded Bryant in one of my leagues, which might turn out to be perfect timing when this is all said and done.
Chicago, meanwhile, gets two very interesting prospects. I’m lower on Canario than most. It’s easy to be in love with his raw physical tools, but he’s also running a 98 wRC+ in Low-A as a 21-year-old with a 28.8% strikeout rate. He has shown signs of progression, though the contact rate and 54.9% pull rate may signal a lack of batting average, he’ll need to hit for power to maintain value. Will that come? He will be a nice developmental project for the Cubs. When it is all said and done, Kilian could end up as the more-productive piece in this trade. The 24-year-old has a 30.1% strikeout rate and absurd 27.3% K-BB ratio in 84.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. With a fastball that sits in the mid-90s with carry, elite command, and the ability to induce ground balls, he’s trending tremendously as a middle-of-the-rotation starter with a low WHIP, and could debut this season. In 400+ prospect leagues, he’s a must add.