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The deals are starting to come down fast and furious in advance of Friday’s MLB Trade Deadline. Not only is it a lot of fun to watch unfold, but it presents all sorts of opportunities in fantasy leagues. You might be able to wait until Sunday to study up and make your priority list off the waiver wire in some leagues, but in other leagues it’s more of a free-for-all. In the latter, try to stay close to your computer or device over the next 24 hours.
A couple of quick programming notes before this week’s recommendations, as we’ll have full coverage of the trade deadline on our player news page as well as the Circling the Bases Podcast. Stay tuned at 9 p.m. ET tonight (Thursday) as myself and Drew Silva will be joined by Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal. After the deadline passes tomorrow (Friday), myself and Christopher Crawford will break down all the moves on a special broadcast at 9 p.m. ET. You can watch on the YouTube and Twitch pages for NBC Sports EDGE. Both shows will also be available in audio form. Buckle up.
Have specific questions about your roster? Ask @djshort on Twitter.
MIXED LEAGUES
(Players rostered in under 50 percent of Yahoo leagues)
Note: Percentages are from the morning of Thursday, July 29th
Harrison Bader OF, Cardinals (Yahoo: 48 percent rostered)
The Cardinals aren’t going anywhere this season, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any positives to talk about here. Bader certainly qualifies with what we’ve seen since his return from the injured list at the start of the month. Through 21 games, he’s hitting .364/.417/.649 with five home runs, 16 RBI, three steals, and 12 runs scored. Sure, he’s had some good fortune in BABIP (.390) during this stretch, but the most positive development overall this year has been his improved contact rate. His strikeout rate is down to 15.6 percent after it has hovered around 30 percent for the duration of his career. That’s a big deal for a player who has shown interesting pop and speed ability before. He needs to get over that 50-percent mark.
Daulton Varsho C/OF, Diamondbacks (Yahoo: 41 percent rostered
Hey, remember all the hype about Varsho in the spring in fantasy leagues? It didn’t exactly pan out, but we’re finally starting to see what the fuss was all about. The 25-year-old has slugged five homers over his last 11 games and actually had four straight multi-hit games during that time. He’s been splitting his playing time behind the plate and in center field, which puts in perspective how interesting he is. He’s shown a 91st percentile sprint speed so far this season and don’t forget that he stole 21 bases in Double-A in 2019, so he can definitely run. That’s big at the catcher position in fantasy leagues, even if he finds himself seeing more time in the outfield down the stretch when Carson Kelly returns. Kelly could be back as soon as next week, by the way. One things for certain, though; the Diamondbacks need to play Varsho as they evaluate their future.
Tylor Megill SP, Mets (Yahoo: 40 percent rostered)
Tanner Houck SP, Red Sox (Yahoo: 32 percent rostered)
What else does Megill need to do to be rostered in most mixed leagues? He has been an absolute godsend for the battered Mets’ rotation, posting a 2.04 ERA across seven starts despite not being on the radar for the team going into the spring. He’s allowed one run or fewer in each of his last five starts. Only Nolan Ryan (1.99) and Terry Leach (1.51) have a lower ERA through their first seven starts in team history. Megill isn’t blown batters away, but he’s showing good control and is incredibly poised despite his relative inexperience. The big question is what happens when the Mets’ rotation is healthy and if they end up acquiring a starter. The same could be said for the Red Sox, who have Chris Sale on the way back. Still, Houck is mighty interesting. He struck out seven batters over four innings of one-run ball in Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Blue Jays and now holds a 2.45 ERA and 30/5 K/BB ratio over 22 innings in the majors this year. The stuff is nasty and he’s worth a flier on upside alone, but I’m just not fully confident he’ll have a rotation spot.
Joe Ross SP, Nationals (Yahoo: 30 percent rostered)
I mentioned Ross in this space a few weeks ago just as he was hitting his stride, but unfortunately he landed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation on the very same day. Fortunately, it didn’t keep him out for long, as he tossed five scoreless innings with four strikeouts in his return against the Phillies on Monday. After opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, the 28-year-old now holds a 3.80 ERA and 95/30 K/BB ratio in 92 1/3 innings across 17 starts on the year. He actually has a 2.54 ERA over his last 10 starts while allowing two earned runs or fewer in seven of them. It’s safe to pick him back up again.
Brian Anderson 3B/OF, Marlins (Yahoo: 14 percent rostered)
Anderson finally made his return from the injured list last weekend after missing two months with a left shoulder subluxation. He’s hit safely in four straight games since coming off the injured list, including a pair of home runs. The 28-year-old isn’t overly flashy in fantasy leagues, but has some pop in his bat and qualifies at multiple positions while hitting in the middle of the Marlins’ lineup. He should be useful the rest of the way, so there’s no reason he shouldn’t be rostered in more leagues.
Bobby Witt Jr SS, Royals (Yahoo: 20 percent rostered)
This might be a long shot, but with Whit Merrifield’s name floating in trade rumors this week, a stash isn’t the worst idea depending on depth of league and roster flexibility. Witt is certainly doing his part to make the case for a call-up, hitting .359 (14-for-39) with three homers and two doubles over eight games since his promotion to Triple-A Omaha. Top prospect hitters haven’t had the easiest time this year, but at this point, Witt could very well be the best option remaining in the minors. Our own Christopher Crawford certainly thought so in his prospect rankings earlier this week, so I can’t argue with that.
Joc Pederson OF, Braves (Yahoo: 39 percent rostered)
It’s undoubtedly a bummer that we’re not going to see Ronald Acuña Jr. at the top of the Braves’ lineup again until next season as he recovers from a torn ACL, but the recently-acquired Pederson is in a great spot here from a fantasy perspective. And he’s swung the bat well with Atlanta, hitting .277/.306/.447 with two homers, nine RBI, and four runs scored over 12 games. There should be plenty of counting stat goodness to come, even if he’s a batting average liability.
Rodolfo Castro 2B/SS, Pirates (Yahoo: 2 percent rostered)
The Pirates picked up Tucupita Marcano in the recent Adam Frazier trade with the Padres, so he’s worth watching in deeper formats, but Castro is performing in the big leagues right now. Historically so, in fact. Each of his first five hits in the majors have been home runs, making him the first player to do that since 1901. The 22-year-old wasn’t a top prospect for the Pirates coming into 2021, but he’s hit .300/.349/.527 with 11 home runs and six steals over 53 games in Triple-A this year. Rebuilding Pittsburgh needs to see what they have with their younger players, so Castro is worth the gamble in deeper fantasy formats.
Brave Stashes
Huascar Ynoa SP, Braves (Yahoo: 32 percent rostered)
The Braves have taken some brutal hits on the injury front this season, but they have two noteworthy players on the way back. We’ll start with Ynoa, who was having a breakout season prior to breaking his right hand when he punched the dugout bench in frustration in mid-May. He’s finally back to full health, with a minor league rehab assignment set to begin on Sunday. Given the lengthy absence, he’s going to need multiple starts before being activated, but a stash could be worth it for the stretch run. He was legitimately awesome prior to the injury.
Travis d’Arnaud C, Braves (Yahoo: 28 percent rostered)
The Braves have missed d’Arnaud since he went down with a torn thumb ligament at the start of May, shuffling through multiple catchers, but he’s also set to begin a minor league rehab assignment this weekend with Triple-A Gwinnett. Similar to Ynoa, he’s going to need some time to get back into the swing of things, but look for him to rejoin the Braves in the early part of August. The catcher position actually isn’t too bad in fantasy leagues this year, but d’Arnaud is absolutely worth a stash in all formats after what he did last year.
Closer Corner
Paul Sewald RP, Mariners (Yahoo: 35 percent rostered)
We’re still waiting on Jerry Dipoto’s grand plan for his roster, but it was rather jarring to see the Mariners flip Kendall Graveman to the Astros this week. It was one day removed from a thrilling walk-off victory for a team who is very much in playoff contention. With that being said, Sewald is an exciting pickup as the presumed replacement as the primary closer in Seattle. After posting some underwhelming numbers during his time with the Mets, Sewald has exploded with a 2.30 ERA and 54/12 K/BB ratio in 31 1/3 innings with his new team. With his GIF-worthy slider, only Josh Hader and Craig Kimbrel are outpacing him in strikeout percentage among relievers. Get on board.
Dylan Floro RP, Marlins (Yahoo: 3 percent rostered)
Anthony Bender RP, Marlins (Yahoo: 9 percent rostered)
The Marlins traded closer Yimi Garcia to the Astros on Wednesday, leaving us to wonder who is next in line for the closer role. Floro has been the primary set-up man for Don Mattingly this year and certainly has the experience edge, though Bender has been the better pitcher overall. That being said, he’s allowed seven runs on 13 hits (including three homers) over his last 9 1/3 innings of work, so perhaps Mattingly doesn’t want to throw him into the fire just yet. Feel free to speculate as needed.
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Weekend Warriors
Ryan Weathers SP/RP, Padres (Yahoo: 24 percent rostered)
The big question here is workload. Weathers has completed five innings in just four of his 12 starts during his rookie campaign. Still, he looked good in his return from an ankle injury against the Marlins last Saturday, tossing four scoreless frames. The southpaw now holds a 2.73 ERA and 46/21 K/BB ratio over 62 2/3 innings on the year. He gets the Rockies in San Diego on Friday, which is as appealing as it gets matchup-wise.
Kyle Muller SP, Braves (Yahoo: 21 percent rostered)
Muller has impressed during his chances in the majors thus far, posting a 2.55 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across five starts and one relief appearance. The 23-year-old spun five scoreless frames in Monday’s doubleheader against the Mets and lines up to face a depleted Nationals team on Friday. Even with his control questions, he’s a must-start for that one.
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AL ONLY
Andres Gimenez 2B/3B/SS, Indians (Yahoo: 18 percent rostered)
This percentage doesn’t reflect the reality on the ground in most fantasy leagues. If anything, it shows which fantasy managers stopped paying attention. Still, Gimenez is worthy of attention after the Indians dealt second baseman Cesar Hernandez to the White Sox on Thursday. Odds are the 22-year-old will get another shot here soon. Gimenez is slashing .274/.335/.492 with nine homers and six steals over 45 games in Triple-A. The speed is the main reason to pay attention here, but some pop would be a nice bonus.
Joe Ryan SP, Twins (Yahoo: 1 percent rostered)
This is pure speculation here, as Twins starters Jose Berrios and Michael Pineda continue to be mentioned in trade rumors. If one or both are flipped, it’s easy to imagine Ryan getting a shot down the stretch. Acquired from the Rays in the recent Nelson Cruz trade, the 25-year-old holds a 3.63 ERA and 75/10 K/BB ratio over 57 innings at the Triple-A level this season. It’s easy to get overshadowed in that Tampa Bay system, but he’s a legitimate good pitching prospect with the ability to pound the strike zone.
NL ONLY
Kyle Finnegan RP, Nationals (Yahoo: 1 percent rostered)
The Nationals have officially flipped into sell-mode, trading Brad Hand to the Blue Jays on Thursday, with more moves likely to come. Daniel Hudson was placed on the COVID-19 injured list on Thursday as well, so Finnegan could be the top option for saves in the short-term. Control is an issue for the 29-year-old at times, but he’s been scored upon just once in his last 11 appearances and should be enough to earn the trust from Davey Martinez.
Billy McKinney OF, Dodgers (Yahoo: 0 percent rostered)
There’s so many ways to go here, but the recently-claimed McKinney is seeing regular playing time in right field with Mookie Betts on the mend. He hasn’t done much yet, but he’s done a good job getting on base while hitting the second, seventh, and eighth spots in the Dodgers’ lineup. He’s made two starts at each spot in the order. It will be interesting to see if the Dodgers make a move or two to bolster their bench — one would think they will — but McKinney has some interesting pop.
