As is the tradition in the Table following the trade deadline, the Touts were asked
What are some of the most fantasy-relevant under-the-radar repercussions of the deadline frenzy?
Jeff Zimmerman (Fangraphs, The Process, @jeffwzimmerman): The Reds traded away several pieces so track who of Aristides Aquino, Matt Reynolds, Albert Almora Jr., Jake Fraley, and Donovan Solano grab the most playing time.
Todd Zola (Mastersball, @toddzola): Single league formats have gotten away from hoarding for the deadline. I wonder if that may return after a decent level of crossover, with the notion it will continue with the new playoff format.
Steve Gardner (USAToday Fantasy Sports, @SteveAGardner): To play devil’s advocate, I didn’t think there was much value in the league-switchers this year. Luis Castillo to the AL was maybe the only impact move, and if you passed on him last week hoping for something bigger, you ended up watching Juan Soto stay in the NL and Willson Contreras stay in Chicago. On the NL side, Jordan Montgomery, Noah Syndergaard and Jake Odorizzi? Meh. I’ll still continue to save my FAAB for the big splash in mono-league formats, but last year’s deadline was much more fun.
Justin Mason (Friends with Fantasy Benefits, Fangraphs, Fantasy Alarm, @JustinMasonFWFB): In mixed leagues, the massive changes in closer values for some fantasy teams are disastrous. If you draft Iglesias in the third round, you are devastated right now (slowly raises hand.)
Matt Williams (TheGameDay.com, @MattWi77iams): Honestly, I think an under-the-radar takeaway is that no significant names (other than closers) change in value much. The real value is in vacated at-bats and available innings for lower end players. Time to study new lineups going forward and see who benefits.
Paul Sporer (Fangraphs, ESPN Fantasy Sports, @Sporer): Given how barren waiver wires have been for SPs in deeper formats (14+ team mixers), JP Sears could be a gem down the stretch. While we’ve only seen an 8% SwStr in the majors, he missed bats w/his slider throughout the minors so I expect more Ks as he settles into the majors. OAK is always a great spot to pitch, too!
Todd Zola (Mastersball, @toddzola): Steve – Tyler Mahle should be a nice consolation for AL only. It isn’t so much the number of crossovers, as it is the sheer number of trades, more of which may be crossovers. That said, I am still spending liberally early, since the counter is more minor league players are being promoted earlier.
Brad Johnson (Patreon/BaseballATeam, @BaseballATeam): I’ll reach deep for the hell of it. Josh Palacios has an interesting, possibly five-category profile. It’s also a 0-2 WAR profile which is why he hasn’t had chances any sooner. With Juan Soto gone, he should play daily for the Nationals. Of course, that’s only of use to those of us in deep leagues.
Sara Sanchez (bleedcubbieblue.com, @BCB_Sara): I mean, I don’t know if this is underrated, but as someone who has Whit Merrifield in a couple of places, I am really hoping he gets that vaccination status cleared up before 8/12 when the Blue Jays play in Toronto. On the more underrated side, I am going to be paying a lot of attention to the Padres line ups in the coming days to keep an eye on Drury’s playing time. I’m looking for pitching in a few leauges, so I’m also going to speculate a bit on who will get the fifth starter spot in NY with Montgomery moving to St. Louis, and will be keeping an eye on starters in Oakland and Cincinatti looking for useful starters and/or guys with enough innings/Ks to be useful for the last couple of months.
Doug Dennis (BaseballHQ, @dougdennis41): Starting pitchers–gimme Jordan Montgomery and Jake Odorizzi in the NL and Tyler Mahle and J.P. Sears in the AL. Closers–gimme Felix Bautista and Jose Quijada in the AL and in the NL, I’m back on Anthony Bender and Rowan Wi . . . hahaha nope, can’t do it, sorry Sara. But hey, Willson stayed home!
Doug Dennis (BaseballHQ, @dougdennis41): Under the radar = the minor leaguers that are going to get promoted and may immediately be handed a starting role. While the majority will be worth adding in mono leagues, some of them may even be worthy of consideration in shallower mixed leagues.
Alex Fast (Pitcher List, @AlexFast8): The closers! There is an assortment of relievers that just turned into closers that you can pick up off of your waiver wire. Thinking of guys like Felix Bautista, Ryan Tepera, Rowan Wick, etc. Don’t be fooled by what team they’re on, either; they’ll still get plenty of save opportunities. Focus more on guys who have the best stuff and you’ll be just fine.
Lenny Melnick (LennyMelnickFantasySports, @LennyMelnick): Dont save FAAB for Trading Deadline
Phil Hertz (BaseballHQ, @prhz50): Doug D nailed it, but in particular pay attention to the Nationals. Someone(s) is/are going to get plenty of playing time over the next several weeks.
Michael A. Stein (Fantasy Judgment, @FantasyJudgment): The carousel of closers continues to spin at the trade deadline. An already volatile category opens up more options for saves with teams trading closers that may not have opportunities to save games on their new teams. Obviously the teams trading away their closers will give chances to set-up relievers that may be on the waiver wire. Also for NL-only or AL-only leagues, there could be bidding wars for players newly eligible that were traded.
Anthony Aniano (Rotoballer, @AAnianoFantasy): Lots of playing time has opened up for teams like the Reds, Nationals and A’s but I am paying attention to the A’s starting staff. Ken Waldichuk is now the team’s top rated prospect. For the Yankees AAA team he averaged 13.22 K/9 with a 3.59 ERA. I’d love to see him get a few starts for the A’s.
Ariel Cohen (CBS Sports, @ATCNY): Always look at closing situations. Tepera in LAA? Wick in CHI? Bautista in BAL? Williams in MIL? etc. As for some other under the radar players … Mickey Moniak should get playing time with the Marsh trade and Trout injury right away. JP Sears should start right away in OAK in place of the traded Montas. The best place for value is in increased playing time, and those are likely right off the bat.
Scott White (CBS Fantasy Sports, @CBSScottWhite): Statcast says that if Trey Mancini had played all his games at Minute Maid Park this year, he’d have 22 home runs as opposed to the 10 he actually has. The difference between the newly altered left field fence in Baltimore and the Crawford Boxes in Houston is literally dozens of feet, plural. As usual, the Astros know what they’re doing.
Brent Hershey (Baseball HQ, @BrentHQ): The Astros still believe in Jake Meyers. Traded away Straw to clear space for him last year; Meyers was surprisingly fantasy relevant down the stretch. Despite Meyers’ slow return from injury, HOU didn’t complete any sort of upgrade in CF this year and even traded away Jose Siri. Might be nothing; might be something.
Jennifer Piacenti (SI.com, @jenpiacenti): Sadly, Brent. I think it’s nothing. Though maybe that’s just the pessimistic fan in me. I hope it’s something! I like the Mancini grab for Houston as today we already saw one leave the yard that wouldn’t have in Camden. Brantley isn’t even swinging a bat, so I think Mancini will also get turns in OF with perhaps Tucker moving to CF like he did in postseason. I also like Jordan Montogmery in St. Louis. Let’s be real: most pitchers are better after leaving Yankee Stadium. Devin Williams is now really interesting, and I’m going to say it: I like Eric Hosmer in Boston.
Jason Collette (Rotowire, @jasoncollette): Jose Siri is going to get all the playing time his bat can handle. They need his defensive abilities in center, and Cash will let him run on the bases if Siri can manage to get on base. He could steal 10 bases ROS and is already hitting in the middle of a thin lineup.
Charlie Wiegert (CDM Sports, @GFFantasySports): Obviously there are closers to be had with others traded away, so you can get 10 saves fairly easily if you’ve saved some faab or get lucky on the waiver wire…Bautista in Baltimore, Wick in Chicago, in LAA someone emerge, etc. remember what Lester and Happ did in St. Louis last year? Quintana and Montgomery will be better than they were last year, leading Cards to Central Division Championship
Glenn Colton (Fantasy Alarm, @GlennColton1): Not enough focus on who was not traded but now has a bigger role. Closers are more obvious when they step in for a departed closer. It is so critically important to watch lineups from Thursday to Sunday — days where players traveling to their new teams or up from the minors are all in place.
Frank Stampfl (Fantasy Pros, @Roto_Frank): I’m very intrigued by the Royals calling up prospect Michael Massey after trading away Whit Merrifield. Massey was batting .312 with 16 HR and 13 steals across 87 games between Double-A and Triple-A this season and could be an interesting power-speed combo in deeper leagues.
Scott Swanay (FantasyBaseballSherpa, @fantasy_sherpa): If you’re desperate for Wins (and who isn’t), I think Jordan Montgomery and Jose Quintana, who both get to face 3 NL Central doormat teams, are appealing targets who probably wouldn’t cost a ton to acquire.
Clay Link (Rotowire, @claywlink): Miguel Vargas’ addition to the Dodgers. They selected his contract — added him to the 40-man — to lengthen the lineup, as they are now feeling the heat a bit from the Padres. The back of the Dodgers’ order is a little thin and could leave them susceptible to the Padres in the postseason, so I think they want Vargas to take the job and run with it and get into a groove before the playoffs.
Nick Pollack (Pitcher List, @PitcherList): In deeper leagues, I’m curious what Tucker Davidson does with his opportunity in Los Angeles as a regular starter. He’s been able to find a rhythm during his chances in Atlanta and there could be some sneaky streams to be had.
Brian Entrekin (Benched with Bubba, @bdentrek): Seeing the closing landscape open up some more solid options. Felix Bautista & Devin Williams could be elite. Rowan Wick may get some chances as well as maybe Ryan Tepera. On the flip side seeing Raisel Iglesias’s value disappear.
Derek VanRiper (The Athletic, @DerekVanRiper): Can Josh Palacios be the Rafael Ortega of 2022?
Shelly Verougstraete (Dynasty Guru, @ShellyV_643): Is Zach McKinstry going to cut into Christopher Morel’s playing time? I’m in agreement with Frank. Michael Massey dealt with injuries since being drafted but was destroying the minor leagues before his call up. There is pleny of PT in KC with Whit out of the picture.
Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire, @JeffBoggis): The trading of Trey Mancini from Baltimore to Houston was very intriguing to me. Mancini needed a change in scenery and so far it appears that Houston is a good fit. Trey Mancini’s first three hits with the team since arriving at the MLB Trade Deadline have all been home runs, including a monster grand slam on Friday night.
Greg Jewett (Fantasy Alarm, @gjewett9): Many save situations went through turnovers in their leverage ladders, Félix Bautista and Devin Williams receive a big boost in fantasy value. However, Ian Kennedy, Erik Swanson, Rowan Wick and Jonathan Hernández also could receive ancillary, or larger save shares. Last, maybe Colorado provides Elehuris Montero a clear path towards plate appearances the rest of the season. Trusting the Rockies with doing the right thing comes with inherent risk, but there’s some power potential for those needing it in his bat.