The deadline is here and we could see a flurry of activity just before the clock strikes 6pm ET. Here, we’ll break down all of the most notable moves from a Fantasy Baseball perspective. To find out what we think of Juan Soto’s blockbuster deal, go here.
The Padres are striking again, acquiring an all-purpose bat in the midst of a breakout season. Drury has played mostly third base for the Reds, but will likely bounce back for the Padres, giving everyone else a chance to rest at DH. The big question is whether a surprise production will carry over to a bigger venue like Petco Park. His xHR if he played every game there is 17, according to Statcast, compared to the 20 he actually hit. He’s also batting just .241 with a .771 OPS on the road compared to .298 and .915 at home. Even with an improved supporting cast, it’s possible Drury’s numbers could start to dip, making him a high-seller candidate when applicable. — Scott White
Gemini acquires Mahle at his best. The right-hander got off to a miserable start this year, but his season turned on a dime in late May. Over his last nine starts, he has a 2.83 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 10.0 K/9, which are even better numbers than during his breakout season a year ago. Most importantly, though, the Twins are getting him out of Cincinnati. where he has a career 5.02 ERA compared to 3.74 on the road. The difference is mostly in home run rate (1.9 per nine innings at home vs. 0.8 on the road). Mahle tends to get the ball in the air, and Great American Ball Park is a smaller venue. Target Field is a much better fit for his abilities and could see him threaten for top-30 status as a starting pitcher.
The Twins gave up Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand to get him. They are two of the top prospects this year, contributing significant power in the upper levels. Between that deal and the Luis Castillo one, the Reds have done a great job overhauling the farm system. — Scott White
Robertson likely steps into the closer role he already filled for the Cubs. Sure, Seranthony Dominguez was up to the task well enough, but the Phillies hadn’t fully committed to his role yet, as Brad Hand split the save chances with him. Robertson has more experience closing out the game and will extend the Phillies’ bullpen by allowing Dominguez and Hand to adjust. With Scott Efros already traded by the Cubs, Michal Givens is now in line to close for them. Rowan Wick replaced Robertson earlier this year and remains a possibility, but his numbers have deteriorated since then. — Scott White
Brandon Marsh traded to Phillies for Logan O’Hope
This was one of those deadline deals that catches everyone off guard because it doesn’t fit the usual buyer/seller rubric. Sure, the Phillies are on the edge of contention and could use a true center fielder like Marsh, but since he was one of the Angels’ top prospects entering last year, it’s curious to see them part ways with him already . His first full season was a disappointment, with his strikeout percentage keeping his batting average low and his power not increasing as hoped. Moving to a smaller space can only help. O’Hoppe, meanwhile, had a breakout Double-A season, slashing .269/.385/.492 with 15 homers in 74 games, and could be ready to take over as the Angels’ starting catcher at some point next year. — Scott White
Acquiring Juan Soto from the Padres was obviously quite a complex deal given the magnitude of the center fielder, and it took some time to figure out what the final details would be. When the dust settled, Luke Voight found himself sent to Washington to complete what was sure to be a downgrade. Voight goes from hitting behind Manny Machado and Jake Kronenworth to hitting behind … Victor Robles and Cesar Hernandez? Yes, Washington’s lineup is going to be pretty ugly, and while it’s a slight upgrade on the park for Voit, he’s hitting just .231/.321/.425 since the start of 2021, so it’s hard to get too excited. He’s a low-end corner infield option at this point. –Chris Towers
Hosmer has been able to put together next to nothing in four seasons with the Padres, and now the 32-year-old will be given a chance to revive his career with the Red Sox. His swing has never been optimized for power and is unlikely to change now, but he is a career .354 hitter with three home runs and an .889 OPS at Fenway Park. His odd configuration has contributed to incredible success stories in the past, and it’s possible that Hosmer could see a big enough BABIP boost to become halfway useful again. After all, he is still excellent at putting the bat on the ball. His acquisition leaves few at-bats for Bobby Dahlbeck, but the JD Martinez deal could change that. — Scott White
Joey Gallo sold to the Dodgers
Joey Gallo appeared to be in desperate need of a change of scenery after hitting .159/.291/.368 in 140 games since being traded to the Yankees, and the writing was on the wall for a trade as soon as the Yankees acquired Andrew Benintendi last week. That deal became official on Tuesday, as Gallo was sent to the Dodgers, who are buying low with an eye toward fixing Gallo’s swing. You know you get a lot of hits and a lot of walks with Gallo, but he only has 12 home runs this season because he hasn’t lived up to the third part of the three-out approach. The problem is that Gallo isn’t generating the same kind of power that he used to, with career-worst marks in average exit velocity and maximum exit velocity, leading to a career-worst projected wOBA on contact. The Dodgers will look to unlock that power by acquiring Gallo, though he’s worth adding in NL-only leagues with the park switch, especially since he might not play every day in LA either.
The Yankees seemingly did pretty well getting Double-A pitcher Clayton Beeter for Gallo. Beeter has a 5.75 ERA this season, but has a big fastball and good stuff if he can cut down on the walks, of which he has 35 in 51.2 innings this season. –Chris Towers
It is one of the biggest deals in Premier League history. We knew an organization would have to empty the vault to acquire a 23-year-old generational talent, and the Padres were ready to do so, sending perhaps the largest prospect package in baseball history. It’s a seismic trade in the real world, but the impact on the Fantasy game is relatively minimal. Soto will do what Soto does. He’ll do it in a better lineup, albeit in a slightly worse spot, but generational talents like him aren’t usually limited by space. Similarly, Bell hit .315 with four homers and a .976 OPS in 14 career games at Petco Park, so it seems like his skills translate well enough to that spot as well.
For more, including a full breakdown of the prospects going the other way, click here. — Scott White
The Twins have been hesitant to fully insert Joan Duran into a conventional closer role, and this deal seems to address that problem. Lopez was incredible for the Orioles that season, sporting a 1.68 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 48 ⅓ innings, earning selection as the Orioles lone All-Star. While it’s not guaranteed that he’ll be the Twins’ closer, that seems like the most likely outcome, with Duran remaining as a multi-inning fireman who will get the occasional save. Lopez goes to a better team, but likely sees a slight drop in value with Duran around to use the occasional high-leverage save opportunity.
The Orioles have four prospects, with Cade Povich the headliner, though likely one who is a few years away from contributing. More relevant news on the Baltimore side is the likely ascension of Felix Bautista to the closer’s role. The Orioles have had a surprisingly strong bullpen this season, but Bautista performs best as a closer with his big fastball. He deserves to be added in all league categories and it wouldn’t be a surprise if there are more saves from Lopez by the end of the season after this trade. –Chris Towers
Bass returns to the Blue Jays, where he had seven saves in 2020, after two up-and-down seasons with the Marlins. He has been outstanding this season, sporting a 1.41 ERA and 9.1 K/9, and figures to give the Blue Jays another opportunity to get Jordan Romano in the ninth. Pop has a 3.60 ERA thanks to a ball-heavy approach, but he doesn’t get many hits and is probably more of a middle relief option for the Blue Jays.
The Marlins received a recent top-100 prospect in Groshans in return, but the 22-year-old has likely played off prospect lists with his performance in Triple-A this season. Groshans’ power has evaporated at the highest level of the minors, as he has just one home run and eight doubles in 67 games, sporting a .250/.348/.296 line. He still makes a lot of contact and walks a lot, but he’s going to have to find a way to hit for more power, even in NL-only leagues, since he doesn’t run. He’s a nice low-cost target for the Marlins, but looks far from a Fantasy contributor and will likely report to Triple-A for Miami. –Chris Towers
That deal wasn’t fully finalized until late Monday, but it has the potential to shake up the Braves’ rotation in less-than-desirable ways. Odorizzi himself is … whatever. His fastball gets whiffs at a decent enough rate, and he’ll produce a quality start every now and then. But if his acquisition signals the return of rookie sensation Spencer Strider to the bullpen as a way to limit his innings, then the baseball world will weep. Mark Bauman of MLB.com suggests the Braves could play six men for a few moves and then reevaluate. Maybe Ian Anderson will return to wrestling. Perhaps Odorizzi himself will be thrust into the fray. In any case, this is cause for some concern. –Scott…
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