Fantasy Baseball 2024: MLB trade deadline winners and losers
The 2024 MLB Trade Deadline certainly did not disappoint. Starting late last week, general managers made plenty of deals, which resulted in many players having their fantasy baseball values rise or fall. Here is a summary of the key points that managers need to know.
Risers
Jack Flaherty (SP, Los Angeles Dodgers)
Flaherty will have a hard time pitching better down the stretch than he has thus far (2.95 ERA, 0.96 WHIP), but that’s not the point of labelling him as a riser. The right-hander has better win potential with the Dodgers than he did with the Tigers, which further solidifies him as a stretch-run ace in all formats.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (OF, New York Yankees)
Chisholm has the power-speed blend that fantasy managers covet and enjoyed one of the biggest deadline upgrades possible when he was traded from a Miami team that ranks 29th in runs scored to a New York squad that sits in first. And the increased lineup support isn’t the only benefit, as Chisholm switched from a team with a pitcher-friendly home park to one that plays in a bandbox. The 26-year-old should be one of the best roto assets down the stretch.
Craig Kimbrel (SP, Baltimore Orioles)
Kimbrel owned a 2.10 ERA on July 13 before being scored on in four of his past five appearances. The Orioles resisted the urge to add a closer at the deadline, instead deepening their relief corps with setup men. Kimbrel should get ample opportunity to work through his slump.
Pete Fairbanks (RP, Tampa Bay Rays)
The Rays traded multiple relievers but held on to Fairbanks, who will remain their closer. His managers can breathe a sigh of relief, as they were surely worried that Fairbanks would be next when Jason Adam was traded to the Padres.
Josh Bell (1B, Arizona Diamondbacks)
By being traded to Arizona, Bell is more valuable in August and less valuable in September. He moves from the 29th team in runs scored to the club sitting in second, and he will replace injured Christian Walker as Arizona’s first baseman and cleanup hitter. Managers should grab Bell now, with a plan to drop him when Walker returns.
Austin Hays (OF, Philadelphia Phillies)
Hays should benefit from getting out of Baltimore, where the combination of an outfield logjam and a pitcher-friendly home park drove his fantasy value into the ground. The veteran will play regularly in the Phillies' talented lineup and should contribute his share of homers, RBI and runs for managers in 12-team leagues.
Erick Fedde (SP, St. Louis Cardinals)
Remarkably, Fedde managed to earn a wins on a White Sox team that had a 27-81 record at the moment he was traded. The right-hander has been a ratios asset this year (3.11 ERA, 1.14 WHIP) and should pick up wins at a higher rate now that he is with a team that had twice as many wins as Chicago when play started this week. It’s a small upgrade, but an upgrade nonetheless.
Hayden Birdsong (SP, San Francisco Giants)
Suddenly, Birdsong is a hot commodity in fantasy leagues. The youngster struck out 20 batters in his past two starts (albeit, with both games coming against Colorado), which prompted the Giants to clear space in their rotation by trading Alex Cobb to Cleveland. Among starters on the waiver wire, no one saw their value climb more in the past week than Birdsong.
Jorge Soler (OF, Atlanta Braves)
After going deep 36 times with the Marlins last year, Soler was a disappointment from a power perspective with the Giants (12 HR). He now gets a chance to repeat his 2021 success with the Braves, when he homered 14 times in 55 stretch-run games before being a big part of their World Series title. The park switch is also an upgrade for Soler.
Miguel Vargas (2B/OF, Chicago White Sox)
Vargas owns a lifetime .889 OPS in the minors that includes a 1.006 mark in 41 Triple-A games this year. The 24-year-old clearly has some offensive upside, but he was unable to get into a groove on a Dodgers team that wouldn’t give him regular playing time. The rebuilding White Sox will certainly give Vargas opportunities down the stretch, and although I wouldn’t add him right now, he’s someone to keep an eye on.
Joey Loperfido (1B/OF, Toronto Blue Jays)
Although Loperfido’s minor league success hasn’t yet translated to the majors, it’s far too early to give up on someone with 106 at-bats. The Astros didn’t commit to the 25-year-old as a full-time player, which is something the retooling Blue Jays will do down the stretch. Like Vargas, Loperfido is someone to put back on the radar.
Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers (Miami Marlins)
Norby and Stowers both fit into the same bucket as intriguing prospects who were blocked by Baltimore’s deep group of hitters. Norby has produced a .908 OPS in the minors this year and could receive regular playing time down the stretch. The same is true for Stowers, who has logged an .877 OPS in the minors this year. Both players are worth monitoring in deeper leagues.
Tyler Ferguson (RP, Oakland A’s)
Ferguson picked up saves in each of his past two appearances, and with Lucas Erceg having been traded to the Royals, he is easily the top candidate for ninth-inning work while Mason Miller resides on the IL. Miller is dealing with a fractured pinky finger on his non-throwing hand and does not have a timetable to return.
Falling
Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman (RP, Philadelphia Phillies)
Estévez has been outstanding this year (2.38 ERA, 0.74 WHIP) while maintaining terrific control over the strike zone (32:5 K:BB ratio). The right-hander had full control over the closer’s role in Los Angeles but figures to share ninth-inning duties in Philly with Jeff Hoffman. Estévez can be retained for now but may be dropped in some shallow formats (especially head-to-head leagues) in a week or two. Hoffman will now have more competition for save chances, which relegates his use to deep roto formats.
Tanner Scott (RP, San Diego Padres)
We saw this one coming for months, but it needs to be mentioned, nonetheless. Scott enjoyed four terrific months as the Marlins closer, posting elite ratios (1.18 ERA, 1.01 WHIP) while converting 18 of 20 save chances. Scott will now pair with Jason Adam as the setup men for closer Robert Suárez. Those who are looking to grab Scott’s replacement in Miami will not find an obvious option, although Calvin Faucher and Anthony Bender may get opportunities.
Heston Kjerstad (OF, Baltimore Orioles)
The Orioles' curious decision to add Eloy Jiménez and Austin Slater muddles a DH/OF picture that was starting to have some clarity when the club traded away Austin Hays. Kjerstad is now a backup outfielder who will start a couple days each week and could soon return to the minors. He should be dropped in mixed leagues.
Eloy Jiménez (OF, Baltimore Orioles)
Although Jiménez is making the switch from baseball’s worst offense to one of the best, he is at risk of losing most of his playing time. The slugger has struggled this year (.642 OPS), especially against right-handers, and the Orioles have several options who are better in those matchups. There is no reason to roster Jiménez if he only starts against southpaws.
