Trade Implications for Mixed Leagues

With the non-waiver trade deadline over, it’s time to focus on mixed-league actionable moves. With most of the trades, a player’s value didn’t change enough to make a roster transaction. For example, Chris Archer was owned in all leagues before the trade from the Rays to Pirates and will be owned in all leagues after the trade. Many of the biggest trades are just mixed-league irrelevant. I ranked the players who should be moving on and off rosters in the next few days as the dust settles.

Note: I’m 100% sure I missed something obvious. There was just a ton of moves. I will update this article as I find more players or my obvious errors are pointed out.

Top Gainers (Waiver Wire Targets)

• Jose Leclerc (Rangers): After the trade of Keone Kela to the Pirates and Jake Diekman to the Diamondbacks, the Rangers have a new closer. The 24-year-old righty has been a dominant setup man this year with a 12.7 K/9 and 2.27 ERA and should be a fine closer. There is a chance Alex Claudio gets this role.

• Kirby Yates (Padres): If owners were reluctant to roster own him with the chance he’d also get traded, they can pick him up now.

• Mychal Givens (Orioles): With Brad Brach, Darren O’Day, and Zach Britton traded away, Givens is in line for a handful of Saves.

• Jonathan Villar (Orioles): Villar didn’t have a full-time role after he finished with his latest rehab starts. With the Orioles, he slots into Jonathan Schoop’s second-base spot and could gain even more stolen bases and value depending on where he hits in the lineup.

• Logan Forsythe (Twins): Forsythe was in a part-time role with the Dodgers even before the addition of Manny Machado. With the Twins trading away both Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar, Forsythe slots into Dozier’s second-base job. While Forsythe doesn’t have any outstanding trait, he’s an acceptable accumulator.

• Anthony Swarzak and Robert Gsellman (Mets): The Mets haven’t decided on a closer (it’s not like they need one), but one of these two will likely be the man. For now, it looks like Swarzak has the edge.

• Ken Giles (Blue Jays): For those teams churning for Saves, Giles is an obvious closer in waiting. He’s better than Ryan Tepera and should slide into the closer’s role if Tepera falters.

• Jace Fry , Jeanmar Gomez, Juan Minaya, and Luis Avilan (White Sox): Someone is going to get Saves for the White Sox after Joakim Soria was traded, it’s just tough to determine exactly who. Follow our Bullpen Report for the latest updates.

• Kevin Gausman (Braves): The 27-year-old righty has not lived up to his prospect status and continues to struggle (4.43 ERA). With the Orioles, he was a streaming option, at best. Now, he’s a better streaming option.

• Cameron Maybin (Mariners) and Leonys Martin (Indians): Both were borderline startable on their old teams but are now more startable. I see both getting an ownership boost with the change in scenery. It’s tough to know right now if the small nudge up will make them ownable in 15-team leagues.

• Brian Goodwin (Royals): I figured Goodwin would be a decent accumulator on a bad Royals team. Since being traded, though, he’s only started four of six games.

• Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows (Rays): These two could see their fantasy value vary between mixed-league viable to completely useless. The Rays are moving Glasnow into their rotation and he is starting today. I included both so owners would check in on their usage patterns.

• More Rays “starters,” including Jalen Beeks: With the trades of Chris Archer and Nathan Eovaldi, a couple spots have opened up in the Rays rotation. It’s not obvious who will fill the spots and how long with each throw.

• Victor Reyes and JaCoby Jones (Tigers): With Leonys Martin traded away, both could be the full-time outfielders and be OK stolen-base threats.

Biggest Declines (Headed to Waiver Wire)

• Keone Kela (Pirates), Brad Hand (Indians), Joakim Soria (Brewers), Jeurys Familia (A’s): No Saves, little value. Hand and Kela may still be ownable as setup men, though.

• Ian Kinsler (Red Sox): What little value Kinsler had as a middle-infield option just died. He’ll now be sharing time with Brock Holt, Eduardo Nunez, and Dustin Pedroia and hitting at the end of the lineup instead of leading off.

• Third to fifth starters on contenders: With every contender adding bullpen arms, they are shortening the game to the point where starters don’t throw five innings, leading to fewer Strikeouts and Wins.

For example, here is a game from Monday between the Dodgers and Brewers:

Neither starter went five innings and then it became a bullpen game. The Brewers shut down the Dodgers and went home with the win. Expect to see more of these games, especially with contending team jockeying for wins.

• Several Brewers… again: The Brewers already had too many serviceable infielders when Mike Moustakas forced Travis Shaw to move to second base. Now, the Brewers have traded for Jonathan Schoop, as well. I’ve read several different possible scenarios on how the situation will play out, but no one knows for sure. Follow the lineups for a few days to see who plays and who is on the bench.

• Jorge Alfaro (Phillies): With the addition of Wilson Ramos, Alfaro is no longer a viable option in two-catcher leagues.

• Roberto Osuna (Astros): At least this [redacted] won’t be getting any more Saves this season.

Update (8/1/18 afternoon): When I wrote this take, I really believed the Astros would stoop so low as to remove a similarly talented closer and replace him with a wife beater. It seems others disagree. After reading through several takes on the situation, some disagree. Best take is from MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart:

“Hector Rondon inherited the closer’s role earlier this year while Giles struggled again, but the job will likely be Osuna’s when he’s activated Sunday.”

• Rookie Yankee Starters: With the additions of J.A. Happ and Lance Lynn, the Yankees rotation has plenty of veteran arms. Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga have almost no fantasy value without injuries to the regular staff.