Sneaky Fantasy Trade Candidates Worth Acquiring Ahead of the MLB Deadline

July 28, 2022

Mark Kieffer evaluates numerous players that could be moved before the 2022 MLB trade deadline as potential fantasy baseball risers.

Everyone is talking about Juan Soto or Willson Contreras being moved and it's fun to speculate on where superstar and All-Star level players could be moved.

The truth is in fantasy baseball, someone in your league already has these players and they are going to play every day regardless of where they play.

But what about some of the lower-owned guys that aren't being talked about? Is there anyone worth acquiring now for cheap rather than waiting for them to move for the role?

Players To Consider Acquiring Before The Deadline

Noah Syndergaard - Even though he is a back-end fantasy rotation guy for me in a 12-team league, he is 95% owned in Fantrax leagues. He is someone that I do start in 15-team leagues when he has two starts but outside of that is on my bench if everyone is healthy.

He has a career-worst 4.25 xFIP and his strikeout rate is just 18.9%, also a career worst. He does not strike out enough batters in one outing to be viable for my starting lineup.

That said, the Saint Louis Cardinals are interested in acquiring him, and moving to a better team would put him in line for more wins at least and more favorable matchups like the Cubs, Pirates, and Reds as opposed to going out there against Houston and Seattle.

Frankie Montas - Montas is owned everywhere and should be started every time he goes out there. That said, a move to a contender like the Minnesota Twins would boost his value. Montas has a 3.24 xFIP, a 3.16 ERA, and a 26.3% strikeout rate on the season.

In a roto league, his value is dragged down by playing on a bad team and only having three wins. A move to a winning team should give him more run support and chances of wins. Because he is a name, you may not be able to acquire him for cheap, but his value should go up should he be traded.

Tommy Pham - He is owned in about 85% of Fantrax leagues at the moment. Pham just isn't a fit on the Reds, who clearly are not contending. Pham is batting .289 with 11 home runs, 54 runs, 37 RBI, and seven steals in 85 games played.

If he moves to a team like the Yankees, Dodgers, or Rays, it would be reasonable to expect an uptick in RBI and runs (although his runs scored are pretty good right now) and a downgrade in home runs by moving out of Great American Ballpark.

Joey Gallo - He is on about 65% of Fantrax leagues at the moment. Gallo is batting .162 with 12 home runs in 269 plate appearances with a .286 OBP. It hasn't been a good season for him and he is finding his way on the bench from time to time now as well.

He is considered an above-average right fielder defensively and is useful for that reason in real-life baseball. This is someone with a career of .272 ISO and .328 OBP. I never roster someone like Gallo in a roto league because his low average just tanks you, but in a points league, he is of value. If he gets moved to an everyday role, he could provide a cheap boost to your offense.

A potential landing spot I like him for is the Cincinnati Reds, due to the ballpark. The Reds have Tyler Naquin in RF right now, but if they move Tommy Pham in a corresponding move and Naquin moves to LF, that could open up everyday playing time for Gallo.

He would mash home runs there. The Yankees have been rumored to be interested in Luis Castillo and Gallo could be a throw-in for the trade with someone like Oswald Peraza being the centerpiece.

Gabriel Moreno - Gabriel Moreno is rostered in 52% of Fantrax leagues. People are hoping that the catcher makes his way back to the show this season. The Blue Jays have a bit of luxury with Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk, and Gabriel Moreno all in their system.

Most teams are happy to have one major league-ready catcher that is above average, let alone three. Could Toronto make a move? Jansen has club control until 2024, so moving him would require a significant addition to Toronto, as this is not an expiring contract or anything like that.

There has not been much steam to any Toronto trade rumors regarding their catchers but it would seem silly to not trade him.

Jose Quintana - Jose Quintana is on 51% of all Fantrax rosters. At the age of 33 and an expiring deal, doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to stay on the Pirates.

He has a 3.70 ERA, 3.77 xFIP, and a 20.7% strikeout rate. If he moves to a contending team, look for a boost with wins as he only has three on the season in 19 starts.

Miguel Vargas - Miguel Vargas is on 44% of Fantrax rosters. Despite the injuries that have happened to the Dodgers, they would rather rely on the likes of Jake Lamb and Trayce Thompson rather than call up Vargas.

Vargas is batting .292 with a .385 OBP in Triple-A. He has a good eye with a 12.7% walk rate just a 14.6% strikeout rate. He also has 13 home runs and 10 stolen bases with a .198 ISO.

He is major league ready, but the Dodgers seem hesitant to give him an opportunity. He is their fifth-best prospect and could be an MLB-ready piece a team would like if the Dodgers look to upgrade their team through the trade market.

Oswald Peraza - This is another player that may be MLB ready and is on 35% of Fantrax rosters. The Yankees are looking to make moves and have many prospects that are of interest to teams.

It sounds like they have no interest in moving Anthony Volpe, their No. 1 prospect in the moves they have been rumored to be in. Oswald Peraza also plays shortstop, is No. 2 behind Peraza, and is more MLB ready right now.

Parting ways with Peraza for a significant add could be in the cards for them with the acquiring team hopefully playing Peraza these last couple of months of the season.

Kyle Muller - Kyle Muller is owned in 33% of Fantrax leagues. Muller has a 2.96 ERA, 3.31 xFIP, and a 31.5% strikeout rate in Triple-A, yet cannot seem to displace a struggling Ian Anderson in the Braves rotation. Atlanta may be in the market for another starting pitcher and Muller could be a piece in that trade.

I am hopeful he lands a rotation spot when the dust settles after the trade deadline either in Atlanta or somewhere else. Five of the Braves' 10 top prospects are pitchers in Triple-A. They will likely have to move some of those guys one way or the other.

Dominic Smith - Dom Smith is owned in 25% of Fantrax leagues. Smith is a career .246 hitter with a .178 ISO. He has been rumored to have interest by both the Red Sox and Cubs.

The Red Sox might be a good situation for him as they have a glaring hole at 1B and Triston Casas is still getting back into the swing of things in Triple-A after missing two months of baseball with an ankle injury.

With the Cubs, it is difficult to say whether he would be an upgrade over Frank Schwindel at DH or whether he would platoon with him. The Cubs already have a left-handed bat in Alfonso Rivas at 1B. He would get more playing time on either of those teams, however, with the Mets having just acquired lefty Daniel Vogelbach.

Trade Candidates That Could Lose Fantasy Value

Brandon Drury - Those who have him on their team have enjoyed his multiple position eligibility, his .274 average with 19 home runs through 85 games played. If Drury goes to a contender, he is likely a bench player that is not playing every day.

I recently did a trade panel and one team that was brought up there and has also been speculated on is the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox have a gaping hole at 2B and are four games behind the Twins in the AL Central.

He could be of some value to the Mariners as well as he would be an upgrade over Adam Frazier and Dylan Moore, however, Seattle will damper his power stats. If he moves out of Great American Ballpark, expect a potential reduction in playing time and a reduction in his power output as well as he has already reached his career high in home runs on the season.

Andrew Benintendi - Andrew Benintendi is not the kind of player I like to roster outside of Draft and Hold formats. Benintendi's value right now comes from his batting average and the fact he is an everyday player.

He has been heavily linked to the Yankees. Would he play every day for them if he were dealt there? With Toronto in the division and a potential playoff opponent, would the Yankees want to acquire him if he had to sit out potential key postseason games?

David Peralta - He has a resurgence in power with 12 home runs in 301 plate appearances and a .207 ISO -- the highest since 2018. Peralta is likely not an everyday player if he does get traded, decreasing his value.

Trey Mancini - Trey Mancini is likely on the move. He is older than the core group of players in Baltimore and they could use him to shore up some key pieces for the future. The Mets still seem interested in Mancini but would he play every day in that lineup?

Mancini is batting .268 with a .345 OBP but his power numbers have really dipped as he has just a .136 ISO on the season with nine home runs in 374 plate appearances this season. He could help a team but may play 75-80% of the time for a better lineup.

Daniel Bard - While the Rockies should trade Bard, as he is 37 with an expiring contract, I have heard locally they are considering offering him an extension.

If he were to be dealt, he might only be a closer if he were to go to Boston. Any other team, and he likely does not earn save opportunities, which is what we want in fantasy baseball.

David Robertson - Similar situation as Daniel Bard. Teams are interested in bullpen help, he likely would not close with the Yankees and Mets being interested.

Any Other Closer For A Bad Team Getting Acquired By A Good Team - This would include Mark Melancon, Jorge Lopez, Gregory Soto, David Bednar, etc. The only first-place team that has a bad closer situation is the Minnesota Twins. Outside of the Twins, the other divisional leaders have a good closer situation even though they may be looking to improve their bullpen.

Teams that could be in search of a closer in the playoff race, outside of the Twins, are the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox (if they are trying to compete), Saint Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Francisco Giants (but they acquired Trevor Rosenthal).

If any of those teams are listed as acquiring an arm like Bard, Robertson, Soto, Melancon, Bednar, etc., they could very well close on that team. If we are hearing about them going to the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, etc., then they probably aren't going to close.

Players Who Aren't Going To Be Traded But Could See A Change In Their Fantasy Value

A few other names to look at in addition to the names being mentioned above.

Yuli Gurriel - Josh Bell to the Houston Astros is a strong rumor and the Astros could use some help at first base. Bell coming to Houston would relegate Gurriel to the bench.

Kyle Isbel - With Andrew Benintendi potentially on the move, it could open up more playing time for Kyle Isbel. Isbel hit 15 home runs and stole 22 bases in Triple-A in 2021 in 451 plate appearances but we have not seen that translate to the major leagues in his limited sample size.

Ian Anderson - He has a 5.31 ERA and a 4.37 xFIP. If the Braves add some rotation help, he could be either optioned to the minors to sent to the bullpen. You may not be able to get much for him but getting something for him now via trade may make some sense if possible before he loses his job.

Aaron Hicks - Assuming a healthy Giancarlo Stanton, if the Yankees add a left fielder, Hicks could find his way on the bench.

Next Up For Saves? Your guesses are as good as mine. I do not know if there is a clear-cut save situation if a closer gets dealt this year. With the Cubs, Mychal Givens could also be dealt. And on the Rockies, Alex Colome could also get traded with Bard. Scott Effross is a name I have seen thrown out there for the Cubs. He did pick up a save, the first on the year, on July 25th.

In Arizona, Mark Melancon and Ian Kennedy could both be on the move, making that bullpen situation murky as well. If there is someone you believe would benefit from saves after the closer gets moved, I would get on those moves this week to acquire those players for cheap.

Conclusion

Obviously, there will be other players impacted based on the trades, we cannot predict every secondary or tertiary move regarding trades. The key as a fantasy player is to go through these types of exercises and think beyond just the impact of the player that gets moved but what the impact of the trading team is and what the impact of the acquiring team is. Getting on top of the moves early can save you a lot of FAAB down the stretch and get a jump on your league mates.

Nobody knows what exactly the trade deadline will hold. There are always some surprises that just cannot be predicted, but if you can think about the butterfly effect on the rest of the teams before your league mates do, you could have a leg up on them heading into the home stretch of the fantasy season.

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