Wowza, what a deadline, huh?
Sure, we didn’t have the superstar-level players like Juan Soto or Justin Verlander moving this year, but the volume was astounding. A total of 59 trades were made during time surrounding the deadline with 32 going down on the Tuesday deadline alone.
Certainly, highly owned players like Jack Flaherty, Erick Fedde, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. have much brighter fantasy prospects for the next two months, but now it’s time to navigate the effects on the back end of our player pools.
It’s my time to shine as we see what the deadline means for newly traded players like Josh Bell, Paul Blackburn, and Ty France. But there are plenty of opportunities that have opened up due to fire sales for the likes of Addison Barger, Chad Green, and the entirely new roster of Marlins. Seriously, I can’t recall the last time a team flipped as quickly as Miami did, causing all previous knowledge of the system to be completely void.
It was a busy week (as evidenced by the marathon deadline recap pod we recorded at C&C this week) with lots to analyze, so let’s get to it, Razzballers!
The stats and ownership percentages below are updated as of noon central time on 8/2.
As always, if you want advice on specific roster decisions you might have, feel free to leave a comment. You can also find me on twitter (X) (@mcouill7) and bluesky (@mcouill7.bsky.social).
CATCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
Elias Diaz (COL, 32% CBS Ownership) – The King of Colorado hilariously endured another trade deadline!! This is a no brainer pickup as the Rockies have a slate of six games in Coors this upcoming week. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Gabriel Moreno (ARI, 46% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Patrick Bailey (SFG, 39% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Travis d’Arnaud (ATL, 30% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Kyle Higashioka (SDP, 9% CBS Ownership) – Since June 1, Higashioka is slashing .277/.330/.653 with 11 homers and a 16% Barrel rate. Why is his ownership not creeping up? Shrug emoji. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Dillon Dingler (DET, 6% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Freddy Fermin (KCR, 7% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Joey Bart (PIT, 4% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Ben Rortvedt (TBR, 4% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Agustin Ramirez (MIA, 5% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
INFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Michael Toglia (1B/OF, COL, 50% CBS Ownership) – After seeing the opening blurb on Diaz, you had to know more Rockies were coming, right? I, like all of modern baseball analysis, hate Toglia as a player, but for fantasy, his .228/.295/.465 slash line at home this season (which is awful for Coors, as evidenced by it being a 77 wRC+) plays for our game. (3% FAAB)
Brendan Rodgers (2B, COL, 22% CBS Ownership) – MORE ROCKIES!! (3-5% FAAB)
Kris Bryant (1B/OF, COL, 24% CBS Ownership) – Okay, no need to dip this far into the Rockies player pool. (DO NOT BID)
QUICK HITS: Brooks Lee (3B/SS, MIN, 47% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Eugenio Suarez (3B, ARI, 47% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Josh Bell (1B, ARI, 45% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Matt Vierling (3B/OF, DET, 44% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Carlos Santana (1B, MIN, 42% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Max Schuemann (2B/SS/OF, OAK, 37% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2B/3B/SS/OF, PIT, 29% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Spencer Horwitz (1B/2B, TOR, 26% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Gavin Lux (2B, LAD, 24% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Wenceel Perez (2B/OF, DET, 20% CBS Ownership) – Certainly keep an eye on the Miami lineup over the weekend as it is a rapidly changing situation, and whoever settles into the 2B, 3B, and CF positions will be a nice pickup. Connor Norby is generally available but was sent to Triple-A, hopefully not for long, but I can’t suggest picking him up until there’s a clearer picture of how the Marlins will use him. Until the clouds clear up in Miami, for now, Perez is the best available middle infielder out there as he’s regularly hitting in the top of the Detroit order (even moving up thanks to Riley Greene’s recent hammy pull). It’s been cool that Perez has popped three homers since the All-Star break, but maybe he needs to chill on the flyball revolution a bit since he’s also hit .159 with a .129 BABIP driven by a 55.9% flyball rate since the break. Once he does that, you could be looking at something like five homers and 6-8 steals from Wenceel down the stretch with upside for much more. (3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Angel Martinez (2B/OF, CLE, 19% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Orlando Arcia (SS, ATL, 17% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Geraldo Perdomo (2B/SS, ARI, 8% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Ernie Clement (3B/SS, TOR, 6% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Addison Barger (3B/OF, TOR, 3% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Vidal Brujan (2B/3B, MIA, 2% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
Jonah Bride (3B, MIA, 0% CBS Ownership) – It looks like Bride has a spot in his Miami lineup that is his to lose, as he’s been getting regular run in the middle of the order. He currently only qualifies at third but should pick up first base qualification soon (three starts and six games there total as I write this). The 28-year-old former Athletic is a classic crusty Quad-A player with a decent eye (career 9.7% BB rate over 339 plate appearances) that can swing a league-average bat. Exactly the salve one was looking for if in desperate need at corner in an NL-Only league. (5-7% FAAB)
Lenyn Sosa (2B/3B, CHW, 2% CBS Ownership) – Nick Senzel has a trio of hits, yes, just three, since signing with the Sox on July 17. Sosa’s recall that we predicted last week happened as planned, now it’s just a matter of time before Sosa seizes control of a lineup spot from Senzel. Bats that hit .250 and play every day, like Sosa should be, are still worth rostering in AL-Only even if they play for the White Sox. (7% FAAB)
OUTFIELDERS
10/12 Team Adds
Jacob Young (WSN, 37% CBS Ownership) – The Nationals also have a fantastic schedule for the upcoming week, with a full slate of seven home games as Nationals Park plays even more hitter friendly in the dog days of summer. That week includes four games against San Francisco followed by three versus the leftovers on the Angels roster. Young continues to be a stolen base behemoth, pacing for around 40 to pair with upper 80’s runs. He will be a total drag in homers and RBI, but if a handful of steals will swing a few points in the standings, he’s a must-add. (3% FAAB)
Charlie Blackmon (COL, 24% CBS Ownership) – I just want to re-establish the Rockies have six games in Coors next week. Yes, three of those games could be against southpaws (David Peterson, Max Fried?, and Chris Sale), but Blackmon started against the last lefty on Sunday. Not that he’s good against LHP, garnering the start mostly because Bud Black is up to his old ways and refused to give the semi-promising Hunter Goodman any at-bats. Even if Blackmon is only inked in for three starts, I’m rolling the dice here on Fried actually returning this weekend, Charlie getting a start or two against a lefty, and the pinch-hit appearances he could add. (1-3% FAAB) Note: This was written before Blackmon left Friday’s game after a hit-by-pitch to the head. Monitor his status over the next day before placing those bids.
Tommy Pham (STL, 24% CBS Ownership) – Our man has returned, settling into a nice situation with the Cardinals and performed wonderfully in re-joining St. Louis by launching a pinch-hit grand slam in his first at-bat. He looks locked into a starting role again and is playing with a chip on his shoulder the size of the Grand Canyon. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Joc Pederson (ARI, 48% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), J.J. Bleday (OAK, 40% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Lars Nootbaar (STL, 36% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Jo Adell (LAA, 31% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Harrison Bader (NYM, 29% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Jake Fraley (CIN, 23% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Austin Hays (PHI, 14% CBS Ownership) – If for some reason you were sitting on Hays in any leagues, you may have been the biggest winner of the trade deadline. Coming off a .275/.325/.444 line in 2023, the Orioles were maybe the one team that didn’t have a place for the 29-year-old outfielder to play entering 2024. Although he’s going to hit in the nine-hole with the Phils, that might be a great spot where he can work is way on base to set the table for the likes of Schwarber, Harper, and Turner. And given the new opportunity, maybe Hays runs a bit more too, as he’s already shown by swiping his first two bags of the season already since arriving in Philly. (3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Matt Wallner (MIN, 13% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Joey Loperfido (TOR, 15% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Mike Yastrzemski (SFG, 15% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Garrett Mitchell (MIL, 14% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Jesus Sanchez (MIA, 14% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
Michael Siani (STL, 2% CBS Ownership) – Siani has been on an incredible heater since the All-Star break, slashing .429/.474/.457 with four steals in 39 plate appearances. He’s never going to have a huge amount of pop, but the St. Louis centerfielder has become dangerous with the drag bunt and made ever-so-slight swing changes to shorten his regular swing. He can play a role similar to Hays out of the nine-hole in which he sets the plate for the Cardinals lineup. With Dylan Carlson and Tommy Edman being shipped out, centerfield is Siani’s to own. (3-5% FAAB)
Corey Julks (CHW, 0% CBS Ownership) – Of course the ass-backward Chicago White Sox are playing Dominic Fletcher, who can’t hit and can’t field, over Julks in the spot vacated by Tommy Pham. If you can stash Julks, hold the course because it’s pretty clear Fletcher can’t hang in the majors. (1-3% FAAB)
STARTING PITCHERS
10/12 Team Adds
JP Sears (OAK, 34% CBS Ownership) – Sears has been solid since the All-Star break, pitching to a 4.34 ERA with 16 Ks to one walk in 18.2 innings. While we aim for a bit higher than solid here (I think?), that impressive K:BB ratio since the break will play up well in Sears’ two-start week against the depleted White Sox and Blue Jays lineups. Now is crunch time to chase two-start weeks to pack as many starts into those roto numbers as you can, assuming you aren’t running up against an innings cap, so expect a steady stream of those guys in the coming weeks. Ratios are fairly well solidified, but if you are in a tight race, certainly take the suggestions like Sears with a slight grain of salt. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Hayden Birdsong (SFG, 49% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), River Ryan (LAD, 45% CBS Ownership, 3-5% FAAB), Aaron Civale (MIL, 43% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Andrew Heaney (TEX, 40% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Luis Ortiz (PIT, 40% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), David Peterson (NYM, 33% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Andre Pallante (STL, 24% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Paul Blackburn (NYM, 24% CBS Ownership, 3-5% FAAB), Trevor Rogers (BAL, 21% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
DJ Herz (WSN, 13% CBS Ownership) – Climbing up strikeout categories in roto leagues is nigh impossible at this point in the season with the best K artists all rostered and so much volume already banked. However, Herz remains hanging out on wires in plenty of leagues while sporting a 22.7% K-BB ratio that pairs with an 11.5 K/9. The wins will be hard to come by as he pitches for the Nats, but the punchouts should be consistent as Herz sticks in the rotation down the stretch. (3-5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: David Festa (MIN, 11% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Joey Estes (OAK, 9% CBS Ownership, 3% FAAB), Jonathan Cannon (CHW, 9% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Cade Cavalli (WSN, 8% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Randy Vasquez (SDP, 7% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Roddery Munoz (MIA, 3% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
Only Team Adds
Michael McGreevy (STL, 4% CBS Ownership) – Our king looked brilliant in his spot start on Wednesday against Texas, holding them to a run on five hits and one walk over seven innings for his first career win. It’s a bummer that St. Louis demoted him, especially given the open rotation spot with Lance Lynn hitting the IL, but McGreevy showed he can hang in the big leagues with a groundball-forward arsenal anchored by a solid slider. He’s worth rostering this weekend and stashing on a bench in hopes of more Kyle Gibson-esque performances down the stretch (3-5% FAAB)
Tyler Alexander (TBR, 1% CBS Ownership) – The 30-year-old southpaw appears to be headed into an opener/bulk reliever role as the Rays get wild with their mix-and-match roster down the stretch. I love that role for deeper leagues because especially when the player is slated for a bulk role, it leads to the possibility of more wins pitching around the cutoff for being the pitcher of record (a la 2018 Ryan Yarbrough… and yikes, that season was six years ago?!?). Alexander can be a steady contributor with an 8.0 K/9 versus a 1.9 BB/9, just watch out against teams with prodigious right-handed power (cough… the Yankees… cough…) as his career 35.7% groundball rate will lead to long balls. (3% FAAB)
RELIEVERS
10/12 Team Adds
Daniel Hudson (LAD, 48% CBS Ownership) – Do you envision the Dodgers plugging Michael Kopech directly into the fire of the closer’s role on a team with World Series aspirations? Yeah, me neither. (5% FAAB)
Chad Green (TOR, 37% CBS Ownership) – 
(5% FAAB)
Ben Joyce (LAA, 28% CBS Ownership) – Here’s a situation that we mapped correctly in this piece, as both Carlos Estevez and Luis Garcia were shipped out at the trade deadline, leaving Joyce as the presumptive closer in Anaheim. If you didn’t buy a few weeks ago, it’s time to pony up as Joyce is a nightly highlight reel for the Pitching Ninja with his nasty 100-plus mph fastball and dirty 142 Stuff+ slider. The saves will be hard to come by and the control can get wonky, but the strikeout upside for Joyce is tremendous. I have no faith in Hunter Strickland beating Joyce out for the closer’s role. (5% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Griffin Jax (MIN, 29% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Michael Kopech (LAD, 25% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Yimi Garcia (SEA, 25% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), A.J. Puk (ARI, 21% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB)
15 Team Adds
Quick Note: These guys all qualify for analysis under the 15-team section (less than 20% CBS Ownership) but warrant adding in 12-teamers this week given their open paths to saves.
Kevin Ginkel (ARI, 13% CBS Ownership) – Following a rough Wednesday at the office in which Paul Sewald faced five batters, allowing three walks and one while retiring just one. Afterwards, manager Torey Lovullo said Sewald is dealing with mechanical issues in his delivery. That’s no bueno for a closer on a team battling for a playoff spot. Although newly acquired A.J. Puk has been lights out recently (no runs allowed over his last 18 innings to go with a 37.7% K-BB rate), Ginkel looks like the replacement for Sewald given his track record filling in earlier this season plus Puk will be deployed more against lefties. The Gink has been supremely solid this season with a 2.68 ERA over 47 innings with a 20.3% K-BB rate and might never give Sewald back the closer role even if he corrects his mechanics. (5% FAAB)
Lucas Erceg (KCR, 12% CBS Ownership) – With Kansas City being in the thick of a dogfight for an AL Wild Card spot, James McArthur’s 9.35 ERA across 8.2 innings in July is not gonna cut it. His season ERA has ballooned to 5.31 while he struggles to punch out batters with a paltry 6.8 K/9. Erceg, acquired at the deadline, corrects a lot of McArthur’s ills, as he allowed four runs (all in one rough outing against the Angels on July 21) in 8.2 July innings and sports a 3.58 ERA and 10.2 K/9 on the season. (5-7% FAAB)
Victor Vodnik (COL, 6% CBS Ownership) – Charlie Brown (me) is back to kick the football (investing in the Colorado bullpen) again. Although, I’m hedging my bets a bit as he’s my least preferred option of the four I’ve highlighted here bid-wise. What is making Vodnik so tempting compared to those fallen Rockies relievers before him (R.I.P. to Justin Lawrence, Jalen Beeks, and Tyler Kinley) is that the underlying metrics have been excellent. Vodnik has a 121 Stuff+ rating on his whole arsenal while producing a 2.70 ERA with a 3.09 FIP in July. (1-3% FAAB)
Calvin Faucher (MIA, 2% CBS Ownership) – I know, I know, I had the Nard Dawg (Andrew Nardi) as the pickup in the Miami bullpen last week, but mea culpa. The Marlins showed their hand a bit in Wednesday’s 6-2 win over the Rays, as Nardi pitched the sixth, Anthony Bender got the eighth, and Faucher polished off the game in the ninth. Faucher throws an arsenal featuring a cutter/sinker/curve combo that is filthy (total arsenal rates as a 148 Stuff+) but has trouble locating it (10.4% career walk rate). He looks like the one to own in Miami but keep an eye on Bender and Nardi. If super desperate for saves from a bottom-feeding team, Faucher looks to be in the pole position right now. (3% FAAB)
QUICK HITS: Ryan Walker (SFG, 19% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), David Robertson (TEX, 19% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Jeremiah Estrada (SDP, 14% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Tyler Ferguson (OAK, 9% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), John Brebbia (CHW, 4% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Garrett Cleavinger (TBR, 5% CBS Ownership, 1% FAAB), Shelby Miller (DET, 4% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB), Anthony Bender (MIA, 2% CBS Ownership, 1-3% FAAB)
