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Fantasy Baseball: Deals to make before the default trade deadline

Fred Zinkie
Yahoo Fantasy Contributor
·4 min read
5

Just a few days remain until the Yahoo! default August 12 trade deadline. And with no time to waste, managers are likely willing to make drastic moves for the stretch run. This is the perfect time to create offers involving players who have been especially successful or unsuccessful since the All-Star break, as managers know this is their last chance to add or remove those players via trade.

With that strategy in mind, here are some players who should be involved in last-minute trade talks.

Players to Acquire

Luis Garcia (SP, HOU)

Garcia has been outstanding in the second half from a skills perspective (33.7 percent K-BB rate, 2.42 FIP) but has an unremarkable 4.22 ERA to show for his efforts. The right-hander produced better results last time out and could be ready to go on a hot streak where he experiences luck correction and benefits from pitching on a team with an outstanding lineup and solid bullpen.

Xander Bogaerts (SS, BOS)

Both in fantasy baseball and in real-life, Bogaerts has been awful since the All-Star break. The shortstop is batting .221 with one homer and a .609 OPS in the second half, and his lack of success at the plate has spilled into his running game (zero steals). However, Bogaerts has been especially unlucky in the second half, despite showing his normal batted-ball tendencies and plate discipline. This is a rare chance to get an undervalued star player.

Joey Gallo (OF, NYY)

Gallo has been awful of late, hitting .132 since the All-Star break. Those who drafted the slugger as a low-average power hitter have gotten what they came for, and they may be willing to trade him away to repair their batting mark down the stretch. A player as powerful as Gallo should be able to hit homers in Yankee Stadium with one arm tied behind his back, making him a possible savior for those in a tight power race.

Mike Yastrzemski (OF, SF)

Yaz has dealt with the lowest BABIP (.163) of any qualified hitter while batting .179 during the second half. He has continued to hit for power during that stretch (six homers) and should soon regain his tendency to accumulate base knocks. And as one of the few full-time members of a platoon-heavy but effective Giants lineup, Yastrzemski has the potential to rack up runs and RBIs in the final weeks.

Carlos Santana (1B, KC)

Santana has not hit for average (.159) or power (two homers) in the second half. And unlike players such as Gallo or Yastrzemski, Santana doesn’t have a level of name-value that encourages his managers to remain patient during cold stretches. My guess is that you can acquire Santana for very little right now.

Players to Trade Away

Starling Marte (OF, OAK)

Marte is a great fantasy asset who should be worth a massive return on the trade market right now. The outfielder has nearly twice as many steals (12) as any other player since the All-Star break, while also hitting for a lofty .444 average. Marte has benefited from a .516 BABIP in the second half, and luck correction could soon come for him. Those who can thank Marte for jumping out to a steals lead can now consider trading him.

Tyler O’Neill (OF, STL)

O’Neill has been good overall this season (.864 OPS), but his success in the second half has come despite poor plate discipline (33.7 percent strikeout rate). The outfielder has benefited from a .444 second-half BABIP and could have a rough stretch if he continues to strike out at such a high rate. I don’t expect a massive return for O’Neill, but I can likely get someone useful with a different skill set.

Jonathan India (2B/3B, CIN)

India has been on fire since the All-Star break, hitting .304 with a 1.027 OPS. And as Cincinnati’s regular leadoff hitter, the rookie has generated plenty of buzz in fantasy circles. While I like India’s skill set, I have to acknowledge that he has been very lucky (.362 BABIP, 38.9 percent HR/FB rate) since play began in the second half. A friend recently tweeted that he was considering giving up Yoan Moncada and Cody Bellinger for India, which shows how much you might be able to get for him right now.

Zack Greinke (SP, HOU)

If you have Greinke on your team, you already know that he hasn’t been great in the second half (4.22 ERA). But do you realize just how bad he has been? The right-hander has produced an unsightly 7.01 FIP, giving him the largest second-half ERA-FIP gap of any player. Greinke still has plenty of name value, and his managers should use that name value to get someone decent for him.