The 2023 MLB trade deadline has come and gone, and the landscape of the entire league has shifted over the past few days and hours. Justin Verlander is now (again) a Houston Astro. Max Scherzer is a Texas Ranger. The New York Mets are apparently playing not for 2024 but for 2025 and 2026. The New York Yankees apparently locked Brian Cashman’s phone in a safe and forgot the combination.
But the real-life game isn’t the only thing turned upside down. For those of us with fantasy baseball rosters to worry about, the next day or two will be all about sifting through new faces in new places — and what it could mean for their stretch-run outlook. Only time will tell, but here are some players whose stock is rising and falling after the events of the past week.
Fantasy baseball: Post-trade deadline risers
New closers
It happens every year: top relief arms go from sellers to buyers, leaving open closer’s jobs in their wake. At this point in the fantasy season, any fresh sources of saves are worth their weight in gold, and there are now several around the league. The Mets held on to Adam Ottavino, who figures to man the ninth now that David Robertson’s in Miami. Giovanny Gallegos should step into the closer’s role for the Cardinals with Jordan Hicks in Toronto. And finally, flamethrower Andres Munoz has huge upside with Paul Sewald off to the Diamondbacks. All three could be difference-makers down the stretch if you’re in need of saves.
Lance Lynn
If you’re someone who sunk a draft pick into Lynn this spring — only to watch him get torched week after week, giving up the most homers in the Majors — you’re probably rolling your eyes here. But there are multiple reasons to give Lynn a second chance now that he’s a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For starters, the park: Dodger Stadium is far friendlier to a fly ball-heavy guy like Lynn than Guaranteed Rate Field. And then there’s the organization: a change in pitch mix, utilizing his curveball more and his hittable four-seamer less, could do wonders to help the righty keep the ball in the park and capitalize on his strikeout stuff. L.A. is among baseball’s best developmental organizations, and if there’s a team that can maximize Lynn, it’s the Dodgers.
Max Scherzer
Just two years ago, a midseason trade ignited Scherzer, who went 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in 11 starts down the stretch for the Dodgers. Sure, the righty is two years older now, with health questions and a diminished fastball. But he’s also been better than Mets fans would have you believe this season, with strong strikeout metrics and an ERA that’s been inflated by a fluky home run rate. With an easier division to pitch in, a pitcher-friendly home park and among the best run support in baseball, Scherzer is in position to finish 2023 strong.
Carlos Santana
Santana should get plenty of playing time for a Milwaukee Brewers team that’s gotten the second-worst production from their first basemen of any team in the Majors this season — he’s already batting third regularly with his new squad. The 37-year-old will always be a batting average suck, but if you can take the hit there, there’s reason to buy in for the stretch run: Miller Park is among the best parks in baseball for lefty power, and Santana should be a strong source of homers and counting stats.
Fantasy baseball: Post-trade deadline fallers
Old closers
Of course, the flip side of the deadline coin is that for every reliever stepping into a closer’s role, there’s another stepping out of one. This year is no different: Scott Barlow went from a stranglehold on the ninth in Kansas City to a set-up role for Josh Hader with the Padres; Jordan Hicks may serve as the closer while Jordan Romano is out but will likely slide into the eighth inning once Romano returns from his back injury; and finally, Tanner Scott figures to cede the ninth inning to the newly acquire Robertson. All of them are still valuable in holds leagues, but that’s about it barring something unexpected.
Jack Flaherty
Flaherty might see a bump in ownership thanks to the O’s deep lineup and a pitcher-friendly home park in Camden Yards (at least as far as righty power is concerned). But don’t be fooled: The righty hasn’t been able to find consistency, either with his stuff or his velocity, all year, and the AL East is a far less forgiving division than the NL Central. Trips to Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park won’t help, either.
Cristopher Sanchez
Sanchez had become a trendy waiver wire grab of late, posting a 2.66 ERA in nine starts. His reward for that performance? The Philadelphia Phillies went out and acquired Michael Lorenzen to muddy their rotation. They could go to a six-man schedule, in which case Sanchez would still hold some deeper league value, but they didn’t give up a good prospect in Hao-Yu Lee for Lorenzen to serve as a reliever.
Randal Grichuk
We’ll start with the obvious: Any player going from Coors Field to not-Coors Field is facing a serious downgrade. Offensive environment aside, though, Grichuk went from a no-doubt everyday role with the Colorado Rockies to a potential outfield logjam with the Los Angeles Angels. Mike Trout is nearing a return, and once he comes back, suddenly Grichuk’s path to regular playing time becomes cloudy — he could find himself in the short side of a platoon with Mickey Moniak.
