The next time I write this column, the MLB trade deadline will be upon us. The fortunes of some players are sure to change due to some of the trades made. A player may end up playing in a stronger lineup (protection) or in a ballpark more suitable for offense. The opposite can also be true. Personally, if I have a player on one of my fantasy teams and he is having a successful season, I don’t care if a trade is sending him to a better team or better ballpark, I don’t want him to be moved. The logic is pretty simple here if it isn’t broken, I don’t want to try and fix it.
Risers
Oscar Mercado, Cleveland Indians: The Indians have been searching for offense all season and now may have finally found it, and not via a trade. Mercado is providing plus fantasy numbers across the board. Over a full season, he is looking like someone who will hit double digits in both home runs and stolen bases. Throw in the .297 average and you have a player that everyone should be coveting. The Indians may not be done upgrading either as a trade of Trevor Bauer for another offensive player could still be in the making before the deadline.
Mike Minor, Texas Rangers: It’s hard to believe but Minor, pitching in Texas, maybe having the best season of his career. His Sunday start for Monday may also be his last for the Rangers as he would seem likely to be dealt to a contending team. Is Minor the kind of starter that a contending team or your fantasy team should be relying upon down the stretch? Probably not. He seems more likely to be that pitcher that you end up with, not the one you targeted. That being said, if he can pitch in Texas, he can pitch anywhere.
Sonny Gray, Cincinnati Reds: When it comes to Gray, some pitchers can pitch in New York, some can’t. Gray was lousy at Yankee Stadium. He blamed that performance on coaching, stating they wanted him to pitch differently than what he was accustomed to, but if that was true, then why were his numbers much better on the road than at Yankee Stadium. Did they only change his pitching style at home? It doesn’t matter. I’m the first to admit that I didn’t think it would work out for Gray in Cincinnati, but he’s been better than good. Still, I have reservations about him going down the stretch as his home starts are in one of the best hitting ballparks in the majors.
Kevin Gausman, Atlanta Braves: Gausman, remember him, returned from the IL to throw a gem Sunday versus Washington. When everything is clicking, Gausman is a better than an average starter. The problem is, rarely does everything seem to click. The Braves are paying attention though. If Gausman also pitches well Saturday in Philadelphia, the team may then elect to focus on acquiring a reliever before the trade deadline rather than another starter.
Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees: Tauchman is just plain hot. Maybe he is coming into his own and maybe not, but coming into Tuesday in July, Tauchman is batting .522 with two HRs, and 8 RBIs in only 23 at-bats. The problem is manager Aaron Boone still seems to prefer playing Brett Gardner over him. Sure, Gardner is hitting for power this season, but Gardner is also an AVG drain. They are both above average defensively so there really is no reason for Boone to play Gardner over Tauchman other than that just seems to be Boone’s preference. Something that may not change when Gardner (day to day) returns from his knee woes, not to mention when Cameron Maybin is ready to return to action.
Fallers
Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees: Sanchez is another slugger who is seeing his AVG fall further and further into the abyss. The problem is that fall has occurred without any power whatsoever. Sanchez has been chasing pitches he couldn’t hit with a sand wedge and now to top it off, he left the game Tuesday night with what the team is calling groin tightness. With the Yankees having a 10-game lead in the division, look for the team to place Sanchez on the injured list if they have any doubt about his readiness to play.
Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves: Riley seems to have hit that point in his rookie season where opposing pitchers have made an adjustment and are getting him out with regularity now. Riley only has 10 hits in the month of July. There was some talk that he could be platooned with Ender Inciarte who recently came off the IL. This is unlikely to happen for two reasons. First, Riley is a top prospect and needs to play most if not every day. Second, if he were to be in a platoon, seeing as though he bats right-handed and there are many more right-handed pitchers than southpaws, he’d be at the wrong end of that platoon. Still, he may need to be benched until he makes an adjustment of his own.
Michael Chavis, Boston Red Sox: Really what I just wrote about Riley and how he needs to make an adjustment to how opposing pitchers are attacking goes for Chavis also. There is also the issue of Chavis currently battling a back injury that has kept him out of the lineup since Saturday. This may have been a blessing in disguise though as Chavis hasn’t been doing much damage lately and now you were forced to take him out of your lineup.
Jake Odorizzi, Minnesota Twins: Is the grind of the long season catching up with Odorizzi? He was a Cy Young candidate earlier this year but that seems to have gone by the wayside. Odorizzi has given up 20 earned runs over his last 29.2 innings pitched (six starts) and given up eight HRs. Those starts have come against Kansas City (twice), Oakland (twice), Cleveland, and Tampa Bay. Outside of Oakland, not exactly murderer’s row there. You’re still starting him, but he may now be back to a win candidate, but one who will hurt your ratios.
