The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline is behind us, and it was a wild and exciting one. Eric Samulski broke down the winners and losers from a real-life baseball standpoint, but now our Rotoworld Baseball staff has come together to discuss which players have gained or lost the most fantasy value since the end of the deadline.
Fantasy Baseball Winners and Losers from the MLB Trade Deadline
Hitter Who Gains the Most Value on a New Team
Luis Garcia Jr. – 1B, New York Yankees
Eric Samulski recorded a video on Garcia Jr. after he was traded. The focal point of that was discussing how some of Garcia Jr’s breakout this season can be attributed to his increase in pulled fly balls. That’s certainly going to play at Yankee Stadium, as it did in his first game there.
Adley Rutschman – C, Boston Red Sox
I defaulted to Rutschman here because I don’t think any traded hitter got much of a boost Monday. Jo Adell and Taylor Ward moved on to mediocre offenses in tough ballparks. Heliot Ramos might get a short-term boost as a Yankee, but he’s probably going to finish the season sitting against righties if Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger come back. Rutschman at least gets a ballpark upgrade once he returns from his wrist issue, and the Red Sox didn’t give up the farm for him with the idea of hitting him seventh. – Matthew Pouliot
Moises Ballesteros – C/DH, Los Angeles Angels
Ballesteros should be the regular DH with the Angels, especially with Jorge Soler designated for assignment. It hasn’t been a great rookie season, with a .231/.303/.385 slash line and six home runs in 175 plate appearances. However, he has a 9% barrel rate and 47% hard-hit rate and is not striking out, so there are some things to really like about what Ballesteros was doing in a part-time role. Now freed from worrying about his job, perhaps that gives him the confidence to get going at the plate a bit. His value is also huge in two-catcher formats. – Eric Samulski
Heliot Ramos – OF, New York Yankees
Ramos was a bit of a polarizing player for the staff. Some people had him as a winner at the deadline, and others thought he had lost value. We’ll make the case first for him as a winner. He gets to play in a much better lineup and a much better park for power. The Yankees are desperate for a right-handed bat with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton hurt, and Ramos could fill that bill. He’s 26 years old and under team control for beyond this year, so maybe he can take Jasson Dominguez’s job.
Liam Hicks – C/DH, Tampa Bay Rays
This is a really nice team upgrade for Hicks. If he continues to play as often as he was in Miami, this could be a big win.
Pitcher Who Gains the Most Value on a New Team
Freddy Peralta – SP, Tampa Bay Rays
Eric Samulski recorded a video on Peralta after he was traded, suggesting that more emphasis on same-handed changeups could help, and the Rays love that. Pitchers also get a boost in vertical movement on their four-seamers when they pitch off the mound at Tropicana Field, so those two things could help Peralta. Plus, he’s now pitching on a winning team.
Jose Soriano – SP, Toronto Blue Jays
Eric Samulski recorded a video on Soriano being traded to Toronto and how they could help him optimize his pitch mix in the same way they did for Dylan Cease.
Jeff Hoffman – RP, Minnesota Twins
Jeff Hoffman becomes one of the biggest beneficiaries of the trade deadline as he should slot in as the Twins’ primary closer – or at least on the strong side of a committee in the ninth inning with Yoendrys Gómez (who has been awesome in his own right). Hoffman struggled badly out of the gate this season, ceding his closer’s gig to Louis Varland, but he has really turned things around over the past couple of months. Since the calendar flipped to June, Hoffman has compiled a stellar 1.21 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and a 30/8 K/BB ratio across 22 1/3 innings of work. We have seen him perform as an elite closer before, and this move should provide him the opportunity to return to those ranks. He could wind up being a major impact addition in mixed leagues over the final two months of the season. – Dave Shovein
Luke Weaver – RP, Pittsburgh Pirates
When I published an article a few weeks ago about players who could gain value after the trade deadline, I mentioned Weaver as my favorite relief pitcher stash. The 32-year-old has been great for the Mets with a 2.03 ERA and 28% strikeout rate in 40 innings, and I said, “He is signed for $11 million next year, which is not a total burden for a team to take on. Weaver could very likely be traded into a setup role on another team, but he also seems like a low-cost addition for a team on the periphery of playoff contention like the White Sox or Pirates to gamble on in the hopes of stabilizing their bullpen.” Well, he winds up with the Pirates, and while they may give Mason Montgomery a few save chances against left-handed-heavy pockets, Weaver has pitched too well not to get a crack at their closer role. – Eric Samulski
Ryan Zeferjahn – RP, Chicago Cubs
Until Daniel Palenica returns, Zeferjahn figures to be one of the primary options to close for the Cubs. He had a 3.66 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts in 51.2 innings for the Angels and has been even better since the summer. This could be a nice opportunity for him, and Palencia’s health is certainly a ajor question mark.
Hitter Who Gains the Most by Staying on His Team
Tyler O’Neill – OF, Orioles
Tyler O’Neill has been a colossal disappointment during his time with the Orioles, as injuries and ineffectiveness have made him nothing more than an afterthought for fantasy purposes. What he should have now though, is opportunity. With Taylor Ward moved at the trade deadline, the door is open once again for the 31-year-old slugger to hold down an everyday role in the middle of the Orioles’ lineup. He has also shown a pulse at the plate as of late, slashing .308/.325/.667 with four homers and eight RBI over 40 plate appearances dating back to July 8. While he’s unlikely to continue at that pace and would be a betting favorite to land back on the injured list at some point before the end of the season, O’Neill can be scooped off of the waiver wire for nothing in most leagues and could make some noise in the power department before the 2026 season comes to a close. – Dave Shovein
Cole Carrigg – OF, Rockies
We’ve had Carrigg in our waiver wire column for a few weeks now, anticipating a trade. We thought the Rockies may move more than one outfielder, but they did trade away Brenton Doyle, which paves the way for Carrigg to be the regular starting center fielder going forward. He has hit well in his rookie season, slashing .287/.367/.519 in 34 games with four home runs, 27 runs scored, and 23 RBI. He has slightly below-average barrel rates and hard-hit rates, so he’s not tearing the cover off of the ball, but he has good bat speed and is making better-than-league-average zone contact, which is a nice profile in Coors Field. – Eric Samulski
Bryce Harper – OF/1B, Phillies and Bryson Stott – 2B/3B, Phillies
This is just about added positional value. Both Harper and Stott will move positions and pick up valuable extra positions where you can slot them into your lineup. They also get to hit behind (likely) Luis Arraez, who will get on base a ton. Those are two nice little value boosts.
Pitcher Who Gains the Most by Staying on His Team
Brandyn Garcia – RP, Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks didn’t add a closer at the deadline. In fact, the Diamondbacks didn’t really add anything at the deadline. That means Garcia will continue to operate as the lead in their committee until Justin Martinez returns in September. Even then, Martinez will be coming off major arm surgery, and the Diamondbacks could be in a playoff race. How much would they put on his plate right away? – Eric Samulski
Samy Natera Jr. – RP, Angels
Well, somebody has to close games for the Angels, right? Ryan Zeferjahn, Kirby Yates, and Brent Suter were all shipped out of town on Monday, so Natera could earn a role by default. The 26-year-old southpaw has been awesome since his call-up in June, posting a 2.28 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings. He began his professional career as a starter, but has found a home as a reliever over the past two seasons while getting a ton of whiffs on his fastball and slider. If Natera can continue to limit the walks, he has a real future. – D.J. Short
Dylan Smith – RP, Giants
Smith seemed to be the Giants’ second most trusted reliever before the team traded current closer Erik Miller and recent closer Caleb Kilian at the deadline. There would also be a case for Keaton Winn for saves in San Francisco, but Tony Vitello clearly likes using him earlier in games. Smith had been getting eighth-inning work and has a 2.75 ERA and a 27 percent strikeout rate in his 19 2/3 innings. The Giants probably aren’t going to win a ton of games from here on out, but they’ll play low-scoring, close affairs. I can see Smith being of use to those who can’t go out and pick up Jeff Hoffman or Luke Weaver. – Matthew Pouliot
Hitter Who Loses the Most Value on a New Team
Heliot Ramos – OF, Yankees
The counterargument for Ramos is that he’s a career .249/.305/.388 hitter against right-handed pitching. That .693 OPS is far below average. The Yankees, especially when Cody Bellinger returns from injury, could decide to simply use Ramos against left-handed pitching, which would kill all of his fantasy value.
Brenton Doyle – OF, White Sox
Doyle is no longer going to play his home games in Coors Field, which hurts his value. He also could wind up as a short-side platoon bat and a defensive replacement in a crowded White Sox outfield. That would crush any remaining value whatsoever. – Eric Samulski
Jo Adell – OF, Guardians
Baseball Savant suggests that Adell would actually have more homers if he played every game in Progressive Field compared to Angel Stadium, but it’s still not a great place for home runs for right-handed batters, particularly because of the 19-foot wall in left field. My bigger concern for Adell is how much he’s slipped against right-handed pitching, as he holds a .593 OPS against them this season. The decision will come down to personnel, but the Guardians are a smart team, so he’s not a lock to be in the lineup every day in my mind. – D.J. Short
Nathaniel Lowe – 1B, Guardians
Nathaniel Lowe wasn’t an everyday player for the Reds, even against righties, but it’s no secret that he’s leaving one of the better hitting parks in MLB. In 2026, Lowe has posted a .551 slugging percentage at Great American compared to .441 on the road. For immediate playing time purposes, it helps that the Guardians optioned Kyle Manzardo to Triple-A following the Lowe acquisition. And perhaps the addition of Jo Adell will help the lineup too. This is an offense that currently ranks 29th in runs, though. It’s a clear downgrade to the use case that was streaming Lowe against righties at Great American. – Brendan Tuma
Lane Thomas – OF, Braves
Pretty simply, Thomas moves from a starting job into a short-side platoon. Now, the one silver lining is that the only thing standing between him and a starting job on a far better team in a far better ballpark is Mike Yastrzemski. However, for now, Thomas loses most of his fantasy value.
Pitcher Who Loses the Most Value on a New Team
Luis Castillo – SP, White Sox
Castillo was a member of the rotation in Seattle and will be in Chicago, so this is not a role decrease. Chicago is also playing better baseball than the Mariners, so it’s not a team context decrease. However, he is leaving one of the best pitching environments in baseball, and that could be a problem. He was already hard to trust because he wasn’t pitching particularly well, but we just took away one of the only advantages he had. – Eric Samulski
Erik Miller – RP, Giants
Erik Miller got tons of votes from our staff, and it makes sense. He had been the closer in San Francisco. He will not be closing games with the Red Sox.
Tyler Wells – RP, Rays
Wells heads to Tampa Bay, leaving behind a committee he had been co-leading with Andrew Kittredge. Consider the veteran Kittredge one of the possible winners going forward as a result of being the last man standing, but Wells will not be getting saves in Tampa Bay. – Brendan Tuma
Hitter Who Loses the Most Value by Staying on His Team
Zach Neto – SS, Angels
Four of our writers voted for Neto, and it’s mainly about what could have been. Neto had been discussed in trade rumors with a few teams, notably the Red Sox. Neto in Fenway Park would have been tremendous for fantasy production. He’s not a worse player because he stayed in Los Angeles, but he’s on a team that sold away tons of players and in a lineup that’s worse than it was a week ago. None of that is ideal for fantasy value. Especially compared to what we almost had.
Willy Adames – SS, Giants
Willy Adames was one of the players who lost value by not being traded simply because he had so much to gain had he been on the move. The Giants were rumored to get calls on the 30-year-old shortstop, but instead moved a couple of the better hitters around him, including Luis Arraez and Heliot Ramos, further weakening his run-producing outlook the rest of the way. Not to mention the loss of Casey Schmitt to a knee injury and Matt Chapman’s absence with an abdominal injury. It’s about as bleak as it can get at Oracle Park. As is the case when a hitter goes to San Francisco and loses value, he had much to gain by moving out of one of baseball’s worst hitting environments. – Jorge Montanez
Jasson Dominguez – OF, Yankees
Prior to being optioned to Triple-A following Monday’s game, Jasson Domínguez had started all but one game for the Yankees dating back to June 17. He was being given everyday playing time with all the injuries New York dealt with, but he produced an 81 wRC+ throughout July, and his stat line only worsened following the All-Star break. So the team traded for Heliot Ramos and is sticking with Spencer Jones in the big leagues for now. A trade could’ve presented Domínguez with a better short-term opportunity, in addition to bringing a change of scenery. Instead, he’ll head back to the minors with his long-term future role in New York still in doubt. – Brendan Tuma
Pedro Ramirez – 2B/3B, Cubs
Pedro Ramírez has all the tools necessary to be a quality, everyday player. He has good contact skills, plus raw power (that hasn’t actualized at the big league level yet), speed, a solid glove, and he makes fine swing decisions. The only problem is the Cubs have their entire infield locked up for the next three or more years. Ramírez’s name came up in some trade discussions, but he wasn’t moved. So, he’ll keep mixing in as a part-time player around the diamond until something shakes loose. – James Schiano
Luis Robert Jr. – OF, Mets
Robert Jr. was not traded, but Tyrone Taylor was. That means Robert Jr. is going to remain the regular center fielder for the Mets for the remainder of the season, or at least until (if) Juan Soto returns from his calf injury and reshuffles the outfield alignment. Robert Jr. hasn’t produced in that role yet, but it’s good for his fantasy value that he got to stay and got rid of his competition.
Pitcher Who Loses the Most Value by Staying on His Team
Reid Detmers – SP Angels
We generally want pitchers to be free from the Angels, and when the rumors surfaced that Detmers had been traded to the Cubs, there was palpable excitement across baseball Twitter. Finally, an organization that would be able to get the most out of his raw stuff, maybe force him to use other variations of a fastball more often, and also give him a better chance at wins. Alas, he is remaining in Los Angeles on an Angels team that also shipped out some of their better hitters. Not ideal, which is why over 75% of our writers picked him. – Eric Samulski
Emmet Sheehan – SP, Dodgers
Well, Sheehan was demoted after we started taking votes on this. However, had Sheehan been part of that Tigers’ package, he would certainly have remained in the team’s rotation. As it stands, he’s now in Triple-A and remains in an organization that has tons of pitching talent coming off the injured list soon. There’s a chance we don’t see Sheehan make more than 1-2 more starts for the Dodgers this season. – Eric Samulski
Brandon Sproat – SP, Brewers
It looks like Brandon Sproat may have finally lost his rotation spot. Another poor start on Monday night pushed his ERA up to 5.29, 11th-highest among all pitchers who’ve thrown at least 90 innings. Also, the Brewers paid a pretty penny to acquire Dustin May before the trade deadline, and Kyle Harrison is due back off the injured list this week. Manager Pat Murphy blatantly said that Sproat’s role would be evaluated after Monday’s outing, and it seems like the writing is on the wall too, with many more effective starters available to take the ball. – James Schiano
Jeffrey Springs – SP, Athletics
I felt like the Athletics should have traded Springs at the deadline. Of course, now we know he was just put on the injured list with a hip injury, but you also have to wonder if that move was made after they didn’t find a trade to their liking and they just decided to shut him down. The A’s are certainly not contending, and Springs has a $15 million club option for 2027 that they may not be inclined to pick up. The left-hander has not been good this season, but he was an impactful starter over four injury-plagued seasons with the Rays from 2021-24. Some team should have taken a chance on him as a back-of-the-rotation starter, and Springs has provided fantasy value outside of Sacramento before. Of course, maybe he wasn’t healthy, but even if he comes back into the rotation at some point this season, he can’t be used in fantasy leagues – Eric Samulski
Gregory Soto – RP, Pirates
This is pretty straightforward: Soto had been getting some save chances, and he no longer will be.
Yoendrys Gómez – RP, Twins
Over in Minnesota, the assumption is that Jeff Hoffman will take over ninth-inning duties, but Yoendrys Gómez has been solid for the Twins. At one point it appeared as if Andrew Morris would eat into Gómez’s save chances, but Morris’ recent ineffectiveness has run counter to that argument. Let’s consider this a two-man committee for now between Gómez and Hoffman, but the odds are not in Gómez’s favor to keep the lion’s share of this role. – Brendan Tuma
Hitting Prospect to Stash
George Lombard Jr. – SS, Yankees
We started voting on this before the announcement was made that Lombard Jr. was being called up. The 21-year-old remains a work in progress from an offensive standpoint at this stage of his development, but he’s shown some real over-the-fence pop at the Triple-A level this season. He’s a phenomenal defender and projects as New York’s long-term answer at shortstop, which means they can finally end the bizarre José Caballero and Anthony Volpe timeshare once and for all. He may not provide an instant fantasy impact outside of deeper leagues, but Lombard is a prospect worth monitoring closely, even in shallow mixers. – George Bissell
Franklin Arias – SS, Red Sox
Two of our writers said Arias, and while I wasn’t one of them, I’ll speak on their behalf for the purposes of timing and the fact that I forgot to ask them to tell me why. Whoops. Arias is one of the top prospects in baseball and, after crushing Double-A this season, has hit two home runs and driven in seven in his first seven games at Triple-A. The Red Sox need some help in the middle infield with Trevor Story and Curtis Mead both injured and Marcelo Mayer now in San Francisco. Personally, I think it would be hyper aggressive for the Red Sox to call up the 20-year-old to play every day in a pennant race, but he would be the highest-ranked offensive prospect promoted in the final months of the season, so I can see the intrigue if he gets the chance. – Eric Samulski
Abimelec Ortiz – 1B, Nationals
It seems that Abimelec Ortiz is getting the first crack at the starting first base job after Luis Garcia Jr. was traded to the Yankees. Ortiz, who came over in the MacKenzie Gore trade, is having a solid enough season at Triple-A, hitting .244/.348/.497 with 18 homers for Rochester. He also homered off Cam Schlittler on Monday in New York. His power is legit, and he figures to play against all right-handers in a good lineup. Of course, if James Wood is out for an extended period of time, then the lineup around him takes a big hit. – Eric Samulski
Joshua Baez – OF, Cardinals
With Lars Nootbaar out of the way, the door is open for Joshua Báez to make his MLB debut in the coming weeks (potentially after August 14th when the Cardinals can keep his rookie eligibility for 2027). The 23-year-old outfielder is one of the team’s top hitting prospects and possesses tantalizing power and speed upside to make an impact for fantasy managers down the stretch, even if he struggles with some swing-and-miss. Báez has hit 32 homers with 17 steals with a .901 OPS across 95 games with Triple-A Memphis. This comes after a 20/54 season across High-A and Double-A in 2025. Those tools make him one of the better lottery tickets to stash for a final push in fantasy leagues. – Jorge Montanez
Hector Rodriguez – OF, Reds
When he blurbed the announcement that Rodriguez was called up on Tuesday, George Bissell wrote: “Rodríguez is one of the more electrifying talents in the Reds’ system and will get his first opportunity at the highest level after hitting .274/.347/.533 with 27 round-trippers and six steals in 455 plate appearances for Triple-A Louisville. The 22-year-old outfielder is worthy of a speculative pickup in deeper mixed leagues based on his over-the-fence power upside. He figures to play every day for Cincinnati over the final two months.” – George Bissell
Pitching Prospect to Stash
Kade Anderson – SP, Mariners
Every staff member put Kade Anderson, and then some of us switched it to another pitcher because we just wanted to have more names in this section. Anderson is the best pitching prospect in baseball. He has a 1.20 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and 40.5% strikeout rate in 82.1 innings at Double-A. The Mariners traded away Luis Castillo. They still have five starting pitchers remaining, so it’s unclear if Anderson will just get a spot in the rotation, but it feels like that would be the best course of action as they chase a playoff spot. – Eric Samulski
River Ryan – SP, Tigers
For all of the hoopla surrounding the Dodgers’ trade for Tarik Skubal and River Ryan’s status as a prospect despite turning 28 later this month, he has nasty stuff and should slot into the Tigers rotation soon. His fastball sits around 96 mph with good life and can miss bats in the zone. He also has a sinker and deep array of plus secondary pitches off it — a slider, curveball, cutter, and changeup — that he can mix against hitters from either side of the plate. It’s a major league-capable arsenal, and he would’ve been getting big league innings over the last two seasons if not for Tommy John surgery towards the end of the 2024 season. Back in Triple-A this year, he struck out 43 batters across 36 1/3 innings with just eight walks despite dealing with a lingering hamstring issue. When healthy, he should get some innings with Detroit before the end of the season. – James Schiano
Jackson Jobe – SP, Tigers
The Tigers freed up two spots in their starting rotation after trading away Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. Jobe, who’s been out all season after last year’s Tommy John surgery, has already made four rehab starts and has allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in seven innings since getting to Double-A. That’s with a 7/4 K/BB ratio. He may need two more rehab starts, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see him make 4-6 starts with the Tigers to end the season. He’s a big name prospect, but remember that he’s coming off a major arm surgery and had just an 18% strikeout rate in 49 innings for the Tigers in 2025. – Eric Samulski
George Klassen – SP, Angels
I had Klassen in that same article on players who could see a boost after the trade deadline, and he now could be used to fill one of the rotation spots vacated by Jose Soriano being traded and Ryan Johnson being optioned. As we said above in the Soriano blurb, not many of us trust the Angels’ pitching development; however, I did like Klassen as a pitcher when he was back in the Phillies’ system. There remains a chance that he could become an impactful starter if he can harness his command. In six starts in July, he had a 2.48 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 38/11 K/BB ratio in 36.1 innings. Maybe he’s putting it together? – Eric Samulski
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