Hello Razzballers! Since we last met around these parts to talk FAAB, there’s been limited non-exhibition baseball action. With that in mind, check out last week’s article for an in-depth analysis of players to target and bid levels, including the usual Quick Hits. All of the information in there still holds up (thank you baseball gods, because Jeremy and I jinxed the career of Kyle Gibson by off-handedly discussing him in this week’s Cards & Categories pod, forcing the veteran righty to retire). I even went through the painstaking process of checking most roster levels from last week, and the only player that underwent a significant rostership bump was Janson Junk, who thanks to his superb run of recent is worthy of picking up where available until the hot streak cools.
So instead for this week, let’s start preparing for the looming trade deadline on July 31. Outside of amazing matchups **feebly points at sign, knowing the mileage on this schtick is rapidly running out**, the deadline is going to cause the largest impact to find new players to add for the final stretch in the fantasy baseball season. If one has the roster flexibility to start stashing players about to benefit the most from those deadline moves (trades, DFAs, promotions), fantasy value can be acquired now for pennies (nickels given that pennies are on their death bed?) on the dollar (or two dollars, welcome to a world of unending, runaway inflation – yay!).
First, let’s lay out how teams stack up as likely buyers, sellers, or somewhere in between, so that we can determine the rosters that might yield the best targets in general. My breakdown is as follows:
Buyers: TOR, NYY, BOS, TBR, DET, KCR, HOU, SEA, LAA, PHI, NYM, CHC, MIL, CIN, LAD, SDP, SFG
Sellers: BAL, CLE, CHW, ATH, MIA, ATL, WSN, PIT, ARI, COL
Chaos Agents: MIN, TEX, STL
A few thoughts on the above…
Generally, we have seller’s market due to the three-Wild Card format in the league; this has held true for a few years since it was first instituted and likely will always be. I do wonder if it creates different roster constructions in the future because there isn’t a lot of harm in stocking up the roster with one-year contracts and falling way out of the race like Baltimore and Atlanta have. There’s always the path to sell the spare parts and restock for the next year as the contending teams scrape to pluck what’s available.
On specific teams… first, yes, I do think the Angels are buying. The club stands four games out of a Wild Card spot, and we’ve seen Artie and Perry pursue a playoff spot like an oasis in the desert (obviously, it’s a mirage, the Angels should sell but won’t).
Second, I have Kansas City, Cleveland, and Minnesota in separate categories despite them all jumbled within a half game of each other. The Royals have shown their hand slightly by acquiring Adam Frazier this week, announcing their intentions to go for it. The Guardians should sell – it’s not a good team with a -45 run differential and has players (Carlos Santana, Emmanuel Clase, other relievers) that could fetch nice trade hauls. The Twins are ahead of both rivals in the standings but probably should sell in my book – it’s similar to Cleveland in which the team isn’t great and doesn’t look prepped for a deep playoff run, so might as well restock for 2026.
Lastly, the Cardinals’ deadline intentions are completely unknown. They are in the thick of the tough NL Wild Card race but keep marching Miles Mikolas and Erick Fedde to the mound in way that is so self-owning, you wonder if John Mozeliak is taking a grudge out on ownership. They should buy; it’s a solid team that plays good defense and has a decent bullpen, but I wouldn’t be so certain they’ll make the moves to shore up that starting rotation given the team’s public statements.
Alright, with all of that laid out, let’s focus on some specific players this weekend that could garner bigger opportunities down the stretch post-deadline.
The stats and roster rates below are updated as of noon central time on 7/18.
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 BlueSky (@mcouill7.bsky.social).
BATTERS
Check out last week’s piece (linked above), in which I discussed C.J. Kayfus (1B/OF, CLE, 7% CBS Rostership), Dylan Beavers (OF, BAL, 3% CBS Rostership), Nick Yorke (2B, PIT, 3% CBS Rostership), and Carlos Rodriguez (OF, ATL, 0% CBS Rostership). All are must-stashes in AL- or NL-Only leagues while Kayfus and Beavers can be added in 15-teamers for 1-3% FAAB.
Chase DeLauter (OF, CLE, 27% CBS Rostership) – Despite the unknowns around Cleveland’s deadline plans, DeLauter is in a win-win situation, assuming his sore wrist from before the All-Star break has healed up appropriately. If the Guards want to make a run, DeLauter, with his .277/.360/.554 (137 wRC+) slash line over the last month at Triple-A, is an easy add to provide a boost to an offense that ranks fifth-to-last in runs scored. If the Guards sell, the path to a roster spot and regular playing time will likely be very clear for the 2022 first-round pick. (3% FAAB in 12-teamers)
Coby Mayo (1B/3B, BAL, 22% CBS Rostership) – Mayo’s profile is one that reeks of a young hitter simply needing to get some run and find a groove. His .203/.259/.304 slash line through 85 plate appearances this season has come in sporadic playing time as a short-side platoon bat. But underneath the hood, things look okay with a workable 25.9% K-rate, 7.1% BB-rate, 8.8% barrel rate, and 77.3% zone-contact rate (the last one is very important, he ran an incredibly awful 68.3% zone-contact rate in 2024). When Ryan O’Hearn is shipped out at the deadline, Mayo should walk right into a full-time gig at the cold corner. The 23-year-old just needs his chance, and Baltimore will play hot and humid (great for better distance on batted balls) over the last two months. Mayo has all the skills to be a .240 hitter with 30-ish homers over a full season and could provide some relief to those scrambling for a corner-infield option. (3% FAAB in 10/12-teamers, scale up accordingly if he’s available in a deeper league)
Zac Veen (COL, 10% CBS Rostership) – I’ll never get tired of the gulf between the surface-level and weighted stats for Rockies and their minor leaguers (who pretty much all play in offense-heavy environments). Since returning to Triple-A Albuquerque on June 18 from an ankle injury, Veen has slashed an incredible .369/.426/.548 for a wRC+ of just 133 (most other places, that’s a 150 or more, easily). Colorado will be in a position to sell, as always, at this upcoming deadline and there have been overtones of the front office actually looking to make moves for once. The most obvious player they could move outside of expiring-contract veteran infielders (Orlando Arcia and Kyle Farmer, who will not have expansive markets) is to possibly ship Mickey Moniak out to a team looking for a fourth outfielder. That would clear the path for Veen to return to the big leagues to try to reestablish himself over fellow rookie Yanquiel Fernandez. (1-3% FAAB in 15-teamers)
Will Robertson (CHW, 0% CBS Rostership) – The 27-year-old Robertson is one of the few souls in baseball who likely welcomed the trade from the contending Blue Jays to the lowly White Sox. In Toronto, the former Creighton Blue Jay (although Robertson might have invited the move, his presumably Midwest AF, Missouri mom was likely bummed she had to get rid of all the blue jay-themed tchotchkes she was surely collecting) was blocked by the plethora of outfield options around him. In Chicago, Robertson is on the precipice of a full-time gig as Mike Tauchman (and maybe Luis Robert Jr. or Andrew Benintendi, assuming some dollars are eaten) is all but set to be shipped to a contender as a fourth outfielder in a few weeks’ time. Robertson was wonderful in his time at Triple-A Buffalo, slashing .292/.403/.578 (156 wRC+) with 14 taters in 62 games. Look for him to be a high-volume bat with a .230-ish average that would pace to 20-25 homers over a full season. That’s not sexy, but it picks up desperately needed stats in an AL-Only league. (1-3% FAAB in AL-Only leagues)
PITCHERS
Check out last week’s piece (linked above), in which I discussed Robby Snelling (MIA, 8% CBS Rostership) and Parker Messick (CLE, 3% CBS Rostership). Both are must-stashes in AL- or NL-Only leagues and can be added in 15-teamers for 1-3% FAAB.
Cade Cavalli (WSN, 8% CBS Rostership) – Michael Soroka is very unlikely to survive the deadline with Washington since he’s a pending free agent and makes a solid fourth/fifth starter or bullpen weapon on a contender. Things have been bumpy as Cavalli has stalled out at Triple-A with a 5.80 ERA over 49.2 frames this season but has also been the victim of a .354 BABIP and 21.2% HR/FB rate, so his xFIP is much better at 4.10, which pairs well with a 9.8 K/9. The 2020 first round pick is now an aged 26 years old and should be capable of walking into a rotation spot with the Nats to produce roughly a 4.10 ERA with a strikeout per inning. There could also be upside if Cavalli is currently feeling the doldrums of riding those minor-league busses and might perk up when in the big leagues. (1-3% FAAB in 15-teamers)
Hunter Barco (PIT, 5% CBS Rostership) – While Bubba Chandler has rediscovered his footing in July, firing 12 scoreless innings with 13 Ks against four walks, there should be plenty of innings to go around in Pittsburgh post-deadline. Veteran southpaw Andrew Heaney is a pending free agent and certain to be dealt. In addition, the Pirates are going to start tapering Paul Skenes’ workload (which… what the hell? If I’m Skenes, I’d file a grievance. This is clearly a ploy to tamp down the arbitration dollars while doing major damage Skenes’ legacy, as he is one of this generation’s only arms that could sniff typical HOF numbers.). Barco, a 6’4”, 235-lb lefty drafted in 2022 out of Florida, has impressed over 68.2 total minor-league innings this season. He’s pitched to a 2.10 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 11.1 K/9 across Triple- and Double-A. He’s also Rule 5 draft eligible this offseason, meaning he needs to be put on the 40-man roster in order to be protected. Why wouldn’t the Pirates bring him up to give him a taste of the big leagues and audition for a 2026 rotation spot down the stretch? Oh, yeah, right – they are the Pirates. (1-3% FAAB in 15-teamers)
Dylan Lee (ATL, 10% CBS Rostership) – Raisel Iglesias and Pierce Johnson make easy tickets to cash in for a few minor leaguers at the deadline as Iglesias is a pending free agent and Johnson has an easily-declinable team option for 2026. Atlanta should be able to find new homes for both as solid relievers are hot commodities at the deadline. That should leave Lee, who sports a 2.55 ERA. 0.92 WHIP, and 21.6% K-BB over 42.1 frames this season, as the de facto saves option for Brian Snitker. (3% FAAB in 15-teamers)
