Though many look to the MLB All-Star break as a chance to catch their breath and take a step back from the daily grind of roster changes and waiver claims, it is paramount for you to use this time to prepare for the impending July 31 trade deadline.
In-season player movement can cause tremendous upheaval for fantasy baseball rosters and, as in a game of chess, you need to look three steps ahead of everyone else. To do so, you need to analyze the current market for players and understand which big league clubs are going to make the biggest splash.
Starting pitching, particularly of the left-handed variety, is always a hot commodity. Cole Hamels and J.A. Happ long have been expected to change uniforms, and though the Yankees, Red Sox and Mariners were expected to be the biggest players, injuries have ravaged a number of teams causing the bidding to get much more competitive.
The Cubs no longer can count on Yu Darvish; the Braves, who also just lost Brandon McCarthy, likely will shut down rookie Mike Soroka; and the Cardinals and Nationals have some new rotation holes that need to be filled. And don’t forget the Angels, who might not see Shohei Ohtani pitch again this season, or the Athletics, who suddenly are wild-card contenders.
The increased competition for starters doesn’t immediately affect the fantasy community, but the increased chance of an AL pitcher moving to the NL, or vice versa, certainly does. Those who play in AL- or NL-only leagues run a significant risk of losing players outright. Yes, they also could see an influx of new talent, but the adjustments a pitcher needs to make when switching leagues take time and often affect overall performance.
The current changes in the market for third basemen also should have an impact on the fantasy world. We expected Josh Donaldson to be a highly coveted commodity, but the recent setback in his recovery from a calf injury has made the competition for Manny Machado, Mike Moustakas and Adrian Beltre that much more intense.
The Cardinals, Phillies and Braves have been considered potential landing spots, but now the Cubs are concerned with Kris Bryant’s shoulder and the Angels just lost Zack Cozart for the year.
Not only do you need to worry about your players changing teams, but also you need to watch for potential loss of playing time should a team look to upgrade from one of your guys on their roster.
Preparation today is what will keep your fantasy feet on the ground when the winds of change start to blow.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 4-6 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy sports advice, MLB lineups and DFS weather updates.
