While the MLB trade deadline has come and gone, there is still time to maneuver in most fantasy baseball leagues, and setting yourself up with proper starting pitching could be the key to your success.

Due to the shortened season in 2020, teams have been very concerned with how many innings their top-tier hurlers are throwing. They are being extremely protective of their prospects and aces, especially if they are eyeing the playoffs. However, some teams fighting for wild-card spots cannot afford to hold back all of their talent, which helps open the door for some unheralded trade targets.

Everyone wants to trade for guys like Brandon Woodruff, Lucas Giolito and Kevin Gausman, but with the position the Brewers, White Sox and Giants are in right now, they are going to be able to hold back their starters and spare their arms the extra wear-and-tear. You also have to be careful with teams like Oakland, Boston, San Diego and the Dodgers. Right now, they control the wild-card spots, and though they need to maintain their place in the standings, they also have to prep for October. That still leaves you with a decent array of starting pitchers from which to choose.

The Cardinals are a great place to start. Adam Wainwright is a great short-term asset and a veteran who can eat innings. They are also getting back veteran Jack Flaherty, who has been out for more than two months with an oblique issue. He may need a tune-up start or two, but he is a talented arm and has thrown just 62 innings this year.

With the Mariners just 4 ¹/₂ games out of a playoff spot, they’ve got a couple of veteran arms you might be able to add to your arsenal. Lefty Marco Gonzales is 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA since the All-Star break, and he is not on anyone’s radar right now. Yusei Kikuchi is another one to look at, with his 2.86 ERA and 30 strikeouts over his past 22 innings.

Those are just a few of the unheralded names who would be great assets to your team down the stretch. Max Fried from the Braves, Sonny Gray from the Reds and even Robbie Ray from Toronto can help. Keep watching the standings and see which teams are inching closer. They all have veteran hurlers who can help.

Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball advice.