MLB Barometer: Every Hitter Dealt at the Deadline

The MLB trade deadline and the week leading up to it featured nearly 60 trades. I covered five of the biggest moves on the night of the deadline, and Ryan Rufe covered all the reliever trades on Thursday. This article will cover every trade that included a major-league hitter, with an article on the starting pitchers soon to follow. For the sake of completeness, I've also copied over the write-ups for any trade which was covered in my previous article, with minor changes if anything looks different in the last few days.

For any prospect included in one of these deals, I'll note his current level and his current rank on our Top 400 Prospect Rankings. I'll leave the deeper analysis there to those more qualified. For every major leaguer, I'll note their old and new park factors in terms of wOBA, the best measure of overall offense. (Higher means more hitter-friendly.) I'll also note their old role and their new one, or at least my interpretation of what their role seems to be after their first few games with their new team.

Mariners get OF Randy Arozarena
Rays get OF Aidan Smith (A, 103), SP Brody Hopkins (A, 351), player to be named later

This deal could have big implications for the Mariners' playoff aspirations, as Arozarena's bat should be a boost to a lineup that ranks 20th by team wRC+ (96). It's unlikely to have a major impact on Arozarena's fantasy value, and what impact is has will likely be negative, as he trades a tough park to hit in for an even tougher one.

Diamondbacks get 1B Josh Bell
Marlins get player to be named later or cash

Bell hit a disappointing .239/.305/.394 for the Marlins (good for a 96 wRC+), but that was still good enough for an everyday job and a spot in the heart of the order for a Miami lineup that ranks third-worst in team offense (83 wRC+). Unless Bell picks things up soon, it probably won't be enough for everyday at-bats on a Diamondbacks team that has the seventh-best lineup in the league (110  wRC+). For now, though, Christian Walker is set to miss three weeks with a strained left oblique, so Bell should have a few weeks as the everyday first baseman. After that, he may not be needed for anything more than the short side of a DH platoon with Joc Pederson.

Giants get 1B/OF Mark Canha
Tigers get RP Eric Silva (AA, NR)

Canha owns an unimpressive 98 wRC+, the product of a .231/.337/.350 slash line, but he nonetheless held down a regular spot in the middle of the Tigers' order. The 35-year-old is unlikely to have the same role on the Giants, where he'll probably be on the short side of a platoon at first base or in an outfield corner.

Rays get OF Dylan Carlson
Cardinals get RP Shawn Armstrong

It's possible not much changes for Carlson, who was only starting against lefties in St. Louis and seems likely to fill a similar role in Tampa. But the collision of compelling narratives here — "ex-Cardinals outfielder" meets "the Rays get the best out of their players" — makes Carlson an interesting option to speculate on in deep leagues. Would you really be surprised if one of the most competent organizations in the league manages to get the most out of a player who was very highly rated as a prospect and who's still just 25 years old? Then again, we're talking about someone who hit .198/.275/.240 with zero homers and zero steals in 59 games before the trade, so the gap between what he is now and what he needs to be in order to matter in your fantasy league couldn't be much wider. Armstrong, who owns a 5.40 ERA in 46.2 innings this season but has a 3.87 SIERA, is a serviceable depth piece for St. Louis but won't find himself anywhere near the closer job. 

Yankees get 3B/OF Jazz Chisholm
Marlins get C Agustin Ramirez (AAA, 138), 2B Jared Serna (A+, 196), SS Abrahan Ramirez (R, NR)

Much is the same for Chisholm after this move. He was an everyday player when healthy (which he's been all season) in Miami, and the same will be true in New York. He'll probably find himself hitting lower in the order more frequently, and he won't get an overall park upgrade, as Yankee Stadium checks in as more pitcher-friendly than loanDepot Park despite boosting left-handed power. He hit the ground running right away, however, with back-to-back two-homer games in his second and third games as a Yankees, and I'm already willing to consider the move an upgrade for a player who's been an MLB The Show cover athlete but has yet to eclipse 3.0 WAR in a season due to injuries and inconsistency.

That's provided that the frequently anti-fun Yankees organization allows itself to be brought up to Chisholm's level rather than demanding he stoop down to theirs, of course. If the team keeps feeding off his energy as it has the past few days, we could look back on this as the move that decides the AL East, especially since the Orioles failed to add anyone whose potential matches what Chisholm can provide. Take his 14 homers, 12 steals and 136 wRC+ in 60 games in an injury-shortened 2022 season and imagine the boost in counting stats that comes from sharing a lineup with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto instead of Otto Lopez and Nick Gordon, and you get an idea of the possible upside here.

Royals get SS Paul DeJong
White Sox get RP Jarold Rosado (A, NR)

You might not have noticed, either because he did it for the White Sox or because what he did still wasn't all that impressive, but DeJong is having his best season at the plate since 2019, slashing .233/.279/.437 (good for a 97 wRC+) with 18 homers in 102 games. It's the sort of profile which ought to equate to an everyday player on a bad team or a part-timer on a playoff contender, but DeJong appears set for everyday at-bats with the Royals. He'll slide over to third base with Bobby Witt Jr. locked in at shortstop, bumping Maikel Garcia to second and Michael Massey to DH or the bench. A better home park and a better surrounding lineup without a drop in playing time means DeJong's value gets a small boost down the stretch.

Pirates get OF Bryan De La Cruz
Marlins get SP Jun-Seok Shim (R, NR), 1B Garret Forrester (A, NR)

De La Cruz's .245/.289/.417 slash line with the Marlins was merely good for a 96 wRC+, a mark which doesn't normally merit everyday at-bats split between DH and left field. The Marlins didn't have any real alternatives, however, and the Pirates also seem to need him in an everyday capacity in right field, where they've hit a collective .232/.317/.327 (83 wRC+). A small lineup upgrade cancels out a small park downgrade, leaving the move a wash for De La Cruz's fantasy value.

Cardinals get SP Erick Fedde, OF Tommy Pham
Dodgers get IF/OF Tommy Edman, RP Michael Kopech, SP Oliver Gonzalez (DSL, NR)
White Sox get 3B Miguel Vargas, 2B Jeral Perez (A, 226), 3B Alexander Albertus (A, NR), player to be named later

This deal was a strange way for the White Sox to combine three of their biggest trade chips, landing Miguel Vargas of all people as the headliner. With Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert staying put, it's the sort of deadline that might cause the few remaining White Sox fans to find another hobby. That said, Vargas is probably the biggest winner here. As a good, but not great, hitter who doesn't add much with his glove or legs, he may turn out to be little more than a Quad-A player, but now that he's on a Quad-A team instead of a World Series contender, he'll have a chance to prove he's more than that. The move is also an upgrade for Fedde (3.11 ERA, 4.05 SIERA), who's in a much better environment for wins in St. Louis. Edman's fantasy value doesn't change much with the move, as he should feature regularly across multiple positions for his new club just as he did for his old one, though it's encouraging to see the Dodgers decide he's worth adding. He's eight games into his rehab assignment after a lengthy recovery from October wrist surgery. 

Pham and Kopech get to trade a race to avoid the worst record of all time for a race for the postseason, but their fantasy values could both diminish with the deal. Pham was starting nearly every game for the White Sox and typically led off. It initially looked like he could be on the short side of a platoon with St. Louis, though he's started every game for his new team so far, albeit from lower in the lineup. Kopech was the preferred closing option in the White Sox bullpen, earning nine saves while no one else earned more than two, but his 4.74 ERA and 1.35 WHIP wouldn't have led to that many chances on many other teams. He'll be much lower on the depth chart as a Dodger, although there's an outside chance his new organization can bring the best out of a pitcher who was a highly rated prospect in his heyday and should have some good years ahead of him still at age 28. The Dodgers have a fluid closer depth chart at the moment, with Evan Phillips sputtering and Daniel Hudson, Alex Vesia and Brent Honeywell all earning saves in July, but Kopech will likely start out behind most of those relievers and maybe others as well.

Reds get 1B Ty France
Mariners get C Andruw Salcedo (A, NR)

France had an everyday role for the Mariners for most of the season but was designated for assignment a week before the deadline after hitting just .223/.312/.350 (95 wRC+) through 88 games. He now finds himself in Cincinnati, where he has the chance to rejuvenate his career if he can put together a good last two months in a far more hitter-friendly home park. There's no guarantee France earns an everyday job, and similarly no guarantee he keeps one should the Reds' dwindling playoff chances drop to zero, as the team may want to turn to younger options. Still, he couldn't have asked for much softer of a landing.

Phillies get OF Austin Hays
Orioles get RP Seranthony Dominguez, OF Cristian Pache

Hays has been a perfectly competent if unexciting player for several years, posting a wRC+ between 99 and 112 for four consecutive seasons while playing above-average defense in the outfield. That was enough to start nearly everyday for the Orioles in the past, but he's been a victim of the team's impressive position player depth this season and had slipped into the short side of a platoon. For the Phillies, it looks like he'll be the everyday left fielder, with Brandon Marsh moving to center field to platoon with Johan Rojas. Not only will Hays enjoy a large increase in playing time, he'll also trade the cavernous left field of Camden Yards for the short porch at Citizens Bank Park.

Red Sox get C Danny Jansen
Blue Jays get 3B Eddinson Paulino (AA, NR), 3B Cutter Coffey (A+, NR), SP Gilberto Batista (R, NR)

Jansen missed the first half of April through injury but then proceeded to start 60 percent of the Blue Jays' games between his return and his his move to the Red Sox three days before the deadline. He's unlikely to fill the same role in Boston, where Connor Wong has broken out to the tune of a .296/.359/.444 slash line and deserves to remain the clear top option behind the plate. So far, Jansen has two starts at catcher and one start at designated hitter in seven games for his new team.

Orioles get DH Eloy Jimenez
White Sox get RP Trey McGough (AAA, NR)

Every player who leaves the malaise that surrounds the entire White Sox organization benefits in some way, and Jimenez certainly seems like someone who needed a fresh start. Unfortunately, he's landed in a spot where there don't seem to be many at-bats available. He should be able to carve out a role as the designated hitter against lefties, but Baltimore has better options to use against right-handers, who have held Jimenez to a .224/.281/.339 line this season. Toss in the deep left field at Camden Yards and it looks like quite a big downgrade for Jimenez's fantasy appeal.

Rangers get C Carson Kelly
Tigers get C Liam Hicks (AA, NR), RP Tyler Owens (AA, NR)

Kelly had moved slightly ahead of Jake Rogers on the catcher depth chart in Detroit, but he's likely to be stuck behind Jonah Heim in Texas. Kelly did start back-to-back games Wednesday and Friday, however, so there's a chance he's actually in more of an even timeshare than expected.

Dodgers get OF Kevin Kiermaier
Blue Jays get RP Ryan Yarbrough

Kiermaier had something between a large-side platoon role and an everyday job in Toronto. He may see most of his game time as a defensive replacement in Los Angeles, though he should start some games over Andy Pages in center field as well. Yarbrough is one of the big winners of the deadline from a fantasy perspective, as he'll move from relief to the rotation with the Blue Jays, but his fantasy appeal remains limited. His 3.74 ERA comes with a 5.00 SIERA and a 13.9 percent strikeout rate.

Pirates get 2B/3B/SS/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Blue Jays get 2B Charles McAdoo (AA, 122)

Prior to spraining his knee at the end of June, Kiner-Falefa started 73 of 83 games for the Blue Jays, featuring at second base, third base and shortstop. While it's tempting to call that a symbol of Toronto's unwillingness to spend enough to build a genuine contender around its homegrown core, that would be an unfair interpretation for IKF, who produced a career-best 116 wRC+ in Toronto, the product of a .292/.338/.429 slash line. For fantasy purposes, he offers little more than an empty batting average, as he's supplemented that line with just seven homers and three steals in 83 games, but he'll be a capable way of rounding out your squad as long as he holds onto regular playing time. He appears to be the starting second baseman for his new team, so the potential for a slight uptick in playing time cancels out the move to a more pitcher-friendly park.

Cubs get 3B Isaac Paredes
Rays get 3B/OF Christopher Morel, RP Hunter Bigge (AAA, NR), SP Ty Johnson (A+, NR)

This is a fascinating trade, with two teams who are still holding onto faint hopes of contention electing to exchange 25-year-old third basemen. From a fantasy perspective, the deal looks like a potential downgrade for both players. While the wOBA park factor is the same for righties at Tropicana Field as it is in Wrigley Field, the former has a 104-97 edge in terms of home run park factor, and Paredes had become famous for his ability to pull home runs just over the shallow, short wall in left field. That approach is unlikely to work as well at Wrigley Field, so expect Paredes' power to drop.

On the other hand, Morel was due for an uptick in his numbers thanks to luck alone, as the gap between his wOBA (.303) and xWOBA (.349) is one of the largest in baseball. Plus, the potential for the Rays to do what they do and mold Morel into the best version of himself is enticing. But there's also the risk that the Rays will do the other thing that they tend to do and use him in less than a true full-time role. So far, he's had one day off, two starts at DH and two at second base, a position he hadn't appeared at for the Cubs this season. I'm worried enough about Morel's short-term playing time to call this a slight downgrade for now, but long-term, moving to the Rays could be what unlocks his considerable potential.

Dodgers get IF/OF Amed Rosario
Rays get RP Michael Flynn (AAA, NR)

Rosario was a utility player who started more often than he sat with the Rays, making double-digit starts at second, third, short and left field as well as eight more at DH. His starts against righties became infrequent as the season went on despite a .308/.332/.421 slash line, and it's not clear that he'll have anything more than a short-side platoon role in his new home, either. He sat for the Dodgers' first four games after the deadline (all against righties) but earned a start against right-hander Osvaldo Bido on Sunday.

Orioles get OF Austin Slater
Reds get SS Livan Soto (AAA, NR)

Slater is one his third team of the season and owns a .193/.313/.229 slash line. For his career, he's been a quality lefty masher, posting a .799 OPS against southpaws, but he has just a .481 OPS in those matchups this season. His limited opportunities will now come in a much tougher park.

Braves get OF Jorge Soler
Giants get RP Tyler Matzek, 3B Sabin Ceballos (A+, NR)

Soler hit a fine but forgettable .240/.330/.419 with 12 homers in 93 games during his time with the Giants, but he'll get to enjoy a much more hitter-friendly park in Atlanta. Acquiring Soler at the deadline after a Ronald Acuna torn ACL has worked for the team in the past, as Soler posted an .882 OPS with 14 homers after being acquired at the 2021 deadline and then was named World Series MVP.

Guardians get OF Lane Thomas
Nationals get SS Jose Tena (AAA, NR), SS Rafael Ramirez (A, NR)

Thomas' move to Cleveland brings him to a better surrounding lineup and a more pitcher-friendly park, so the trade could amount to a wash for his fantasy value. However, there are two ways the move could end up being a downgrade. First, it's possible he's less than a true everyday player now that he's on a better team and finds himself sitting against righties on occasion. That hasn't happened yet, but he has a .688 OPS for his career against righties (compared to an .885 OPS against lefties), so don't be surprised if it does. Second, while the Guardians run a lot, ranking eighth in stolen base attempts, the Nationals rank first. Thomas does have 93rd percentile sprint speed, but he never stole more than 20 bases in the past and has been caught 12 times in 40 attempts this season, so it's likely he runs less often now that he's no longer a National.

Mariners get 1B Justin Turner, cash considerations
Blue Jays get OF RJ Schreck (AA, NR)

Turner played as often as his body allowed in Toronto, and the 39-year-old should do the same in Seattle. His .260/.350/.381 slash line is good for a 112 wRC+, and the fact that he's still a solidly above-average hitter at age 39 after being a below-average hitter through age 28 is remarkable. For fantasy purposes, though, it's a merely decent batting average combined with not a lot of power (seven homers), and his frequent off days mean he's not really a "compiler". Now that he plays in the league's toughest park to hit in, his fantasy value is even further reduced, but he remains a reliable way to round out your squad.

Mets get OF Jesse Winker
Nationals get SP Tyler Stuart (AA, 299)

Winker looked closer to playing himself out of the league than playing himself back into relevancy after struggling to a .567 OPS in 61 games for the Brewers last season, but he made the most of his minor-league deal with the Nationals, hitting .257/.374/.419 in 101 games and earning a move to a playoff contender. He'd even earned at-bats against lefties early in the season, though he'd slipped into more of a platoon of late and is unlikely to feature against southpaws in New York. He's also unlikely to run nearly as often as he did with the Nationals, who run more than any team in the league. Winker stole 14 bases after swiping a total of three bags across his first seven seasons, but his sprint speed remains in the 20th percentile, so don't expect the Mets to let him run nearly as often.