These moves at the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline could shake up fantasy baseball — Here's how to get ahead of your competition
The MLB Trade Deadline is rarely a disappointing event, and this year’s edition, which will take place next Monday, promises to be among the most active in recent memory. Although there are just a few teams that have fallen out of the postseason race, those who are in position to sell figure to be aggressive in doing so. There is also a group of middle-ground teams that could swing wildly in either direction, which we already saw when the Nationals traded hot-hitting Curtis Mead for injured Red Sox southpaw Connelly Early. For fantasy baseball managers who want to think ahead of their competition, here are the potential moves that could impact their leagues.
Rotation recalibration in Seattle
As has been the case for several years, the Mariners are loaded with starting pitchers and could use offensive help. The imbalance may be even more extreme this year, as the emergence of Emerson Hancock, combined with good health from the rest of the group, has resulted in having six solid rotation options. And the excess doesn’t stop there, as the team has arguably baseball’s best pitching prospect in Kade Anderson.
The 2025 first-round pick has dominated the minors this year (1.27 ERA, 0.64 WHIP) and looks ready to help Seattle right now. There is a good chance that at least one Mariners starter leaves town in the next few days, and that Anderson starts to make a major fantasy impact at some point in August. Managers who are ahead of the pack in terms of playoff positioning could stash Anderson now. It’s also worth noting that whether it’s Hancock, Luis Castillo or a different Seattle starter, whoever leaves the Mariners will lose access to baseball’s best park for pitchers.
Twins teardown, Part II
After being the biggest seller of the 2025 deadline, the Twins have fared better than expected (53-54) this season. Still, there is a chance that their management group finishes the teardown by making major trades of SP Joe Ryan or OF Byron Buxton. Both players are top-notch assets who would fetch massive returns and will likely never be more valuable than they are right now. A further fire sale could open opportunities for outfielder Walker Jenkins, who is the No. 14 prospect in baseball via MLB Pipeline and has logged a career .864 OPS in the minors. Similar to the situation with Anderson, managers who have room to stash Jenkins may want to do so in the days leading up to the deadline.
Aces on the move
Ryan is far from the only ace who will likely have a new team by next Monday. Of course, the headliner for this section (and the deadline in general) is Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. The consensus No. 1 pitcher until Jacob Misiorowski took his game to another level, Skubal would fetch a massive return if the Tigers decide to stop trying to swim upstream in the wild card race. As much as fans will hate it, the guess here is that he ends up on the Dodgers, who have a deep farm system and high payroll, and can take a run at extending his contract. As a member of baseball’s best team, Skubal would be the most desirable starter to roster for the final two months.
A pair of struggling aces could be traded as well. Kevin Gausman has been ultra-consistent over five seasons with the Blue Jays, with the exception of his past 10 starts, in which he has logged a 6.32 ERA. With Toronto sitting last in the majors in runs scored, this would be a good time for Gausman to leave town and pick up a few stretch-run wins. Freddy Peralta has been an even bigger disaster than Gausman, having struggled from start to finish during his four-month tenure with the Mets. There is no pitcher who could use a change of scenery more than Peralta, who seems to have been swept away by a tidal wave of New York disappointments. Fantasy managers who continue to roster the veteran righty should do so until his next team is announced.
Finally, baseball’s most unexpected ace, Nationals’ Foster Griffin, is in an unusual situation. Griffin took a one-year deal last offseason while trying to prove that his skills improved during his time in Japan. Mission accomplished (12-2, 2.76 ERA). Despite having a league-leading offense, the Nats’ playoff odds hover around 10% on Fangraphs. Given the degree to which Griffin has exceeded expectations, his fantasy managers should hope that he stays in Washington for the remainder of the season.
Angels to take flight
Don’t be surprised if you see some Angels boarding flights to other cities by next Monday. With Mike Trout seemingly staying put, the top prizes from Los Angeles are a pair of talented-but-inconsistent hurlers, Reid Detmers and José Soriano. Detmers has a terrific 136:37 K:BB ratio but seems to follow up every strong stretch with a couple letdowns. Soriano held a ridiculous 0.24 ERA after his initial six starts of 2026 before struggling at times during May and June. The Angels are among the worst organizations at getting the most out of their pitchers, which means that both hurlers would be more desirable for fantasy managers if they join new teams. On the hitting side, Los Angeles could get a massive return for Zach Neto and something significant for Jo Adell. The Angels could become the top target for streaming starters down the stretch.
Shakeup in San Diego
Less than a year ago, Padres general manager A.J. Preller shocked the baseball world when he gave up one of baseball’s best prospects, Leo De Vries, in a package for closer Mason Miller. The move already seems to have backfired, as even with Miller’s ninth-inning heroics, the Padres are sitting at 53-53. Having a dominant closer is a luxury for a mediocre team, which means that Preller could try to recoup some of the prospect capital he surrendered last summer. If traded, Miller’s fantasy value would be unchanged, with the major beneficiary being Adrián Morejón, who could instantly become a top-15 closer. Of course, Morejón himself could be part of a Padres teardown. Still, he’s worth stashing while this situation plays out.
Queens clearance sale
The disappointing Mets have already said that aside from five untouchable players, everyone is available. From a fantasy perspective, the big question is whether they can find a taker for struggling closer Devin Williams, who is at the outset of a lucrative three-year contract. The guess here is that Williams stays put, with setup man Luke Weaver being a more attractive trade target. In fact, there are some teams that could acquire Weaver to work the ninth inning. The overall state of New York’s bullpen makes Weaver a viable waiver wire stash for a few days.
The expected departure of starters Peralta and Clay Holmes could open a spot for top prospect Jonah Tong. Unfortunately, Tong has regressed badly after his strong 2025 season. On the hitting side, trading away Luis Robert Jr. would clear an outfield logjam, which would further cement the value of youngsters Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing. Also, Brett Baty could use a fresh start with a new organization.
From contenders to pretenders
After being two outs away from winning the 2025 World Series, the Blue Jays now sit 9.0 games under .500 and in last place in the AL East at 49-58. Fortunately, the organization can get back on track in a hurry by trading a quartet of pending free agents. In addition to Gausman, George Springer, Daulton Varsho and Shane Bieber will all likely bring back prospects by getting traded over the next six days. A trade could be especially invigorating for Springer, who has improved during July (.839 OPS) and thrived under the pressure of a postseason race last year. Gutting the lineup would be another strike against Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has already been one of this season’s biggest busts. Hey, at least the Blue Jays can’t sink below their current 30th place standing in runs scored.
Rocky Mountain (sell) high
Although it’s not obvious by their 42-65 record, there are some good things happening in Colorado. The Rockies rank eighth in runs scored, which is a massive improvement from their 29th-place finish last year. The organization could solve an upcoming outfield logjam by selling high on Jake McCarthy or Mickey Moniak. Both players have thrived at Coors Field and would be less valuable elsewhere. On the flip side, they could sell low on Brenton Doyle, who has been unable to recapture his 2024 form and could get back on the fantasy radar if given a fresh start with a new organization. Hunter Goodman, who ranks third in baseball with 31 homers, is another sell-high candidate who would be less desirable in fantasy circles if traded.
South Side surge
The most surprising success story is surely the White Sox, who lead the AL Central by 2.0 games at 55-50 entering Tuesday. Two years removed from a 121-loss season, Chicago has accelerated its own timeline to the point where it can consider being buyers at the deadline. With Kyle Teel in the midst of an injury-derailed season, trading for a pending free agent catcher makes sense. Ryan Jeffers would be the top target who fits that description. Adding a closer with multiple years of control would be an impactful move that wouldn’t block any of the White Sox prospects. While Mason Miller may be too rich for their current situation, the ChiSox could soon provide fantasy managers with an exciting new closer.
The looming lockout
Fantasy managers can expect the decisions made by the real-life GMs to be heavily influenced by the threat of a looming lockout and new collective bargaining agreement. The uncertain landscape will likely force teams to be especially cautious about adding players who have a significant amount of money remaining on their contract. Expect there to be a rush by contenders to acquire quality players who come off the books at the end of the season.
