Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Approaching the Trade Deadline

The 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star break has passed, and the unofficial second half of the season has begun. With each team having only played two or three games since last week’s ROS rankings, there are not a ton of changes. Having said that, I still went through my normal weekly process when coming up with this week’s rankings. But that’s because I am a crazy person. Over the next couple of weeks, however, there should be significant changes in the ROS landscape. The MLB trade deadline is fast approaching, and with it will come many deals. Many high-profile names are rumored to be dealt. When it comes to fantasy, though, it is often the less splashy deals that make the most impact.

For example, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a player who may be on the trading block. Toronto has the sixth-worst record in baseball and is 9.5 games out of a Wild Card spot in the American League. If the team does trade Guerrero, his fantasy value probably will not change all that much. He will still likely hit in the middle of the order for his theoretical new team, giving him roughly the same chance to compile counting stats as he does now. The same can be said for other high-impact players such as Jazz Chisholm and Luis Robert Jr. They might get a slight bump if traded because they play for the two worst offenses in the sport. But a player such as Tommy Pham or Jesse Winker could lose value if dealt to a contender that eyes them in a platoon role.

Starting pitchers who move at the deadline get a lot of hype from a real-life standpoint. But again, in fantasy, their value usually does not change all that much. Sure, if the Chicago White Sox trade Garrett Crochet to the Los Angeles Dodgers, his win potential skyrockets. However, wins are becoming an increasingly random stat in this day and age with starters pitching fewer innings than ever. Reynaldo Lopez has a 1.88 ERA (0.50 lower than any other qualified starter) and he has seven wins in 17 starts. Meanwhile, Brayan Bello has 10 wins and a 5.32 ERA in 17 starts (Saturday night’s start pending). And the Atlanta Braves have a better record than the Boston Red Sox. Besides, as I have mentioned in this space before, I do not expect Crochet to get more than eight or nine starts going forward.

The biggest impact at the deadline from a fantasy perspective usually centers around closers. Every year we see contending teams looking to bolster their bullpens. This often results in them plucking closers from bad teams. The problem is that these contenders usually have established closers. That means the new acquisitions almost always end up in fantasy purgatory, AKA middle relief. Several players are likely to fit this bill this year. They include Mason Miller, Tanner Scott, Pete Fairbanks, Kyle Finnegan, Michael Kopech, and Carlos Estevez. Miller and Scott are the ones that I could see closing for a contender, depending on the destination. But I suspect the others would help form the bridge in front of a potential new team’s closer. I may remove these players completely from my ROS rankings in the next couple of weeks.

If you have any of these relievers on your roster, now might be the time to unload them for a position of need elsewhere. The same goes for a player like Pham or Winker. Kevin Pillar and Paul DeJong are also likely to lose playing time if and when they are dealt. I do not have either of those two players in my rest-of-season rankings for this exact reason. For what it’s worth, I held onto Mason Miller in my high-stakes league (our trade deadline was this past week). As messy as the Athletics are as an organization, I think they will hold Miller for another season. They have him under team control for another five years, so I do not expect them to make what feels like an unnecessary move.

Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM	POS
1	Shohei Ohtani	LAD	UT
2	Aaron Judge	NYY	OF
3	Bobby Witt Jr.	KC	SS
4	Juan Soto	NYY	OF
5	Gunnar Henderson	BAL	SS/3B
6	Jose Ramirez	CLE	3B
7	Yordan Alvarez	HOU	OF
8	Elly De La Cruz	CIN	SS/3B
9	Freddie Freeman	LAD	1B
10	Zack Wheeler	PHI	SP
11	Rafael Devers	BOS	3B
12	Trea Turner	PHI	SS
13	Bryce Harper	PHI	1B
14	Tarik Skubal	DET	SP
15	Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	TOR	1B
16	Austin Riley	ATL	3B
17	Kyle Tucker	HOU	OF
18	Francisco Lindor	NYM	SS
19	Matt Olson	ATL	1B
20	Julio Rodriguez	SEA	OF
21	Corey Seager	TEX	SS
22	Corbin Burnes	BAL	SP
23	Pete Alonso	NYM	1B
24	CJ Abrams	WSH	SS
25	George Kirby	SEA	SP
26	Chris Sale	ATL	SP
27	Aaron Nola	PHI	SP
28	Marcell Ozuna	ATL	UT
29	Ozzie Albies	ATL	2B
30	Emmanuel Clase	CLE	RP
31	Logan Gilbert	SEA	SP
32	Joe Ryan	MIN	SP
33	Paul Skenes	PIT	SP
34	Luis Castillo	SEA	SP
35	Marcus Semien	TEX	2B
36	Christian Yelich	MIL	OF
37	Dylan Cease	SD	SP
38	Jose Altuve	HOU	2B
39	Pablo Lopez	MIN	SP
40	Freddy Peralta	MIL	SP
41	Ketel Marte	ARI	2B
42	Max Fried	ATL	SP
43	Tyler Glasnow	LAD	SP
44	Gerrit Cole	NYY	SP
45	Josh Hader	HOU	RP
46	Christian Walker	ARI	1B
47	Luis Robert Jr.	CHW	OF
48	Logan Webb	SF	SP
49	Cole Ragans	KC	SP
50	Jarren Duran	BOS	OF
51	Kevin Gausman	TOR	SP
52	Zac Gallen	ARI	SP
53	Teoscar Hernandez	LAD	OF
54	Jazz Chisholm Jr.	MIA	OF
55	Josh Naylor	CLE	1B
56	Corbin Carroll	ARI	OF
57	Adolis Garcia	TEX	OF
58	Bryan Reynolds	PIT	OF
59	Manny Machado	SD	3B
60	Sonny Gray	STL	SP
61	Oneil Cruz	PIT	SS
62	Randy Arozarena	TB	OF
63	Tanner Bibee	CLE	SP
64	Seiya Suzuki	CHC	OF
65	Alec Bohm	PHI	1B/3B
66	Framber Valdez	HOU	SP
67	Kyle Schwarber	PHI	OF
68	Adley Rutschman	BAL	C
69	William Contreras	MIL	C
70	Alex Bregman	HOU	3B
71	Justin Steele	CHC	SP
72	Lane Thomas	WSH	OF
73	Shota Imanaga	CHC	SP
74	Ezequiel Tovar	COL	SS
75	Grayson Rodriguez	BAL	SP
76	Fernando Tatis Jr.	SD	OF
77	Will Smith	LAD	C
78	Camilo Doval	SF	RP
79	Evan Phillips	LAD	RP
80	Spencer Steer	CIN	1B/3B/OF
81	Raisel Iglesias	ATL	RP
82	Willy Adames	MIL	SS
83	Andres Gimenez	CLE	2B
84	Clay Holmes	NYY	RP
85	Nico Hoerner	CHC	2B/SS
86	Mason Miller	OAK	RP
87	Anthony Santander	BAL	OF
88	Ranger Suarez	PHI	SP
89	Riley Greene	DET	OF
90	Andres Munoz	SEA	RP
91	Edwin Diaz	NYM	RP
92	Hunter Greene	CIN	SP
93	Nick Castellanos	PHI	OF
94	Tyler O’Neill	BOS	OF
95	Jhoan Duran	MIN	RP
96	Blake Snell	SF	SP
97	Paul Goldschmidt	STL	1B
98	Carlos Rodon	NYY	SP
99	Ryan Helsley	STL	RP
100	Bryson Stott	PHI	2B/SS
101	Taylor Ward	LAA	OF
102	Ian Happ	CHC	OF
103	Steven Kwan	CLE	OF
104	Michael Harris II	ATL	OF
105	George Springer	TOR	OF
106	Garrett Crochet	CHW	SP
107	Royce Lewis	MIN	3B
108	Jordan Westburg	BAL	2B/3B
109	Salvador Perez	KC	C/1B
110	Bo Bichette	TOR	SS
111	Nathan Eovaldi	TEX	SP
112	Ha-Seong Kim	SD	2B/SS/3B
113	Bailey Ober	MIN	SP
114	Tanner Houck	BOS	SP
115	Jack Flaherty	DET	SP
116	Jeremy Pena	HOU	SS
117	Wyatt Langford	TEX	OF
118	Cody Bellinger	CHC	1B/OF
119	Zach Eflin	TB	SP
120	Robert Suarez	SD	RP
121	Vinnie Pasquantino	KC	1B
122	Anthony Volpe	NYY	SS
123	Max Scherzer	TEX	SP
124	Brandon Nimmo	NYM	OF
125	Chris Bassitt	TOR	SP
126	Christopher Morel	CHC	3B/OF
127	Ryan McMahon	COL	2B/3B
128	Nick Pivetta	BOS	SP
129	Craig Kimbrel	BAL	RP
130	Zach Neto	LAA	SS
131	Gleyber Torres	NYY	2B
132	Maikel Garcia	KC	3B
133	Ryan Mountcastle	BAL	1B
134	Michael King	SD	SP
135	Nestor Cortes	NYY	SP
136	Luis Arraez	SD	1B/2B
137	Brenton Doyle	COL	OF
138	Hunter Brown	HOU	SP
139	Dansby Swanson	CHC	SS
140	Jonathan India	CIN	2B
141	Carlos Correa	MIN	SS
142	Jose Berrios	TOR	SP
143	Matt Chapman	SF	3B
144	Cristopher Sanchez	PHI	SP
145	Isaac Paredes	TB	1B/3B
146	Nolan Arenado	STL	3B
147	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	LAD	SP
148	Bryce Miller	SEA	SP
149	Mitch Keller	PIT	SP
150	Brandon Pfaadt	ARI	SP
151	Yandy Diaz	TB	1B
152	Willson Contreras	STL	C
153	Jared Jones	PIT	SP
154	David Bednar	PIT	RP
155	Lourdes Gurriel Jr.	ARI	OF
156	Paul Sewald	ARI	RP
157	Jorge Soler	SF	OF
158	Taj Bradley	TB	SP
159	Alexis Diaz	CIN	RP
160	Jackson Merrill	SD	SS/OF
161	Nick Lodolo	CIN	SP
162	Kenley Jansen	BOS	RP
163	Brice Turang	MIL	2B/SS
164	J.P. Crawford	SEA	SS
165	Jeimer Candelario	CIN	1B/3B
166	Ryan Pepiot	TB	SP
167	Rhys Hoskins	MIL	1B
168	Luis Rengifo	LAA	2B/SS/3B/OF
169	Jackson Chourio	MIL	OF
170	Yusei Kikuchi	TOR	SP
171	Nathaniel Lowe	TEX	1B
172	Kutter Crawford	BOS	SP
173	MacKenzie Gore	WSH	SP
174	Luis Gil	NYY	SP
175	Charlie Morton	ATL	SP
176	Byron Buxton	MIN	OF
177	Jake Cronenworth	SD	1B/2B
178	Seth Lugo	KC	SP
179	Cedric Mullins	BAL	OF
180	Jarred Kelenic	ATL	OF
181	J.T. Realmuto	PHI	C
182	Mookie Betts	LAD	2B/SS/OF
183	J.D. Martinez	NYM	UT
184	Reynaldo Lopez	ATL	SP
185	Logan O’Hoppe	LAA	C
186	Pete Fairbanks	TB	RP
187	Mike Trout	LAA	OF
188	Jake Burger	MIA	1B/3B
189	Tanner Scott	MIA	RP
190	Brayan Bello	BOS	SP
191	Justin Verlander	HOU	SP
192	Daulton Varsho	TOR	OF
193	James Wood	WSH	OF
194	Yainer Diaz	HOU	C
195	Devin Williams	MIL	RP
196	Triston Casas	BOS	1B
197	Aaron Civale	MIL	SP
198	Jose Alvarado	PHI	RP
199	Kodai Senga	NYM	SP
200	Jurickson Profar	SD	OF
201	Kirby Yates	TEX	RP
202	Ceddanne Rafaela	BOS	SS/OF
203	Kyle Finnegan	WSH	RP
204	Masyn Winn	STL	SS
205	Andrew Vaughn	CHW	1B
206	Brendan Donovan	STL	2B/OF
207	Ronel Blanco	HOU	SP
208	Bryan Woo	SEA	SP
209	Cal Raleigh	SEA	C
210	Brent Rooker	OAK	OF
211	Gavin Williams	CLE	SP
212	Bobby Miller	LAD	SP
213	Josh Jung	TEX	3B
214	Jason Foley	DET	RP
215	Brady Singer	KC	SP
216	Josh Lowe	TB	OF
217	Ke’Bryan Hayes	PIT	3B
218	TJ Friedl	CIN	OF
219	Luis Garcia	WSH	2B
220	Carlos Estevez	LAA	RP
221	Gavin Stone	LAD	SP
222	Nolan Jones	COL	OF
223	Xander Bogaerts	SD	2B/SS
224	Alec Burleson	STL	OF
225	Yu Darvish	SD	SP
226	Brendan Rodgers	COL	2B
227	Bryan De La Cruz	MIA	OF
228	Lars Nootbaar	STL	OF
229	Masataka Yoshida	BOS	OF
230	Erick Fedde	CHW	SP
231	Kyle Gibson	STL	SP
232	Jon Gray	TEX	SP
233	Zack Gelof	OAK	2B
234	Nolan Gorman	STL	2B
235	Francisco Alvarez	NYM	C
236	Joc Pederson	ARI	OF
237	Eloy Jimenez	CHW	UT
238	Lance Lynn	STL	SP
239	Marcus Stroman	NYY	SP
240	Sean Murphy	ATL	C
241	Jo Adell	LAA	OF
242	Ryan O’Hearn	BAL	1B/OF
243	Brandon Marsh	PHI	OF
244	Josh Bell	MIA	1B
245	Noelvi Marte	CIN	3B
246	James McArthur	KC	RP
247	Kyle Harrison	SF	SP
248	Brandon Lowe	TB	2B
249	Heliot Ramos	SF	OF
250	Starling Marte	NYM	OF
251	Andrew Abbott	CIN	SP
252	Joe Musgrove	SD	SP
253	Michael Kopech	CHW	RP
254	Zack Littell	TB	SP
255	Christian Scott	NYM	SP
256	David Hamilton	BOS	2B/SS
257	Jonah Heim	TEX	C
258	Hector Neris	CHC	RP
259	Luis Severino	NYM	SP
260	Tommy Pham	CHW	OF
261	Trevor Megill	MIL	RP
262	Justin Turner	TOR	1B
263	Sean Manaea	NYM	SP
264	Giancarlo Stanton	NYY	OF
265	Miles Mikolas	STL	SP
266	Jose Quintana	NYM	SP
267	Michael Wacha	KC	SP
268	Dean Kremer	BAL	SP
269	Shane Baz	TB	SP
270	Matt Vierling	DET	3B/OF
271	Wilyer Abreu	BOS	OF
272	Jake Fraley	CIN	OF
273	Michael Massey	KC	2B
274	Ryan Jeffers	MIN	C
275	Walker Buehler	LAD	SP
276	Max Muncy	LAD	3B
277	Chas McCormick	HOU	OF
278	Gabriel Moreno	ARI	C
279	Leody Taveras	TEX	OF
280	Mark Vientos	NYM	3B
281	Matt Waldron	SD	SP
282	Michael Busch	CHC	1B/3B
283	Jordan Montgomery	ARI	SP
284	Harrison Bader	NYM	OF
285	Colt Keith	DET	2B/3B
286	Jameson Taillon	CHC	SP
287	Jordan Hicks	SF	SP
288	Keibert Ruiz	WSH	C
289	Shea Langeliers	OAK	C
290	Jose Miranda	MIN	3B
291	Sal Frelick	MIL	OF
292	Tyler Stephenson	CIN	C
293	Merrill Kelly	ARI	SP
294	Reid Detmers	LAA	SP
295	Eduardo Rodriguez	ARI	SP
296	Evan Carter	TEX	OF
297	Chad Green	TOR	RP
298	Yimi Garcia	TOR	RP
299	Colton Cowser	BAL	OF
300	Nick Gonzales	PIT	2B/SS
301	Max Kepler	MIN	OF
302	Jake Irvin	WSH	SP
303	Tyler Anderson	LAA	SP
304	Andy Pages	LAD	OF
305	Jacob deGrom	TEX	SP
306	Alex Verdugo	NYY	OF
307	Willi Castro	MIN	2B/SS/3B/OF
308	Jeffrey Springs	TB	SP
309	Jesse Winker	WSH	OF
310	Reese Olson	DET	SP
311	Jordan Romano	TOR	RP
312	Joey Ortiz	MIL	2B/3B
313	Josh Smith	TEX	3B/SS/OF
314	Michael Lorenzen	TEX	SP
315	Connor Wong	BOS	C
316	Frankie Montas	CIN	SP
317	Matt Strahm	PHI	RP
318	Brandon Drury	LAA	1B/2B
319	Brooks Lee	MIN	SS
320	Ben Rice	NYY	C/1B
321	James Paxton	LAD	SP
322	Jose Siri	TB	OF
323	JP Sears	OAK	SP
324	Kenta Maeda	DET	SP
325	Jason Adam	TB	RP
326	Junior Caminero	TB	3B/SS
327	Alec Marsh	KC	SP
328	Andrew Heaney	TEX	SP
329	Thairo Estrada	SF	2B/SS
330	Braxton Garrett	MIA	SP
331	Tobias Myers	MIL	SP
332	Eugenio Suarez	ARI	3B
333	Trevor Rogers	MIA	SP
334	Lawrence Butler	OAK	OF
335	Rece Hinds	CIN	OF
336	Nolan Schanuel	LAA	1B
337	Alex Cobb	SF	SP
338	Edward Cabrera	MIA	SP
339	Jesus Luzardo	MIA	SP
340	Spencer Arrighetti	HOU	SP
341	Jesus Sanchez	MIA	OF
342	Mitch Garver	SEA	C
343	Ben Lively	CLE	SP
344	Clayton Kershaw	LAD	SP
345	Daniel Hudson	LAD	RP
346	Alex Vesia	LAD	RP
347	David Robertson	TEX	RP
348	Griffin Jax	MIN	RP
349	Cade Povich	BAL	SP
350	Heston Kjerstad	BAL	UT
351	Michael Toglia	COL	1B/OF
352	Chris Paddack	MIN	SP
353	Scott Barlow	CLE	RP
354	Jeff McNeil	NYM	2B/OF
355	Ryan Pressly	HOU	RP
356	Griffin Canning	LAA	SP
357	Jeff Hoffman	PHI	RP
358	Tyler Freeman	CLE	3B/OF
359	Ty France	SEA	1B
360	Anthony Rendon	LAA	3B
361	David Fry	CLE	C/OF
362	A.J. Minter	ATL	RP
363	Ryan Weathers	MIA	SP
364	Charlie Blackmon	COL	OF
365	Tylor Megill	NYM	SP