Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Wheeling and Dealing

Welcome to the latest installment of my rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings! Last week I discussed the potential impact that trades could make on the fantasy landscape. So far we have seen several interesting deals throughout Major League Baseball. The fantasy impact, however, has not been huge in most cases.

I gave both Jazz Chisholm and Zach Eflin slight bumps upward in this week’s rankings compared to last week. Miami traded Chisholm to the New York Yankees on Saturday. This is a deal that should help Chisholm from a fantasy standpoint. He goes from the team with the second-fewest runs scored to the team leading the Majors in that category. Questions remain as to where Chisholm will hit and play in New York’s lineup. I guess that he will lead off, at least for the time being. After removing Anthony Volpe from the leadoff spot earlier this month, New York tried Ben Rice in that spot, but that has not worked out. Alex Verdugo has hit leadoff on occasion, but it still feels like Chisholm will get a crack at hitting atop New York’s lineup.

If that is the case, Chisholm’s fantasy stock should continue to rise in the coming weeks. These comparisons are not always linear, but to illustrate the potential impact that this trade could have, here goes. Chisholm has reached base 139 times in 101 games this year. He has scored 46 runs, or roughly one run for every three times he reaches base. Volpe has reached base 143 times and scored 66 runs. He has scored 46.2 percent of the time he has reached base this season. If Chisholm hits leadoff, he should get a boost in runs scored. Conversely, if he hits in the middle of the order, he should get an RBI bump. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are the league’s top two on-base threats, so Chisholm will likely benefit regardless of where he ends up in the lineup.

The Tampa Bay Rays traded Eflin to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. I have to be honest – I always raise an eyebrow when the Rays make a trade because they usually end up on the right side of it. That goes double when trading within the division. But on the surface, this trade should help Eflin’s fantasy value. Baltimore has the third-best record in the sport. Their offense averages a run per game more than Tampa’s does, and their bullpen ERA is about a half run lower than the Rays’. Both of these factors should boost Eflin’s win total. Eflin has just five wins this year, after posting a career-best 16 victories a year ago. As long as there is no underlying issue that we do not know about, this trade is a win for fantasy managers relying on Eflin down the stretch.

Some other deals will have an impact that may be hard to immediately quantify. The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired closer Carlos Estevez from the Los Angeles Angels. Philadelphia already had three high-end arms at the back end of their bullpen even before this deal. But while most of their saves this season have come via Jose Alvarado or Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm is the only Phillie to record a save in the last two weeks. I am not convinced Estevez will close in Philly, so I did drop him a bit in this week’s rankings. However, time will tell how these roles will shake out. The biggest change in a player’s fantasy value could be in Los Angeles, where the closer’s role is now vacated. I expect Ben Joyce to be the frontrunner there, with Luis Garcia also potentially in the mix.

There are still a lot big names on the market, and many players will change teams in the coming days. Some will see minimal impact on their fantasy value, while others see quite a bit. Either way, it is always a fun time of year for fantasy baseball managers, so enjoy the ride!

Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings

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