We’re a fortunate lot, us fantasy managers.
MLB groups face an annual end-of-July (give or take a number of days, relying on which day of the week July 31 lands) commerce deadline, that means any vital strikes they want to do to shore up their rosters for the stretch run have to be accomplished with barely two-thirds of the season within the books.
We’re extra lucky in most fantasy leagues, however particularly in ESPN commonplace codecs, the place our personal commerce deadlines arrive Aug. 15 at midday ET. We have got ourselves one other 9 days to enhance our rosters for a ultimate championship push.
So… what are you doing over these subsequent 9 days to enhance your group?
My A-No. 1 piece of recommendation to a group in search of to make a giant splash on the commerce entrance: Purpose excessive.
Once more, 70% of the season is now within the books — the league handed that threshold Tuesday evening — that means rotisserie league standings are solidifying and far more durable to shift within the time remaining, whereas schedules in head-to-head leagues have solely three or 4 weeks (three in ESPN’s commonplace, counting the present one) left within the common season. When you intend to dramatically shake up the standings, you are going to want that a lot better an impression participant than you’ll have required again in Could.
This week, let’s establish six confirmed robust finishers it’s best to prioritize together with your commerce proposals. Subsequent week, I will supply my favourite “hunch” stretch-run commerce targets.
Historic late-season standouts to amass
Sticking with the theme of “going huge,” historical past reveals us {that a} handful of gamers usually step up with their greatest performances over the season’s ultimate weeks. Each considered one of these six gamers will price you a premium, but when the requested commerce return appears even remotely affordable (and test my rankings to help on this course of), then make the deal.
Julio Rodriguez, OF, Seattle Mariners: Throughout the Mariners’ ultimate 48 video games of his first three MLB seasons (exactly the variety of video games that stay for them in 2025), Rodriguez has averaged 3.30 fantasy factors, the seventh-best price amongst hitters with a minimum of 50 complete video games performed throughout that particular stretch of schedule. (Care to guess the six forward of him? Give it some thought, and we’ll provide the reply on the finish of this column.)
Protecting in thoughts that Rodriguez has been a traditionally higher rotisserie than points-based fantasy participant, with three top-30 total Participant Rater rankings (together with 2025) amongst his 4 seasons, however solely as soon as even a top-30 hitter fantasy level complete (2023, when he positioned seventeenth on that facet), that is fairly a late-season monitor report for him. “J-Rod” is already displaying indicators of a statistical uptick, with 9 homers, six steals and .295/.340/.648 charges over his final 21 video games, his Mariners made vital supporting deadline offers, they usually additionally face one of many league’s softest remaining schedules.
Blake Snell, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers: Prepared for a wild stat? Throughout his groups’ ultimate 48 video games over the previous three seasons — once more, the variety of video games that now stays for the Dodgers — Snell has scored 490 fantasy factors, most amongst pitchers and third-most in all of baseball (Shohei Ohtani, 609; Aaron Judge, 494). However that is not all: Snell’s 1,012 profession factors throughout that very same schedule phase ranks third amongst pitchers (Gerrit Cole, 1,084; Justin Verlander, 1,049).
Sure, that is Snell’s time of 12 months, and he regarded strong in his return from the IL this previous Saturday (95.0 mph common fastball, 36% whiff price on non-fastballs, each inside vary of his prior norms). He is the last word threat/reward commerce acquisition: a pitcher you possibly can fairly afford due to his checkered harm historical past, but in addition the exact high-ceiling kind it’s best to need.
Kyle Schwarber, DH, Philadelphia Phillies: If Snell’s stats do not wow you, Schwarber’s may. The Phillies slugger has hit a minimum of 10 dwelling runs in every of the final three Septembers, making him considered one of simply 12 gamers in historical past who can declare a minimum of three such ultimate regular-season months. The truth that Schwarber completed that feat in three consecutive Septembers places him on an unique listing with solely Hank Greenberg (1937-40, 4 in a row) and Mark McGwire (1997-99).
From a fantasy angle, Schwarber joins Choose as the one gamers with a minimum of 75 factors in every of those self same three Septembers. Sure, aggressive late-season Phillies baseball has been good to Schwarber, who will price you a premium on account of his scorching scorching streak (.282/.378/.755 with 15 homers since July 1), however his torrid monitor report makes him a must-get for groups in want of energy. By the best way, he is taking part in for a contract this winter.
Max Fried, SP, New York Yankees: His Yankees are mired in a depressing hunch, partly on account of his personal current contributions (5.81 ERA throughout his previous six begins), however you may be capable of use that to coax his present supervisor to commerce him to you at a reduced worth. Fried will play a vital half in any Yankee rebound, and he has an astonishing stretch-run monitor report that fantasy house owners want to acknowledge.
His 16.29 fantasy points-per-start from group recreation No. 115 ahead (precisely the place his Yankees are within the present schedule) throughout the previous 4 seasons (2021-24) are second-best in baseball behind solely Snell’s 17.50. Fried performed a big half in propelling his Atlanta Braves into the playoffs in every of these years, and his present group is in the same make-or-break place. Strike now whereas the perceived worth of Yankees gamers is at a low level.
Matt Olson, 1B, Braves: A fellow “Mr. September,” Olson’s 616 fantasy factors throughout his groups’ ultimate 50 video games during the last 4 seasons — that is the Braves’ remaining quantity — had been third-best behind solely Choose’s 697 and Juan Soto‘s 656. Certain, this season’s stretch-run circumstances are totally different, with Olson’s Braves wanting like distant playoff lengthy photographs, nevertheless it’s not like his group’s aggressive state has influenced his aggressive drive in the course of the concluding weeks traditionally.
In 2017, 2021 and 2024 — all seasons during which his groups both missed the playoffs outright or backed their means into October — he averaged 149 fantasy factors per 12 months and three.18 per recreation. Maybe the non-competitive standing of Olson’s Braves may worth him at a commerce low cost.
Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks: The wild card on the listing, Gallen is in comparable circumstances to Olson in that his group is in “playoff longshot” standing. However in contrast to Olson, Gallen has pitched poorly for a lot of the 12 months, his 7.48 fantasy points-per-start common ranks fifty fifth amongst 63 ERA qualifiers. That makes him comparatively simple to amass and, contemplating each his looming free agent standing and his in depth monitor report of late-season success, he is effectively price taking the possibility. From 2022-24, Gallen’s 424 fantasy factors throughout his group’s ultimate 48 video games (Arizona’s remaining complete) was third-best amongst pitchers (Snell, 490; Cole, 466).
*Oh, and the names of the six gamers who’ve exceeded Rodriguez’s price? Ronald Acuna Jr. (3.67), Ohtani (3.59), Choose (3.55), Alex Bregman (3.37), Yordan Alvarez (3.37) and Mookie Betts (3.31).