By Dan O’Shea
With a month or so to go before the MLB trading deadline, there have been numerous reports and rumors about fantasy-relevant RPs potentially being traded.
Here’s a look at a few of the names being batted about, and how a trade could affect their fantasy value:
Aroldis Chapman, NYY: The Yankees are nine games back in the AL East with one of the best closers in the game coming up for free agency at the end of the year.
The latest reports suggest the Yankees want too much for the Cubs to trade for Chapman, but he still could land in Miami, Texas or elsewhere.
In either of those locations, he’d become closer for a team in the thick of post-season contention, which should only mean more save opportunities than he’s gotten in New York.
Andrew Miller, NYY: Not a closer now. Could a trade make him a closer? Maybe.
The Cubs seem intent to stick with Hector Rondon as closer, so a trade to the Cubs might not help Miller’s fantasy case, but if he goes to Miami, Texas, Houston or (perish the thought) St. Louis, he is likely to immediately become one of the top fantasy closers the rest of the season.
Fernando Rodney, SD: I’m secretly rooting for Rodney to return to the Cubs after being lights out so far this season, but again, he would likely play a set-up role.
But if the Yankees are too stubborn to trade Chapman and/or Miller, Rodney becomes the top target for all those teams mentioned above.
Going from a team 13 games under .500 to a contender should do wonders for his fantasy value, and boost his ownership in Yahoo! leagues from 78% earlier this week closer to 100%.
UPDATE: Rodney traded to the Marlins.
Ryan Madson, OAK: Has handled most of the save duties in Oakland after seeming to split the job when Sean Doolittle returned from injury earlier in the season.
He’s a second-tier closer – with a 3.00 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, he’s not near the caliber of Chapman or maybe even Rodney.
If he’s traded, I think it will be more likely to make him set-up man, killing his fantasy value, at least for saves.
Sean Doolittle, OAK: If Madson is traded, Doolittle’s fantasy value would soar, since he likely would become Oakland’s full-time closer.
If it’s Doolittle who gets traded – and the Cubs might be interested – he likely will go from getting about one save chance a week to none at all.
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Disco Danny Ford O’Shea is our man in fantasyland. He welcomes your comments.
Posted on June 30, 2016