THE LEAGUE PRESS
2026 Trade Deadline Preview
With Scotts Tots and Vladdy's Daycare tied at the top and The Old Timers a half-game back, the trade deadline is set to define the championship race.
With exactly 27 days until the July 25 deadline, the front offices of this league are about to make the choices that will define their franchises for the next three seasons. Vladdy's Daycare holds sole possession of first place at .626, with Scotts Tots and The Old Timers locked together two games back at .599. Behind them, Kposer is quietly surging at .571 after a dominant Week 14 and is now within striking distance of the top three. But standings in late June are a mirage; the true champion will be decided by who has the courage to address their glaring weaknesses right now, and who gets paralyzed by the opportunity cost of their future keeper slots.
In a keeper league where draft rounds dictate long-term value, the trade deadline is way more complicated than just renting a player for a playoff run. A player’s true trade value is a massive balancing act: how good are they right now versus what will they cost you in draft picks next year? An elite arm like Chris Sale—locked in through 2027 for a 4th-round pick—is a franchise-altering steal. On the flip side, a rental like Shohei Ohtani gives you zero safety nets past October, but he won't tie up your budget this winter either. To figure out how this all plays out over the next few weeks, we broke it down team by team. We dug into all 12 rosters, looked at who has what draft picks, and checked every contract to see what's actually possible.
Note: You can skip directly to our Big Board rankings or check out our 10 Hypothetical Deals.
Vladdy's Daycare: Alone at the Top, Coming Off a Loss
Vladdy's Daycare holds sole possession of first at .626 and leads the league in runs scored (583). They have earned their spot. They also just dropped a 5-4-1 matchup this week—a week where Scotts Tots won 7-2-1—and if not for their existing cushion, they'd already be in a tie. The underlying problem is the same one it has been all season: 24 Saves + Holds, one of the weakest bullpen outputs in the league for a team with championship expectations. Their ERA sits at 3.29 and WHIP at 1.179, numbers that look fine on paper but are being carried entirely by the rotation. The bullpen is a tire fire waiting to happen in October, and they are running out of weeks to fix it.
Vladdy's Daycare is deep enough offensively to absorb trading a bat for bullpen help. Louis Varland on Mount My Castle (0.82 ERA, 21 SVH) is the best available reliever on a waiver tag—which means getting Mount My Castle to deal will require dramatically overpaying. Alternatively, Duran is right there if Scotts Tots doesn't move first. One of these two teams is going to fix their bullpen before July 25. The other is going to regret it by mid-October.
Scotts Tots: Second Place, Zero Saves
Scotts Tots sits two games behind Vladdy's Daycare in second place and won a strong 7-2-1 matchup this week—good enough to stay in the race, not good enough to overtake the leader. The offense is elite. Paul Skenes anchors a rotation that most teams would kill for. And yet, they have produced 16 Saves + Holds all season. Sixteen. That is not a gap—that is a chasm. The bullpen has been an active liability all year, and they are one playoff series away from watching a lead evaporate in the eighth inning because they have nobody to close it out. A contender sitting this close to the top cannot afford that vulnerability going into October.
The fix is sitting right there on the pcorcoran3 roster: Jhoan Duran, 1.63 ERA, 20 SVH, lockable at a 4th-round cost. pcorcoran3 is rebuilding and willing to deal. For Scotts Tots, this is the most obvious acquisition in the league. There is no excuse for not having made this call already. If they want rotation depth on top of that, Cam Schlittler on Mount My Castle (1.62 ERA, 118 K) is available for the right price—though Mount My Castle's motivation to sell their cheapest ace is questionable at best.
The Old Timers' Dual Problem
The Old Timers are tied for second at .599 and lost this week 4-5-1 to Vladdy's Daycare—which, combined with Scotts Tots winning big, now leaves them essentially sharing the second spot rather than threatening first. They still lead the league in home runs (178) and RBIs (535). The bat is not the problem. The problem is a 4.09 ERA and 1.202 WHIP that ranks near the bottom of the league, and just 68 stolen bases as a team. Those two weaknesses are the difference between a first-round exit and a championship run. Wheeler fixes the pitching. Bobby Witt Jr. fixes the speed. The Old Timers have the draft capital to go after both. The question is whether a team with this much offensive production is willing to admit their pitching is the reason they are not already in first.
Witt is on Sasaki Bombs with three years of contract control through 2028. He has 28 stolen bases by himself. Sasaki Bombs is selling. But they are not selling cheap—Witt is their best asset and they know it. The Old Timers will need to move Corey Seager and multiple top picks to get this done. If they pull it off, they become the most complete team in the league.
Kposer: Pitching or Bust
Kposer is the most confounding team in the league right now. After a 5-3-2 win this week they have surged to 4th at .571—and are now genuinely knocking on the door of the top three. Their offense is one of the best in the league: 162 HR, 509 RBI, .767 OPS. Their pitching is one of the worst: a league-worst 4.45 ERA and 1.300 WHIP. They are winning in spite of their rotation, not because of it. That trick runs out in October. A team this good offensively, within striking distance of first, absolutely cannot go into the playoffs giving up runs at this rate.
The fix exists. Cam Schlittler (1.62 ERA, 118 K) on Mount My Castle is the most dominant arm available, and Kposer has the draft capital and the offensive surplus to make a compelling offer. Max Meyer and Foster Griffin on Sasaki Bombs are more affordable rotation upgrades. Any one of these arms dramatically improves Kposer's ERA and WHIP. The window is open; but it requires moving draft picks they cannot afford to hoard if they want to be a real October threat.
OnlyDans: The Backwards Team
OnlyDans dropped from 4th to 5th this week after a 2-7-1 loss, and the standings gap to the top three is widening. They still own the best bullpen in the league—63 Saves + Holds, comfortably ahead of everyone else. But they rank near the bottom in home runs (119) and OPS (.729). That is a team built completely backwards from where the market is right now. The contenders desperately need saves. OnlyDans desperately needs bats. Losing ground in the standings while sitting on a bullpen surplus is the definition of an asset going to waste.
The solution is obvious but the negotiation will be complicated. Yordan Alvarez on pcorcoran3 is the premier offensive rental—1.045 OPS, 25 home runs, expiring contract, zero keeper overhead. OnlyDans should be the most aggressive bidder. They can afford to move bullpen depth to fix their OPS problem, and they should. Miguel Vargas from the same pcorcoran3 roster adds 18 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and an .841 OPS at a 16th-round keeper cost. That is elite value.
pcorcoran3: The Most Versatile Seller
pcorcoran3 is hovering around .500 at 6th place but has clearly shifted into sell mode—and they happen to be holding the three most in-demand trade chips in the league across three different categories. Yordan Alvarez is the premier offensive rental (1.045 OPS, 25 HR), Jhoan Duran is the most coveted bullpen piece (1.63 ERA, 20 SVH), and Miguel Vargas is the best cheap multi-category bat available (.841 OPS, 18 HR, 10 SB, signable in the 16th round). Those three players address the biggest needs of every major contender, which is exactly why pcorcoran3 has more leverage than any other team at this deadline.
Beyond the headliners, Logan Webb (3.09 ERA, 10 QS) is an underrated depth starter under a no-cost keeper slot through 2027, and Oneil Cruz (.822 OPS, 14 HR, 21 SB) is a rental shortstop who changes the speed calculus for any team that lands him. pcorcoran3 should receive a king's ransom for their top two pieces and still have chips left to deal.
Sasaki Bombs: Selective Sellers
Sasaki Bombs is the most complicated seller to deal with because their motivation is uneven. Bobby Witt Jr. (.826 OPS, 28 SB, through 2028) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.67 ERA, 0.891 WHIP, through 2027) are their two genuinely movable headline assets—both have real trade value and Sasaki Bombs has signaled willingness to listen. These are the conversations worth having.
Max Meyer (2.60 ERA, 107 K) and Foster Griffin (2.93 ERA, 98 K) are a different story entirely. Both are waiver pickups that Sasaki Bombs can retain next winter for essentially nothing, so their motivation to sell is minimal. Any buyer willing to dramatically overpay relative to stats might pry one loose. Jason Adam (2.37 ERA, 19 SVH) and Kevin Kelly (2.61 ERA, 21 SVH) are a legitimate bullpen duo that could also generate interest if Sasaki decides to move depth.
Mount My Castle: Rebuilding With Reluctance
Mount My Castle just went 10-0 this week—a perfect score—and jumped up the standings to 7th. They are nominally rebuilding, but their roster is so well-stocked with cheap, keepable assets that selling is harder than it sounds. Cam Schlittler (1.62 ERA, 0.920 WHIP, 118 K in 100 IP) is the most dominant pitcher in the league this season and can be signed next winter at just a 5th-round cost. Louis Varland (0.82 ERA, 21 SVH) is equally untouchable on a near-free waiver tag. Mount My Castle has no obligation to move either player, which means a buyer needs to bring an offer that compensates for what they'd be giving up long-term.
Shohei Ohtani (1.58 ERA, 0.904 WHIP, 86 K in 79.2 IP) is the more actionable deal: his contract is expiring this season, making him a pure rental with no keeper upside. Mount My Castle should be actively shopping him before the deadline. Matt Olson (.864 OPS, 20 HR) is also expiring and fits perfectly for a power-hungry contender. Eduardo Rodriguez (2.27 ERA in 95 IP) is a hidden gem in the rotation who could quietly attract late-deadline interest.
The Veteran Bubble Dilemma: Fightin' Busch Lights
The most fascinating scenario at the deadline belongs to the Fightin' Busch Lights. Sitting in 9th place at .452 after a brutal 0-9-1 shutout loss this week, the surface-level read is unambiguously to sell. But pull up their roster and you will see why that is wrong: Salvador Perez (36), Nolan Arenado (35), Giancarlo Stanton (36), Jorge Soler (34), Pete Alonso (31), Willy Adames (30), Nathan Eovaldi (36), Carlos Rodon (33), Pete Crow-Armstrong (24), and Bryan Baker running a 1.95 ERA out of the bullpen.
This roster is built to win right now—but getting shutout 0-9-1 this week makes the "one hot streak away" argument harder to sell. The veterans are still productive: Salvador Perez, Nolan Arenado, Giancarlo Stanton. Logan Gilbert (3.42 ERA, 107 K) is under contract through 2028. Bryan Baker (1.95 ERA, 23 SVH) is keepable at the 25th round for nothing. Dealing either to fund a rebuild would be the wrong move for a team whose window is right now. But sitting at .452 and 23 games back, the window is closing. The correct move is still to add pitching depth—but only if this team actually believes it can go on that run. After this week, that belief requires some faith.
gochargers: The Rebuild Blueprint
While teams like We <3 PEDs and Short Porch Soldiers are grabbing the headlines with high-profile aces, gochargers has quietly dropped to 10th place at .427 win percentage and 27 games back after a 1-7-2 week. There is no playoff path. But their roster holds some of the most efficient keeper values in the entire league, and a well-executed sell this deadline could turn a lost season into a legitimate rebuild foundation.
The prizes of the gochargers roster are outfielder Jordan Walker and reliever Robert Suarez. Walker is having a quiet breakout season (.859 OPS, 18 HR, 10 SB) and is signable next winter at a massive 21st-round discount. Suarez has been flat-out untouchable (0.56 ERA, 16 SVH, 0.844 WHIP) and carries a 17th-round keeper tag. Neither player does anything for gochargers in a lost season, but to a contender looking for cheap, high-impact depth, they are goldmines. Adding in secondary pieces like Erik Sabrowski (2.82 ERA, 19 SVH) or starter Taj Bradley could net gochargers a treasure trove of 2027 draft capital to fast-track their return to competitiveness.
Short Porch Soldiers: The Richest Seller in the League
Short Porch Soldiers sits at .346 with 11th place in their sights—a dead season by any measure. But their roster tells a different story in terms of trade value—they are holding the three best affordable starting pitchers on the market simultaneously. Chris Sale is posting a 2.14 ERA at age 37 and is locked in through 2027 at a 4th-round keeper cost. Chase Burns is arguably the best rookie pitcher in the league this season: 2.36 ERA, 112 strikeouts in 91.2 innings at age 23, signable in the 3rd round this winter. Dylan Cease leads the entire league with 128 strikeouts and is kept through 2027.
The catch is that Short Porch knows exactly what they have and will not give any of it away. They are looking for a prospect haul plus draft capital for each arm. Raisel Iglesias (1.37 ERA, 16 SVH) is another movable bullpen piece that has flown under the radar. Any contender who needs strikeouts, ratios, or saves depth should have Short Porch Soldiers at the top of their call list—but should budget accordingly.
We <3 PEDs: Full Teardown Mode
We <3 PEDs is the most motivated seller in the league. At .341 win percentage and 36.5 games back with a 3-5-2 week that went nowhere, they are not rebuilding around the margins—they are burning it down entirely. Zack Wheeler (2.03 ERA, 0.863 WHIP) and Jacob deGrom (3.55 ERA, 106 K in 88.2 IP) are both on the block. Wheeler is under contract through 2027. deGrom runs through 2028 at a 2nd-round cost, making him the most undervalued long-term asset at this deadline.
Their offense also has overlooked trade chips. Mickey Moniak is slashing .893 OPS with 12 HR in 163 AB off the bench and is a waiver pickup available to sign cheaply this winter. Gavin Williams (3.82 ERA, 111 K) and Robbie Ray (3.70 ERA, 80 K) add mid-rotation depth. We <3 PEDs has every incentive to deal now: contracts are expiring, the team is rebuilding, and waiting only gives buyers more leverage.
With these team needs established, the deadline landscape is clear. Rebuilding sellers hold the exact pieces that these five contenders need to survive the summer. But talent is only half the equation; the true value of these chips is determined by keeper economics.
In the sections ahead, we rank the 20 premier trade candidates on our big board, then break down 10 potential trades structured to deliver solutions for both buyers and sellers.
The Market
The Big Board 1.0
1. Chris Sale
through 2027 · rd 4At 37, Chris Sale is having the kind of season that ends Hall of Fame arguments. A 2.14 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 84 innings is not a fluke from an aging arm—it is a craftsman at peak efficiency, commanding four pitches with surgical precision and posting the best walk rate of his career. Short Porch Soldiers is committed to the teardown and has every reason to move him now rather than let his contract expire at a premium cost. The 4th-round keeper price is the cherry on top: a contender can lock in an ace through 2027 at a round they were unlikely to use on anything meaningful anyway. There is no other player at this deadline who combines this level of production, seller motivation, and favorable keeper economics. He is the clear number one, and any contender not making a serious offer should have their phone confiscated.
2. Cam Schlittler
available to sign · rd 5No pitcher in this league has been more dominant this season. A 1.62 ERA and 118 strikeouts across 100 innings is generational production—the kind of line that wins Cy Young awards in real life and fantasy championships in this one. The wrinkle is that Mount My Castle can keep him next winter at a 5th-round cost without needing to trade him at all. They are rebuilding, but Schlittler is so affordable to retain that their motivation to sell is not as clean as Short Porch Soldiers. A buyer needs to convince them that the draft capital today is worth more than a bargain-priced ace tomorrow. That is a hard sell. But for Scotts Tots—who have Paul Skenes and a rotation hole behind him—this is the move that turns a contender into a dynasty. The price will be steep. Pay it.
3. Chase Burns
available to sign · rd 3A 23-year-old rookie posting a 2.36 ERA and 112 strikeouts in his first full season is not a hot streak—it is the arrival of a franchise arm. Burns throws hard, misses bats at an elite rate, and has done it deep into starts all year. The 3rd-round keeper cost is real but fair for what he is. Short Porch Soldiers is selling everything and Burns is their second-best chip. Any team that acquires Sale and Burns in the same deadline owns a rotation that can legitimately carry them through three postseasons. His ranking below Sale is purely about the motivated-seller certainty—Short Porch will absolutely deal Burns, and contenders should be fighting each other for the right to make that call.
4. Jacob deGrom
through 2028 · rd 2The most underrated asset at this deadline. A 3.55 ERA is not going to make headlines, but 106 strikeouts in 88 innings tells a very different story—deGrom is still an elite strikeout artist who misses bats at a rate most aces cannot approach. The ERA has been pushed up by a handful of rough outings; the underlying profile is a top-of-rotation arm. More importantly, this is a three-year contract at a 2nd-round keeper cost. You are not renting a pitcher for two months. You are acquiring a potential franchise cornerstone through 2028 who will cost a draft pick rather than a no-cost keeper slot. We <3 PEDs is in full teardown mode and they need assets. deGrom is the kind of deal that looks obvious in January when the winner is hoisting a championship. Act now before the price climbs.
5. Jhoan Duran
available to sign · rd 4Scotts Tots is in second place, two games behind Vladdy's Daycare, with 16 team Saves and Holds. That number belongs on a cellar-dweller, not a title contender chasing the leader. Jhoan Duran is the cure: a 1.63 ERA, 20 saves and holds, elite swing-and-miss stuff, and signable next winter at a 4th-round cost. This is not a depth add—it is an emergency acquisition for a roster with a structural flaw at the worst possible time. pcorcoran3 is fully committed to rebuilding and Duran is their most expendable asset given their direction. The urgency here is real. Every week Scotts Tots waits is another week the standings gap can grow.
6. Dylan Cease
through 2027 · no-cost slotThe strikeout leader in the entire league with 128. Cease is a weapon for any team chasing the categories and he is under contract through 2027. The complication is his keeper structure: Cease is contracted under a no-cost slot rather than a standard draft pick cost, meaning he consumes one of each team's five precious no-cost keeper slots. Every contender currently has the capacity to absorb him, but that slot is gone for two years—so every future keeper decision gets made in its shadow. The production is elite and Short Porch is selling. But the opportunity cost is real, and it is why he lands below the clean draft-pick keepers despite having the best strikeout total on the board.
7. Yordan Alvarez
expiring · rental onlyAt 1.045 OPS and 25 home runs. Alvarez is the rare deadline rental who genuinely changes the shape of a roster. He does not just fill a lineup spot—he anchors it. At a time when contenders are starved for power and OPS, Alvarez is the most dominant offensive player available on the open market and he comes with zero keeper strings attached. No draft pick. No no-cost slot. He plays through the postseason and goes back into the draft pool at year's end. For OnlyDans, who have built one of the great bullpens in this league's history but rank near the bottom in home runs, this is the move that balances a lopsided roster and gives them a genuine shot at the title.
8. Zack Wheeler
through 2027 · no-cost slotA 2.03 ERA and 0.863 WHIP is not a hot month—it is ace-caliber ratio production sustained across three-quarters of a season. Wheeler induces weak contact at an exceptional rate and commands the zone with the kind of efficiency that ERA and WHIP capture perfectly. He is under a no-cost slot contract through 2027, and We <3 PEDs is in the kind of rebuild where they actively need to move players and free up their keeper commitments. His lower strikeout volume compared to Cease keeps him here, but for a team like The Old Timers that leads the league in offense and bleeds ERA, Wheeler does not need to strike batters out. He just needs to stop giving runs up. He does that as well as anyone on this board.
9. Logan Webb
through 2027 · no-cost slotLogan Webb does not miss many bats and he does not look pretty doing it, but the results are quietly excellent. A 3.09 ERA in 87 innings is above-average production from a durable, high-floor starter who eats innings and limits damage through ground balls and weak contact. He is contracted through 2027 under a no-cost slot. The most interesting angle: pcorcoran3 is already stretched on their keeper commitments and has real incentive to move Webb now and recoup capital rather than carry the slot through next winter. For a buyer like the Fightin' Busch Lights—who are right on the playoff bubble and need one more arm to get over the top—Webb is an ideal stabilizer at a price that does not gut their draft future.
10. Miguel Vargas
available to sign · rd 16Eighteen home runs, 10 steals, and an .841 OPS from one corner infield roster spot. Vargas is the best multi-category offensive value on this board, and the keeper economics are absurd: he can be signed next winter at a 16th-round cost. No team is doing anything meaningful at round 16. For a contender that needs to improve home run, OPS, and stolen base production simultaneously, Vargas is a one-stop solution. pcorcoran3 is selling the entire roster and Vargas is one of their best chips. The question is whether buyers understand what they are getting, because a 16th-round keeper signal dramatically undersells his current output.
11. Bobby Witt Jr.
through 2028 · no-cost slotTwenty-eight stolen bases. Bobby Witt Jr. has more steals by himself than several entire rosters. He is the most dynamic positional player available at this deadline, combining elite baserunning with a legitimate .826 OPS and the kind of shortstop eligibility that every contender covets. Three years of control through 2028 under a no-cost slot contract means a buyer is committing one of their five slots for three consecutive seasons—a meaningful cost that buyers need to plan around. But the production justifies it. Sasaki Bombs is rebuilding and knows Witt is their crown jewel. The price will be enormous. The Old Timers, tied for second at .599 with 68 team steals and genuine championship aspirations, are the team that cannot afford to let someone else win this bidding war.
12. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
through 2027 · no-cost slotA 2.67 ERA and 0.891 WHIP in nearly 100 innings. Yamamoto is a legitimate ace who can anchor any playoff rotation. He balances elite ratios with genuine strikeout production at 90 Ks—unlike Wheeler or Webb, he gives you both. Sasaki Bombs is stretched on their keeper commitments and has real incentive to convert Yamamoto into draft capital now rather than carry him into a rebuild year. For Kposer, who is running a league-worst 4.45 ERA and 1.300 WHIP and desperately needs a front-line arm, Yamamoto is the most transformative single acquisition available. A contender that acquires him and has a no-cost slot to give gets one of the best ratio profiles in the league for two more seasons.
13. Shohei Ohtani
expiring · rental onlyA 1.58 ERA from a pitcher-only Ohtani is the kind of number that makes you do a double-take. He is not the two-way spectacle that defines his real-life career here—he is a pure starting pitcher who is dominating fantasy lineups with one of the lowest ERAs in the league. His contract expires at season's end and Mount My Castle is fully motivated to convert him into draft capital before he walks for nothing. The expiring tag means no keeper slot from the buyer, which makes him an ideal pure rental for a contender with a rotation gap but limited keeper flexibility. Ohtani going to The Old Timers on top of Wheeler would give them a top-3 rotation in the league overnight.
14. Oneil Cruz
expiring · rental onlyFourteen home runs, 21 stolen bases, and an .822 OPS at shortstop from a rental. Cruz is the kind of player who changes the calculus for a contender chasing a category—he contributes across power, speed, and OPS simultaneously from a premium position. He is an expiring contract at a 20th-round cost, so the buyer carries him through the playoffs and returns him to the draft pool at year's end. No keeper slot obligation whatsoever. For OnlyDans, who already rank near the bottom in home runs and stolen bases, Cruz is a second offensive upgrade alongside Alvarez that costs minimal capital and leaves the keeper structure completely intact.
15. Louis Varland
available to sign · waiver (25th)A 0.82 ERA and 21 saves and holds from a reliever that Mount My Castle picked up off waivers. The production is genuinely elite and there is not a closer in this league who has been more consistent. The complication is motivation: Mount My Castle can keep Varland next winter as a waiver pickup at essentially no keeper cost, so their incentive to deal him is minimal. Any team that wants him will need to dramatically overpay relative to what the stats suggest—because Mount My Castle knows what they have, and they are not required to give it away. He ranks here because of his seller's reluctance. The arm itself deserves a top-ten spot.
16. Max Meyer
available to sign · waiver (25th)A 2.60 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 97 innings is the profile of a mid-rotation ace, and Meyer is another waiver pickup that Sasaki Bombs can retain for essentially nothing next winter. Same dynamic as Varland on Mount My Castle: the production is real, the motivation to sell is limited, and the price for an outside buyer will far exceed what the keeper cost implies. Sasaki Bombs is not in full teardown mode—they are making calculated decisions about what to keep and what to move. If a team shows up with an offer that compensates for what Meyer could become, they will listen. A committed rebuild offer or a truly elite prospect package is what opens this negotiation.
17. Jordan Walker
available to sign · rd 21Jordan Walker is quietly having a breakout season that the standings do not reflect—18 home runs, 10 steals, and an .859 OPS for a gochargers team that is nowhere near the playoff picture. That is a premium outfield bat being wasted on a rebuild. gochargers has every reason to move him: they are out of contention, Walker is signable next winter at a 21st-round keeper cost, and his value to a contender far exceeds what he is doing for them right now. For Vladdy's Daycare or Kposer looking to add outfield power without burning a no-cost slot or a high draft pick, Walker is one of the cleanest fits on the board.
18. Robert Suarez
available to sign · rd 17A 0.56 ERA and 16 saves and holds. Robert Suarez has been as close to untouchable as any reliever in the league this season, and he is sitting on a gochargers roster that is nowhere near the playoff picture. The 17th-round keeper cost is a genuine bargain for saves production of this caliber. gochargers needs capital and has no reason to hold him. For Scotts Tots—who are running 16 team saves and holds and need bullpen help almost as badly as they need air—adding Suarez alongside Duran would transform one of the worst bullpens in the league into one of the best. That kind of market arbitrage is exactly what deadlines are for.
19. Matt Olson
expiring · rental onlyTwenty home runs and an .864 OPS. Matt Olson is having exactly the kind of season a power-hungry contender wants to acquire, and Mount My Castle has maxed out all five of their no-cost keeper slots and has zero reason to hold an expiring asset. He will walk at the end of the season regardless. The only question is whether Mount My Castle converts him into draft capital now or watches him walk for nothing in October. For a team like OnlyDans or The Old Timers looking to add first base production without any keeper obligation, Olson is a clean, low-maintenance power bat with a clear seller on the other end.
20. Foster Griffin
available to sign · waiver (25th)A 2.93 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 98 innings is precisely one inning-per-start, one-K-per-inning production from a starter nobody paid for. Griffin is a waiver pickup who is quietly outperforming most paid starters in this league and can be signed next winter at a 25th-round cost. Like Meyer, Sasaki Bombs has no urgency to sell him—he is essentially free to keep. But if a rebuilding team sends a credible package, Sasaki Bombs gains capital and frees up roster flexibility. For any contender that lost a starter to injury or needs one more reliable arm for the rotation, Griffin is the most affordable solution on the market.
Potential Trades
10 Hypothetical Deals
Trade 1: Duran to Scotts Tots
- Brooks Lee (2B/3B/SS)
- 2027 2nd Round Draft Pick
- Jhoan Duran (RP)
Scotts Tots sits in second place with 16 team Saves and Holds. That is a structural flaw in a contending roster, not a slump. Jhoan Duran is the most logical fix in the league—1.63 ERA, 20 saves and holds, signable at a 4th-round keeper cost this winter. pcorcoran3 is fully committed to the rebuild and Duran is their most expendable high-value chip. Brooks Lee is a young multi-position infielder who fits perfectly into a rebuilding timeline. This is the most obvious, most urgent deal at the deadline.
Trade 2: Sale and Burns to Vladdy's Daycare
- Roman Anthony (OF)
- 2027 2nd Round Draft Pick
- 2027 3rd Round Draft Pick
- Chris Sale (SP)
- Chase Burns (SP)
Vladdy's Daycare leads the league at .626 and needs rotation depth to hold it—especially after dropping this week's matchup. Short Porch Soldiers has two of the top three arms on the board and is selling everything. Sale at 2.14 ERA through 2027 and Burns at 2.36 ERA with a 3rd-round keeper cost give Vladdy's the most dominant pitching tandem at this deadline in a single trade. Short Porch rebuilds around Roman Anthony—one of the best outfield keeper assets in the draft—and two premium picks. This is the kind of franchise-reshaping deal that deadlines are built for.
Trade 3: Witt to The Old Timers
- Corey Seager (SS)
- 2027 1st Round Draft Pick
- 2027 2nd Round Draft Pick
- Bobby Witt Jr. (SS)
The Old Timers have 68 stolen bases as a team. Bobby Witt Jr. has 28 by himself. The gap between what The Old Timers have and what they need is entirely embodied in one player on one roster. Witt is the most dynamic positional player at this deadline—three years of elite shortstop production at .826 OPS and elite baserunning through 2028. Sasaki Bombs gets a haul worthy of the ask: Corey Seager at SS, a 1st-round pick, and a 2nd-round pick to build a rebuild around. The Old Timers, now with Witt and a rotation rebuilt through other trades, become the most complete team in the league.
Trade 4: Alvarez and Cruz to OnlyDans
- Cade Smith (RP)
- 2027 1st Round Draft Pick
- 2027 3rd Round Draft Pick
- Yordan Alvarez (OF)
- Oneil Cruz (SS)
OnlyDans has built one of the great bullpens in this league's history and one of the most anemic lineups among fringe contenders. The fix is not subtle: acquire the two best offensive rentals on the market from the same seller in one trade. Alvarez at 1.045 OPS and 25 home runs. Cruz at .822 OPS, 14 HR, and 21 steals at shortstop. Neither requires a keeper commitment. pcorcoran3 rebuilds with a 1st-round pick, Cade Smith as a young bullpen piece, and a 3rd-round pick. OnlyDans, armed with elite pitching and now legitimate offensive firepower, becomes a genuine title contender overnight.
Trade 5: Schlittler to Kposer
- Christian Walker (1B)
- 2027 1st Round Draft Pick
- 2027 2nd Round Draft Pick
- Cam Schlittler (SP)
Kposer is running the worst ERA in the league and has the offensive production to compete if the pitching catches up. Schlittler at 1.62 ERA and 118 strikeouts is the most dominant arm available and can be kept next winter at a 5th-round cost. Mount My Castle is rebuilding and needs capital more than wins. They get Christian Walker—a proven 1B bat who contributes immediately—plus two premium picks to rebuild their pipeline. For Kposer, one dominant ace changes the entire ERA and WHIP calculus of their staff. This is a transformative acquisition for a contender with nowhere to go but up in the pitching categories.
Trade 6: Yamamoto to Scotts Tots
- Nolan McLean (SP)
- 2027 2nd Round Draft Pick
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (SP)
Scotts Tots addressed the bullpen with Duran in Trade 1. Now they address the rotation. Yamamoto at 2.67 ERA, 0.891 WHIP, and 90 strikeouts through 2027 gives Scotts Tots a legitimate ace to slot alongside Paul Skenes. That is a 1-2 punch that belongs in the conversation with any rotation in this league. Sasaki Bombs is stretched on keeper commitments and benefits from moving Yamamoto now—they get Nolan McLean as a high-ceiling young arm for the rebuild plus a 2nd-round pick. A clean, high-impact deal where both sides get exactly what they need.
Trade 7: deGrom to The Old Timers
- Reid Detmers (SP)
- JJ Wetherholt (2B/SS)
- 2027 3rd Round Draft Pick
- Jacob deGrom (SP)
Already adding Witt to fix their stolen base crisis in Trade 3, The Old Timers now address their 4.09 ERA with the most underrated asset at the deadline. Three years of deGrom at a 2nd-round keeper cost is a deal that does not come around often—106 strikeouts in 88 innings, controlled through 2028, from a team in full teardown. We <3 PEDs gets Detmers as a young arm to develop, Wetherholt as a premium infield prospect with multi-position eligibility, and a 3rd-round pick. The Old Timers, now with Witt at SS and deGrom anchoring the rotation, have solved both of their playoff-round weaknesses in one deadline.
Trade 8: Wheeler to Vladdy's Daycare
- Sam Antonacci (2B/3B/SS/OF)
- 2027 2nd Round Draft Pick
- Zack Wheeler (SP)
Vladdy's Daycare already added Sale and Burns in Trade 2. Adding Wheeler—2.03 ERA, 0.863 WHIP, through 2027—gives them a third legitimate front-line arm. Three controlled starters of this caliber at the top of a playoff rotation is the kind of depth that wins championships in October. We <3 PEDs is committed to teardown and continues converting assets. They land Sam Antonacci, a versatile young keeper with rare multi-position eligibility, alongside a 2nd-round pick. For We <3 PEDs, this deal and Trade 7 together give them a real foundation to rebuild from—two prospects and three picks across both deals.
Trade 9: Suarez, Walker, and Olson to Fightin' Busch Lights
- 2027 3rd Round Pick → gochargers
- 2027 4th Round Pick → gochargers
- 2027 4th Round Pick → Mount My Castle
- Robert Suarez (RP) from gochargers
- Jordan Walker (OF) from gochargers
- Matt Olson (1B) from Mount My Castle
The Fightin' Busch Lights are one game outside the playoff bracket with a veteran roster in its final competitive window. They do not need a rebuild. They need one more push. Three low-cost, high-value targets are available from two teams with nothing to play for. Suarez at 0.56 ERA and 16 SVH locks down the bullpen. Walker at .859 OPS, 18 HR, and 10 SB adds outfield production. Olson at .864 OPS and 20 HR gives them a power bat at first base. All three are cheap keepers who cost mid-round draft picks, not premium capital. gochargers and Mount My Castle collect four picks to fund their respective rebuilds. The Busch Lights make the playoffs they have been building toward all season.
Trade 10: Cease and Vargas to OnlyDans
- Tanner Bibee (SP) → Short Porch
- 2027 3rd Round Pick → Short Porch
- 2027 4th Round Pick → pcorcoran3
- Dylan Cease (SP) from Short Porch
- Miguel Vargas (CI) from pcorcoran3
OnlyDans fixed their offense with Alvarez and Cruz in Trade 4. Now they fix the rotation. Cease at 128 strikeouts and through 2027 gives them an ace who leads the league in Ks. Vargas adds .841 OPS, 18 HR, and 10 SB at corner infield at a 16th-round keeper cost—one of the most affordable multi-category bats on the market. Two separate sellers, two different needs addressed in one coordinated move. Short Porch picks up Bibee as a young controlled arm for the rebuild. pcorcoran3 continues their full sell. OnlyDans, now with elite pitching, elite bullpen, and a retooled lineup, is the most complete team they have been all season heading into the playoff push.