Trade Deadline Tracker

The trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and the dominoes have started to fall. To stay ahead of the curve in Fantasy Baseball, we’re bringing you the latest Trade Deadline Tracker updates. Over the next week or so, Scott White and Chris Towers will be breaking down every significant move that impacts Fantasy, updating the feed as trades happen.

Dean Kremer Traded to Twins

Dean Kremer, who had briefly piqued Fantasy interest with a stellar performance against the White Sox, has been traded to the Twins. His impressive outing saw him allow just one earned run in six innings, showcasing his splitter, which boasts an impressive .204 batting average against and 41.5% whiff rate. However, as his pitch selection normalized, his ERA took a turn for the worse, and he now finds himself on a Twins staff with no clear opening for him. Initially, it seemed he wouldn’t be any better than the pitchers occupying the fourth and fifth spots, Zebby Matthews and Connor Prielipp. But both of these pitchers are entering unfamiliar territory in terms of innings, with Prielipp particularly inexperienced. This trade serves as a reminder that both pitchers, who are already somewhat fringe in Fantasy, have an expiration date. Kremer is expected to fill a swingman role until he’s needed to step in full-time.

Curtis Mead Traded to Red Sox for Connelly Early

Update: Curtis Mead has suffered a wrist fracture in his second plate appearance for the Red Sox and is likely to miss the remainder of the season. This assessment is based on the theoretical, and its accuracy may be altered by future Red Sox moves.

It’s refreshing to see a trade that prioritizes matching needs over shedding salary for prospects. Both Mead and Connelly Early possess several years of control left and, with this trade, become foundational pieces for clubs that lacked what they can provide. The big winner in Fantasy is Mead, who has had a breakout season in every respect but was occasionally required to sit due to the Nationals’ infield surplus. He should play every day for the Red Sox – and at second base, no less, likely preserving his triple eligibility for next year. His batted-ball profile is perfectly suited for Fenway Park, featuring a lack of high-end exit velocities but an abundance of fly balls pulled from the right side. As some of his fly ball outs become singles and doubles off the Green Monster, his batting average is expected to rise. This trade positions him on the fringes of the top 12 at third base, where he’s of the most use in Fantasy.

From a real-world perspective, this trade may seem like a coup for the Nationals, given Early was a top prospect entering the year, while Mead had already flopped with two organizations and was challenged defensively. However, Mead’s stock has risen since then, while Early’s has likely slipped a bit. Notably, the Nationals are acquiring Early while he’s sidelined by elbow inflammation, which doesn’t sound serious but does introduce an element of uncertainty. Even prior to the injury, Early’s control had been shaky, and his stuff had played down, resulting in ERA estimators well above his actual ERA. Perhaps the Red Sox thought they should get while the getting was good.