Breaking down the trade deadline movers
The trade deadline is like Christmas in July for Fantasy owners, especially for those in AL- and NL-only leagues.
We break down all the deals and the potential impact in Fantasy. These deals are ranked in order of their projected impact, so weigh your available Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) accordingly.
Which player gets the biggest boost after Thursday's dealings? Cast your vote here in our poll.
Deadline links: MLB Trade Rumors | Latest transactions | Updated Depth Charts | Analysis
Heading to the AL
 | 1B Mark Teixeira, LAA Traded to the Angels for 1B Casey Kotchman and RP prospect Stephen Marek AL FAAB rank: No. 1 -- Big Tex is the big prize again at the trade deadline, teaming with Vladimir Guerrero to provide thump to a lineup that has long needed it. Teixeira is famously a great second-half player, so any potential downgrade in supporting cast from the offensively potent Braves to the kick-and-scratch Angels shouldn't really concern you. Mixed league Fantasy value: No change. He remains a must-start first baseman in all leagues. Available via waivers on CBSSports.com: Friday, Aug. 1. |
 | OF Jason Bay, BOS Traded to the Red Sox via the Dodgers for Manny Ramirez, Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss AL FAAB rank: No. 2 -- Bay's right-handed bat and great OPS make him a perfect fit in Fenway Park and in the middle of a still-potent Red Sox lineup. Bay has been a .300-30-100-100 candidate in a bad Pirates lineup and now could really take off in a pennant race and with the best supporting cast he has ever had. He is not worth staying completely out of the Teixeira FAAB bidding, but because he will be available a day later, he is a nice consolation prize. He is worth burning your budget on. Mixed league Fantasy value: Significant increase. He remains a must-start outfielder in all leagues. Available via waivers on CBSSports.com: Saturday, Aug. 2. |
 | OF Ken Griffey, CHW Traded to the White Sox for 2B prospect Danny Richar and RP Nick Masset AL FAAB rank: No. 3 -- The White Sox will likely slot Ken Griffey in center field between sluggers Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye. That moves former center fielder Nick Swisher to first base, where he might have to compete with at-bats for Paul Konerko. Griffey will still have a nice homer hitter's park, good supporting cast and a full-time job. This trade more affects Konerko, who is probably the odd man out. Swisher could lose some at-bats, too, we suppose, but we wouldn't downgrade him in Fantasy like we would Konerko. Mixed league Fantasy value: No change. He remains a viable starter in any league. Available via waivers on CBSSports.com: Saturday, Aug. 2. |
Also heading to the AL: SP prospect Gaby Hernandez, SEA; RP prospect Jhonny Nunez, NYY; RP prospect Luis Munoz, SEA.
Heading to the NL
 | OF Manny Ramirez, LAD Traded to the Dodgers via the Pirates for 3B prospect Andy LaRoche and SP prospect Bryan Morris NL FAAB rank: No. 1 -- Ramirez goes from one of the best hitter's parks and supporting casts in baseball to one of the best pitcher's venues and a lineup that really has lacked thump for years. Manny provides the thump, but he won't have great protection or the table-setters the Red Sox boast. With all of this said, Manny doesn't really need much help. He can put a team on his back and might be rejuvenated getting out of Boston. He is the class of the NL-only additions at the trade deadline and is worth saving all of your FAAB dollars for. Mixed league Fantasy value: Slight decrease. He remains a must-start in all leagues. Available via waivers on CBSSports.com: Saturday, Aug. 2. |
 | 1B Casey Kotchman, ATL Traded to the Braves with RP prospect Stephen Marek for 1B Mark Teixeira NL FAAB rank: No. 2 -- The knock on Kotchman has long been his slow-developing power, but he hit three of his 12 homers in his last four games with the Angels. Kotchman is just 25 years old and is under Atlanta's control for years to come. His great glove and great strikeout-to-walk rate makes him a very underrated up-and-coming Fantasy first baseman. He is not quite yet Kevin Youkilis, but he is years younger and we could see Kotchman becoming a .300-25-100-100 man in his prime. Mixed league Fantasy value: Slight increase. Solid start in most leagues. Available via waivers on CBSSports.com: Friday, Aug. 1. |
 | OF Brandon Moss, PIT Traded to the Pirates via the Dodgers with 3B prospect Andy LaRoche, RP Craig Hansen and SP prospect Bryan Morris for OF Jason Bay NL FAAB rank: No. 3 -- Moss has been considered a better prospect than David Murphy, who has had a huge rookie season for the Rangers after being acquired at last year's trade deadline for Eric Gagne. Moss can be an immediately replacement for Bay in Pittsburgh, alongside Nate McLouth and Steve Pearce while Andrew McCutchen continues to get seasoning in Triple-A. Moss is a decent consolation prize if you lose out on Ramirez and Kotchman in NL-only waivers this weekend. Mixed league Fantasy value: Significant increase. He is solid option for deeper leagues, especially NL-only formats. Available via waivers on CBSSports.com: Saturday, Aug. 2. |
Also heading to the NL: RHP Craig Hansen, PIT; LHP Arthur Rhodes, FLA; RHP LaTroy Hawkins, HOU; RHP Nick Masset, CIN; SS prospect Alberto Gonzalez, WAS; 2B prospect Danny Richar, CIN; RP prospect Stephen Marek, ATL.
Staying in the same league
 | C Ivan Rodriguez, NYY Traded to the Yankees for RP Kyle Farnsworth The Tigers had a great offense, like the Yankees, so don't expect Pudge to get more RBI opportunities. One thing a deal to the Yankees does, though, is increase his already-high name recognition. That could help you if you are looking to deal him, perhaps. He will remain an everyday catcher, of course. His most notable Fantasy contribution could be what he does for the Yankees' pitching staff, especially young arm Joba Chamberlain. This is a Hall of Famer who can lead a staff to a World Series. Fantasy value: Slight increase. He is a viable starter in any league. |
 | 3B Andy LaRoche, PIT Traded to the Pirates via Boston with OF Brandon Moss, RP Craig Hansen, SP prospect Bryan Morris for OF Jason Bay The Pirates have decided they want to commit to the LaRoche brothers (the older one, Adam, is the Pirates' first baseman) as their corner infielders. LaRoche has 30-homer power long term and it comes without the expense of strikeouts, like most young slugging prospects. He has a rare 1-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the minor leagues this season (20-40). The Pirates will be more inclined to give LaRoche a good look down the stretch than the contending Dodgers would have been. LaRoche joins the Pirates immediately and could take over full time at third for the disappointing Jose A. Bautista in the near future. Fantasy value: Significant increase. Consider him a must-add in deeper formats, especially NL-only leagues. |
 | RP Kyle Farnsworth, DET Traded to the Tigers for C Ivan Rodriguez Farnsworth is far more intriguing in Fantasy than real baseball, because stats know no pressure. Farnsworth was great in his last Detroit stint and will help set up for newly designated closer Fernando Rodney, along with injury-risk flame-thrower Joel Zumaya. The sketchiness of the Tigers' bullpen gives Farnsworth a potential chance to save some games in the second half -- far more of a chance he ever had behind Mariano Rivera. Fantasy value: Slight increase. He is a viable middle reliever in leagues that use them -- with a smidge of a chance to close. |
Others changing teams but not leagues: SP prospect Bryan Morris, PIT; RP prospect Alberto Arias, HOU.
Opportunity knocks
 | C Brandon Inge, DET  Assumes starting catcher role The Tigers obviously felt comfortable with their utility man's ability to handle the pitching staff and the defensive demands at the position. Inge has more pop in his bat than Pudge at this point in their careers, so the Tigers could get more offense from their catcher -- if Inge can prove consistent. Inge is not a No. 1 catcher in most Fantasy leagues, but he is at least a No. 2 now. Fantasy value: Slight increase. Viable starter in mixed leagues. |
 | 1B Paul Konerko, CHW  Moves to bench or platoon role at first base with Nick Swisher The White Sox apparently will play Griffey in center and Swisher at first base, making Konerko a platoon DH with Thome at this point. This makes him unusable in mixed leagues. There is situational pop in his bat, but without full-time at-bats, it will be very hard for him to break out of his season-long slump. It will become time to cut him in mixed leagues, if he will indeed be a part-timer now. Fantasy value: Huge decrease. Cut in mixed leagues and monitor in AL-only formats. |
 | OFs Andruw Jones, Juan Pierre, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, LAD Four outfielders for two spots alongside Ramirez in left The Dodgers outfield has been a mess anyway, but it gets even more crowded. Ramirez will be the everyday left fielder, so Kemp, Ethier, Pierre and Jones will be a collection of four outfielders for two starting jobs over the season's final two months. Jones is pretty likely to be a reserve, starting in center only against left-handed pitchers, while Pierre could move back to center to start against some right-handed pitchers. Kemp deserves to get the bulk of the time in center and as the leadoff man, but he could play some right field over Ethier against left-handed pitching. Fantasy value: Slight decrease to all, especially Jones and Pierre. Kemp and Ethier should remain near full-time mixed league outfielders. |
 | OF Corey Patterson, CIN Assumes starting outfield role Patterson cannot hit a lick right now, but his steals potential makes him intriguing in all Rotisserie leagues. The trade of Ken Griffey to the White Sox likely means Jay Bruce moves to right field full time, while Patterson gets full-time at-bats again in center field. Patterson is a veteran who is a lot better than he has shown this season, so consider taking a flier on him if you are desperate for steals. Fantasy value: Slight increase. He becomes viable in all Rotisserie leagues again because of his steals potential. |
 | 3B Jose A. Bautista, PIT Relegated to reserve or time-share with LaRoche Bautista has pop in his bat, but he really hasn't taken the everyday third baseman's job with the Pirates and run with it. Now, the Pirates have the much higher-ceiling LaRoche to compete for at-bats with him in the short term. Long term, LaRoche is no question the full-time answer at third. Bautista's power makes him intriguing still in NL-only formats, but it is likely he will have to share time at third and perhaps even move back to the outfield going forward. Fantasy value: Significant decrease. He is no longer a full-time third baseman for NL-only leagues. |
 | C Jose Molina, NYY Relegated to reserve catcher role The Yankees picked up Pudge to slot the Mendoza Line-hitting Molina as a situational backup catcher and potential defensive replacement. That is really all he is good for at this point anyway. Even with full-time at-bats Molina wasn't hitting enough to be useful even in AL-only leagues. Cut and ignore this Molina in all Fantasy leagues. Fantasy value: Huge decrease. Cut and ignore him in all leagues. |
You can e-mail us your Fantasy Baseball trade deadline questions to DMFantasyBaseball@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Deadline in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.
