Aug 3, 2026, 9:58 PM ET

Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall said the team is planning to promote outfield prospect Hector Rodriguez to the big leagues on Tuesday, according to Francys Romero of Beisbol FR. Rodriguez has put together a dominant season at Triple-A Louisville so far in 2026, hitting .274/.347/.533 with 27 home runs, 69 RBI, 72 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 455 plate appearances. The 22-year-old is considered one of the top prospects in the Reds system and has the potential to be a five-category fantasy contributor. He could also be in line for an everyday role in Cincinnati with Reds first baseman/outfielder Spencer Steer (wrist) currently on the injured list due to a wrist injury. In any league where he remains available, Rodriguez profiles as a high-upside waiver wire target.--Will Brady
Source: Beisbol FR - Francys Romero

Aug 3, 2026, 9:47 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan has been optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. Following the Dodgers' trade deadline acquisition of superstar left-hander Tarik Skubal, it appears that Sheehan is the odd man out in the Dodgers' rotation. Sheehan has been inconsistent so far in 2026, recording a 4-8 record with a 5.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 108 strikeouts across 95 1/3 innings (20 starts). The 26-year-old's underlying metrics suggest he's been hurt by some poor luck, as he's logged an above-average 18.9% K-BB rate and owns a 3.96 xERA. However, Sheehan's average fastball velocity is down one mile per hour from last season, and he's had major difficulty keeping the ball in the yard, allowing 1.89 HR/9. With Skubal in Los Angeles and Dodgers starters Tyler Glasnow (back) and Blake Snell (elbow) also nearing returns to the team's rotation, Sheehan may not see many more opportunities to contribute in the big leagues in 2026.--Will Brady
Source: The Athletic - Katie Woo

Aug 3, 2026, 9:42 PM ET

The Colorado Rockies and outfielder Mickey Moniak are nearing an agreement on a two-year extension, according to Thomas Harding of Rockies.com. Moniak is under team control with Colorado through the end of 2027, at which point he would have hit free agency. Now, it appears as though the Rockies are locking him in for at least an extra year. Across 278 plate appearances this season, Moniak is hitting .273/.317/.547 with 17 home runs, 47 RBI, 38 runs scored, and one stolen base. The 28-year-old has logged a double-digit barrel rate in three out of the last four years and has emerged as a quality power source for fantasy managers. The lefty-swinging Moniak is mostly deployed in a big-side platoon role in Colorado, which limits his counting stat upside. Still, remaining at the hitter-friendly Coors Field for his home games boosts Moniak's fantasy value.--Will Brady
Source: Rockies.com - Thomas Harding

Aug 3, 2026, 9:31 PM ET

The Minnesota Twins have acquired right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman from the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. In exchange for Hoffman, Minnesota sent out a trio of prospects in pitchers Dasan Hill and John Klein, as well as infielder Dameury Pena. Hoffman opened 2026 as the closer in Toronto, but early-season struggles led to him being removed from the role. However, the 33-year-old has turned it on over the last two months, allowing just three earned runs while recording 30 strikeouts across 22 1/3 innings since the start of June. For the season overall, Hoffman has posted a stellar 34.9% strikeout rate to go along with six wins, 12 holds, and five saves. In Minnesota, Hoffman could have a chance to re-emerge as a primary ninth-inning option. Particularly in deeper leagues, he profiles as a worthy waiver-wire target for fantasy managers in need of saves.--Will Brady
Source: Sportsnet - Ben Nicholson-Smith

Aug 3, 2026, 9:23 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers made a major move at the trade deadline, acquiring left-handed pitching prospect Kash Mayfield from the San Diego Padres in exchange for veteran pitcher Casey Mize. Mayfield is at least a year or two away from being able to contribute in the big leagues, as he's just 21 years old and has not yet pitched above High-A. However, the young lefty was considered the number two prospect in the Padres system. He has also posted strong results so far this year at High-A Fort Wayne, recording a 3-1 record with a 3.54 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts across 53 1/3 innings (15 starts). Mayfield needs to improve his command, as he's logged a 10.3% walk rate in 2026. Still, he's posted an impressive 29.0% strikeout rate after posting a 34.1% strikeout rate across 19 Single-A starts in 2025. In dynasty formats, Mayfield remains an appealing pitching asset even after the trade.--Will Brady
Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal

Aug 3, 2026, 9:16 PM ET

The San Diego Padres made a move to bolster their rotation at the trade deadline, acquiring starting pitcher Casey Mize from the Detroit Tigers. Across 86 2/3 innings (14 starts) this season, Mize has recorded a 4-6 record with a 2.70 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts. The 29-year-old has also logged two separate stints on the injured list due to groin strains, so health is a red flag in his profile. However, when healthy, Mize profiles as a steady innings-eater. He's posted a 19.4% K-BB rate and has limited the long ball, allowing just 0.52 HR/9. To get Mize, San Diego sent out left-handed pitching prospects Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf. With the Padres, Mize profiles as one of San Diego's top arms alongside right-hander Michael King and fellow trade deadline acquisition Robbie Ray.--Will Brady
Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal

Aug 3, 2026, 7:52 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed reliever Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels on Monday in exchange for catcher Moises Ballesteros and minor-league pitcher Mason McGwire, the son of former big-league legend Mark McGwire, according to Francys Romero. Just when Zeferjahn was becoming a deep-league saves option in Anaheim, the 28-year-old was traded to a contender to help bolster the back end of their bullpen with regular closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) still on the injured list. Zeferjahn is 4-3 with a 3.66 ERA (3.77 FIP), 1.20 WHIP, a career-high four saves, 75 strikeouts, and 32 walks in 51 2/3 innings pitched in 2026 in his third year in the majors. With the last-place Angels, he wasn't a very convincing pickup off the waiver wire in deep fantasy leagues with save opportunities coming his way recently, but Zeferjahn should be more enticing to managers desperate for saves now that he has a shot for ninth-inning work on the North Side in Chicago. The Cubs have been using a closer-by-committee of late, consisting of Jacob Webb, Trent Thornton, and Caleb Thielbar.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Francys Romero

Aug 3, 2026, 7:38 PM ET

The Houston Astros acquired center fielder Daulton Varsho from the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Athletic's Mitch Bannon reports that the Astros sent right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (foot) to the Blue Jays in return for Varsho. The 30-year-old Varsho has been a disappointment at the plate this year in Toronto, but he will immediately bolster the Astros' defense in the outfield. In 333 at-bats in 2026 in his seventh year in the majors (fourth with the Blue Jays), Varsho hit a very mediocre .243/.307/.375 with a .682 OPS, seven home runs, 26 RBI, 39 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 99 games across 365 plate appearances. He will be set to reach free agency at the end of the 2026 season, so he might turn out to be just a rental for Houston's playoff run. The former second-rounder by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee really struggled in July, going 17-for-83 (.205) with a .482 OPS, zero homers, three doubles, four RBI, eight runs scored, two steals, four walks, and 10 strikeouts in 24 games. Houston will be hoping that Varsho can be better than that at the plate going forward.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan

Aug 3, 2026, 7:30 PM ET

The Arizona Diamondbacks added outfield depth at Monday's Aug. 3 trade deadline by acquiring outfielder Lars Nootbaar from the St. Louis Cardinals, according to ESPN's Jorge Castillo and Alden Gonzalez. Nootbaar will head to the National League West after hitting just .234/.333/.354 with a .688 OPS, three home runs, 16 RBI, 22 runs scored, and a stolen base in 48 games and 183 plate appearances this year in his sixth season with the Cardinals. The 28-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder got a late start to the year after recovering from offseason surgery on both of his heels. Despite not really standing out offensively this year in St. Louis, Nootbaar should have a regular role in the Snakes' outfield because of injuries to all of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (thigh), Tommy Troy (shoulder), and Jordan Lawlar (hamstring). Nootbaar has always teased power/speed upside, but he has not panned out in the big leagues thanks to injuries. He's hitting only .133 (4-for-30) with one of his three homers against lefty pitchers, and Nootbaar could lose playing time as Arizona's outfield gets healthy. Nootbaar is rostered in just 2% of Yahoo leagues.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo

Aug 3, 2026, 7:22 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander Clay Holmes (leg) and outfielder Tyrone Taylor from the New York Mets on Monday in exchange for infielder Jefferson Rojas, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. Holmes becomes the third starting pitcher that the Cubbies acquired at this year's trade deadline, joining veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman and lefty Braxton Garrett. The 33-year-old Holmes is still on the 60-day injured list after fracturing his fibula earlier this season, but he could help bolster Chicago's rotation down the stretch, and he could make his Cubs debut sooner rather than later after making his third minor-league rehab start with High-A Brooklyn on Sunday. It will be interesting to see if the Cubs feel that Holmes will be better off working in a relief role (he has plenty of experience doing that), with right-hander Edward Cabrera (hamstring) also nearing his return from the IL. It's hard to gauge Holmes' rest-of-season fantasy outlook because we don't know exactly what his role will be upon joining his new club. Before injuring his leg earlier this year, the two-time All-Star had a 2.39 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 45:18 K:BB in just nine starts, but the underlying metrics pointed to eventual regression. Taylor, who will be a free agent after the season, will be a platoon bat in Chicago against lefties after sporting a .900 OPS against southpaws with the Mets in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan

Aug 3, 2026, 7:12 PM ET

The New York Yankees acquired outfielder Heliot Ramos from the San Francisco Giants on Monday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. It's unclear at this time what the Yankees sent to the Giants in exchange. Ramos will bring a much-needed right-handed bat to the Yankees outfield with all of Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton still sidelined with injuries. The 26-year-old Puerto Rican outfielder doesn't exactly bring a strong glove with him to the Bronx, though, and he has hit just .264/.304/.424 with a .728 OPS, nine home runs, 34 RBI, 36 runs scored, and three stolen bases across his 288 at-bats with the Giants this year. Although only two of his nine home runs in 2026 have come against left-handers, he's killed them otherwise, going 19-for-65 (.292) against them with an .835 OPS in 36 games. Another plus for the Yanks is that Ramos is now under team control through the 2029 season. Ramos might not see as much playing time against right-handed pitchers, but he could be more efficient in more of a platoon role against lefties in the Bronx.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan

Aug 3, 2026, 7:02 PM ET

The Cleveland Guardians acquired left-hander Foster Griffin from the Washington Nationals on Monday, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Athletic's Spencer Nusbaum reports that the Guardians are sending minor-league pitchers Will Dion, Josh Hartle, and Kendeglys Virguez, and outfielder Nick Mitchell to the Nationals. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw will head to the American League Central to bolster Cleveland's starting rotation alongside Gavin Williams, Parker Messick, Joey Cantillo, and Tanner Bibee. Griffin will become a free agent after the 2026 season, so he could end up just being a rental for the rest of this year. The former first-rounder by the Kansas City Royals in 2014 has gone 12-3 this year with a 3.06 ERA (4.09 FIP) and 1.07 WHIP with 116 strikeouts and 30 walks in 22 starts and 129 1/3 innings pitched in his first big-league season since 2022 after spending the last three years playing in Japan. Griffin is currently tied for fourth in baseball with his 12 wins, and he will definitely bolster the Guards' rotation down the stretch. The lefty allowed six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings in a loss to the Atlanta Braves his last time out last Friday, but Griffin had a strong stretch from June 5 through July 19 where he didn't allow more than an earned run in any of his eight starts for the Nats.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand

Aug 3, 2026, 6:51 PM ET

St. Louis Cardinals top outfield prospect Joshua Baez could now find himself on the fast track to the big leagues for the remainder of the 2026 season after the team traded outfielder Lars Nootbaar to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Aug. 3 deadline on Monday. Baez is considered St. Louis' No. 3 prospect and the No. 44 overall prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline. The 23-year-old former second-rounder in 2021 has hit .251/.324/.577 with a .901 OPS, 32 home runs, 83 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 73 runs scored in 95 games and 426 plate appearances at Triple-A Memphis this year. Baez can play center field and right field, which will give the Cardinals more options when they decide to bring him up, but with Nootbaar now out of the picture in center, it would not be a surprise if Baez is called up from the farm sooner rather than later. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound right-handed hitter's raw power and speed upside make him worth stashing in even single-year formats if you have room on your bench. Baez is an obvious candidate for 30 homers and 20 steals at the big-league level.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo

Aug 3, 2026, 6:34 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers made a move at Monday's Aug. 3 trade deadline to acquire right-hander Dustin May and left-handed reliever JoJo Romero (abdomen) from the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals, a source told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon. May, 28, was in his first year in St. Louis in 2026 and went 5-7 with a 4.38 ERA (3.14 FIP) and 1.28 WHIP with 106 strikeouts and 35 walks in 109 innings pitched across 21 starts for the Red Birds. The former third-rounder by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 will give the first-place Brewers more rotation depth and also has experience working in a relief role, which would be invaluable for the Brew Crew as they look to get over the hump. May is expected to slot into Milwaukee's starting rotation after allowing just an earned run with three walks and 11 strikeouts in 11 innings in his last two starts against the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs. The move to Milwaukee should be considered a boost for his rest-of-season fantasy outlook. Romero has been out since mid-July after having an appendectomy, but he should be ready to make his Brewers debut in mid-August after posting a 3.53 ERA with 43 strikeouts and 16 walks in his 43 relief innings for St. Louis. He's currently tied for sixth in baseball with 20 saves, making him attractive in leagues that count that statistic.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon

Aug 3, 2026, 3:45 PM ET

The Chicago Cubs are acquiring left-hander Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins on Monday, sources tell Jeff Passan of ESPN.com. It is unclear what the Cubs are sending to the Marlins in return. The Cubs have made another move to bolster their pitching staff for the stretch run after acquiring right-hander Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday evening. The 28-year-old Garrett was called up from the minors earlier this year by the Marlins, but he allowed seven earned runs with eight walks and five strikeouts in just 4 1/3 innings over his two starts before being demoted back to Triple-A Jacksonville. Garrett will most likely begin his tenure with the Cubs at Triple-A Iowa before potentially becoming an option for their starting rotation if he shows them enough in the minors. Remember, Garrett is in his first year removed from an internal-brace surgery on his left elbow. In 16 outings (15 starts) with the Jumbo Shrimp on the farm this year, he went 4-4 with a 2.90 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 83:29 K:BB in 77 2/3 frames, giving hope to Cubs fans that he can eventually reach his ceiling in Chicago as a former first-round selection (seventh overall) in 2016.--Keith Hernandez
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan