Max Scherzer, SP, WAS
Scherzer was traded along with Trea Turner to the Dodgers on Thursday in the biggest blockbuster trade (so far) this season. Scherzer allowed 1 ER in 6 IP in his final start with the Nationals on Thursday, and has a 2.76 ERA and 11.92 K/9 through 19 starts this season. With Clayton Kershaw on the IL and Trevor Bauer out indefinitely, the Dodgers will rely heavily on Scherzer down the stretch, although Kershaw is hoping to come back shortly. Scherzer is an ace regardless, but pitching for the Dodgers should give him a greater chance of picking up more wins.
Trea Turner, SS, WAS
Turner was traded along Max Scherzer to the Dodgers on Thursday in the biggest blockbuster trade (so far) this season. Turner is currently on the Covid IL, but should be able to make his Dodgers debut within the next week or two. He has been having a dynamite season from a fantasy perspective, hitting .322 with 18 HR's and 21 SB's in 96 games, and has a career high 46.0% HardHit%. The Dodgers have a loaded lineup and even more so once Corey Seager returns from the IL, but Turner will be playing every day once he is healthy. In fact, he's likely to gain eligibility at 2B or some other position at some point, assuming Seager retains his every day role at SS.
Anthony Rizzo, 1B, CHC
The Cubs traded longtime veteran Anthony Rizzo to the Yankees on Thursday, perhaps the biggest of several moves the team has made thus far in advance of Friday's trade deadline. Rizzo has had a rough season thus far, hitting just .248 with 14 HR's and 40 RBI in 92 games with the Cubs, but he finished off his Cubs career with a bang, hitting 3 HR's in his final 4 games with the club. Rizzo is due for improvement based on his career highs in EV and HardHit%, and a power surge is even more likely now that he is with the Yankees, as the park factor for HR's for LHB's in Yankees Stadium is far superior to that of Wrigley Field.
Brad Hand, RP, WAS
Hand was traded to the Blue Jays on Thursday in exchange for minor league catcher Riley Adams. Hand has been quite awful recently, allowing 8 runs (7 ER) in 5.2 IP with a 6:6 K:BB in 6 appearances since the all-star break. He still has a respectable 3.59 ERA for the season but his K/9 has plummeted to 8.86 compared to at least an 11.00 K/9 each of the past 5 seasons. His SwStr% has alarmingly dropped to 7.3% after that numbered hovered above 13% from 2017-2019 and then fell to 10.5% last season. The Blue Jays obviously feel that Hand can still be reliable, and he has more of a track record than Toronto's current closer Jordan Romano, so there's a good chance Hand will get the first crack at picking up saves with his new team, but that could easily change if his struggles continue.
Kyle Schwarber, OF, WAS
Schwarber was traded to the Red Sox on Thursday, as the Nationals continue to go on a fire sale before Friday's trade deadline. Schwarber is currently on the IL, but he had been historically hot before the injury, and has 25 HR's and a 52.0% HardHit% through 72 games this season. The move to Boston is actually probably a downgrade for Schwarber's fantasy value, as Fenway Park ranks near the bottom of the league in park factor for HR's for LHB's, although it is the best park for lefties (and righties) to hit doubles.
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