Adley Rutschman (C-BOS) stays within the AL East as the Orioles traded him to Boston in advance of Monday's trade deadline. The 28 year-old has been solid if unspectacular in limited action in 2026 as he owns a .251 average to go with 8 HR, 47 RBI, and 30 R through 284 PA. He's been on the shelf with left wrist inflammation since July 18th and missed time earlier this season with ankle and hamstring issues as well as a concussion. As usual, Rutschman has made plenty of contact this season with an 86% overall contact rate and 91.5% in-zone contact rate while commanding the dish well with a 10.5% walk rate against a 14% strikeout rate. His quality of contact has also been typically good with a 42% hard-hit rate, average exit velo of 89.5 mph, and 7% barrel rate - all of which about or slightly above league average, and he's been especially good at squaring up the ball as he's logged a 40.5% LA sweet-spot percentage and 32.5% squared-up rate. He should really help the Red Sox once he's activated, especially in the field, while the park factor difference is negligible overall as Camden Yards ranks #4 and Fenway is #5.
Casey Mize (SP-SD) was shipped to San Diego on Monday as the Tigers sold another asset in the wake of the Tarik Skubal trade to the Dodgers. The 29 year-old takes a 2.70 ERA, 8.8 K/9, 2 BB/9, and 3.78 xFIP to San Diego. The gap between the ERA and xFIP does point to a .268 BABIP and 4.5% HR/FB suppressing the former, but Mize has done a good job of limiting the loud contact this season to career bests across the board - a 36% hard-hit rate, 6.5% barrel rate, and average exit velo of 88.5 mph. His 12% swinging-strike rate is a career-best, as is his 29.5% chase rate, 82.5% in-zone contact rate, and 74.5% overall contact rate. And he moves to a pitcher-friendly Petco Park while the Padres rotation has a good few plus-matchups on tap down the stretch.
Luis Arraez (1B/2B) joined the Phillies ahead of the trade deadline on Monday and will presumably unseat Bryson Stott as the team's primary 2B. Arraez leads the National League with a .324 average but offers little else as he has hit 4 homers with 43 RBI, 52 runs scored, and 10 steals over 464 PA. The 29 year-old has, however, become a much better defender at the keystone this season after being a liability at the position in years past. With a 93% overall contact rate, 94% in-zone contact rate, and 3.5% swinging-strike rate, Arraez is a contact king who makes a ripping liners (23.5%) as he has logged an elite 43% squared-up rate and 40.5% LA sweet-spot percentage. There's just little pop there as his sub-1% barrel rate, 20.5% hard-hit rate, and average exit velo of 87 mph all rank in the bottom 20% of the league.
Jose Soriano (SP-LAA) joined the Blue Jays on Monday, just two days after he was scratched from his scheduled start against the Brewers. The 27 year-old has enjoyed a breakout 2026 campaign in which he's logged a 3.29 ERA, 9.3 K/9, 4.2 BB/9, and 3.71 xFIP across 123 IP (22 starts). Soriano has shifted to throwing his 92-mph splitter a career-high 19% of the time this season while still heavily deploying his mid-high 90s heater and sinker often (a combined 50% of the time). He's getting hitters to chase more often (32%) than in the past and is missing more bats (13% swinging-strike rate) as the opposition's overall contact rate is down to 71.5% and their in-zone contact rate is down a little to 85%. Meanwhile, he's slashed the amount of loud contact to a 37.5% hard-hit rate and average exit velocity of 88.5 mph after struggling with that last season (48% and 91.5, respectively). For fantasy owners, it's a mixed bag from a schedule standpoint as the Jays have series with the Yankees and Rays as well as the Royals and Guardians down the stretch.
Luke Weaver (RP-PIT) was shipped from New York to Pittsburgh before the trade deadline, and he could become the new Pirates closer at the expense of incumbent Gregory Soto. The 32 year-old Weaver has been effective again in 2026, posting a 1.84 ERA, 9.2 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, and 3.50 xFIP across 44 IP in which he's earned a save and 15 holds. Weaver has posted a strong 26.5% strikeout rate, 34% chase rate, and 26.5% whiff rate while generally limiting loud contact to a 34% hard-hit rate and average exit velo of 88 mph per Statcast. He's also limited the walks with an above-average 6.5% walk rate. Given his success in high-leverage roles, he's a legitimate candidate to become the Pirates new closer.
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