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Rangers Trade for Carlos Beltran: Fantasy Impact

By Brad Kelly

Jul 29, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Carlos Beltran (36) singles during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 29, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Carlos Beltran (36) singles during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Rangers acquire the hot bat of Carlos Beltran. He’s carried the Yankees offense, but will take his take his talents to Texas. What is the fantasy impact of the deal?

Carlos Beltran is coming to the end of an illustrious career that will more than likely see him headed to Cooperstown, yet he has not skipped a beat at the plate this season. He has single-handedly carried the woeful New York Yankees offense, and now the Texas Rangers have traded for his talents.

The deal in place will see Beltran go to the Rangers for top prospect Dillon Tate and two other minor league pitchers, Nick Green and Erik Swanson.

The Rangers already posses one of the best offenses in MLB, and the addition of Beltran only fortifies that strength. He currently has a, .304/22 HR/64 RBI/.890 OPS line, and has been especially hot since June.

Beltran helps with the loss and lack of production that Prince Fielder left at the DH position, and his switch-hitting ability will bring even more balance to the middle of the Rangers’ lineup. Not to mention, the historic numbers that Beltran has put up in October. 

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Beltran has been solid on the road as well this season. While he does have 14 of 22 HR at Yankee Stadium, he has posted a .308/8 HR/.817 OPS outside of New York. From a fantasy perspective, this deal only helps Beltran’s value. Globe Life Park in Arlington is a hitters paradise as well, especially for lefties, so the move from Yankee Stadium is a lateral move. The supporting cast in Texas is light years better than the Yankees cast, so Beltran will see his counting stat opportunities only rise.

After being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend, and more than likely even before that, the Yankees knew that the 2016 season was a lost cause. The landscape in baseball has changed as TV deals and revenue sharing has injected more parity into the game.

The Yankees have also been a victim of their success as well, as they can never select the top-tier young talent that other teams have the advantage of taking at the top of drafts. But, they can also blame themselves, as their minor league development has been lackluster. However, thanks to the trades that they have made over the last two weeks, they have finally made the inevitable move to build towards the future.

Tate is the centerpiece of the deal, and was the 4th overall pick in 2015. The 21-year-old righty entered the season as a consensus top-100 prospect, but has struggled in first full year of pro ball at Single-A. He battled an injury and currently sits with a, 5.40 ERA/55 K/27 BB line over 16 starts. New York clearly hopes that he stick in the rotation, but some scouts have said that he could follow the Dellin Betances route, and become a flamethrower out of the bullpen.

Tate features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can even touch 98 MPH. He also features a sharp slider, but is still trying to find his third pitch. The arm talent is still there, and the Yankees hope that they can rekindle is top prospect status moving forward.

Green and Swanson complete the deal, and the Yanks will look for both to eventually be backend of the rotation arms. Swanson is currently having the better season in the minors, as he was named a Single-A All Star after posting a, 3.43 ERA/78 K/25 BB line. Green has struggled this season, posting a 6.00 ERA in A ball.

However. Green was actually drafted by the Yankees in 2013, yet refused to sign, so the Yankees clearly like something.

Next: Orioles trade for Wade Miley: Fantasy Impact

This trade looks to be a win-win for both squads as the Rangers get a stud lineup piece and an acclaimed postseason performer, and the Yankees net another upper echelon prospect and more minor league pitching depth. Beltran is surely owned in all fantasy leagues, but his value should only get better in Texas, and fantasy owners can continue to ride his production down the stretch.

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