Quintana gets a boost
AS THE MLB trade deadline approaches, things can get pretty treacherous for fantasy baseball owners.
Those who play in AL- or NL-only formats now are at risk of losing players traded across league lines. Keeper league owners have to decide who is worth giving up for the future to ensure a win now. And everyone finds themselves concerned with closers being dealt out of their ninthinning specialist role.
So when a trade happens that works in fantasy owners’ favor, we can’t help but feel both excited and relieved.
When the White Sox dealt lefty Jose Quintana to the crosstown rival Cubs for a package of four prospects, including highly touted Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease, it was a serious win for his owners.
Despite his early-season struggles, Quintana finished the first half with a 4.49 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP and a 9.40 K /9 thanks to as even-start June/July run in which he posted a 2.70 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP and 10.13 K/9. The walks were still a bit high, but those seven starts were more indicative of the pitcher we thought we were drafting in March.
Couple that with a move to the NL, where his new home ballpark is more favorable for lefties and he faces a pitcher rather than a designated hitter, the prospects for an even bigger second half persist.
Additional research can be found to show how most American League pitchers improve when traded to the National League, but you don’t need to number-crunch if you just look at some of the names from past deals.
Quintana’s new teammates Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta are prime examples — as are Max Scherzer, Zack Greinke and John Lackey. Based on Quintana’s comments, his “new” surroundings and the track record of pitching crossovers, Quintana seems primed to deliver a fantasy championship right to your doorstep.