An amazing trade deadline continued to get better Thursday as Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez became the first of the first-round selections in ESPN average live drafts to get moved, as the Houston Astros picked up him and right-hander Mike Fiers for prospects. Gomez isn’t having anything close to the statistical season expected of him, but it's still a bit rare for so many players this good to get a new address midseason. Gomez, the No. 8 pick in average draft position, joins shortstops Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Reyes -- dealt for each other -- and pitchers David Price, Johnny Cueto and Cole Hamels as top-50 players already dealt. And there’s still Friday for more trades!
Of all these players, however, Gomez is having the worst season, as he’s barely a top-50 outfielder, and thus one of the year’s signature disappointments. Now he’s continuing the trend of the week as a National League star switching leagues, which is a big problem for NL-only owners as few good replacements have come in return in these AL/NL swaps. Nothing that the Brewers received in this trade offers immediate big-league statistical relevance. Gomez has battled hip woes this season, which perhaps mattered less to the Astros than it did to the New York Mets, who appeared to acquire him and then backtracked Wednesday, and it’s hampered his power and his ability to steal bases. Gomez averaged 37 steals a year for the past three seasons; this year he’s 7-for-13 on attempts, and moving to Houston doesn’t figure to fix that.
Still, if any AL-only owners still have free-agent money left to spend, buying Gomez is a smart way to allocate funds. He certainly could be a top-20 outfielder the rest of the way with his five-category profile, and he's capable of getting hot at any point. I’d prefer Tulowitzki, personally, as he’s hitting for more power and that should continue in Toronto, but hopefully a change of scenery and another chance at the postseason invigorates Gomez. The Astros figure to bat him second or fourth, either directly before or after awesome shortstop Carlos Correa. With infielder Jed Lowrie activated from the disabled list this week, the Astros have depth. Slugger Chris Carter might be confined to a platoon role now, possibly with Luis Valbuena at first base -- he played there Thursday -- and the same goes for outfielders Jake Marisnick and Preston Tucker. Don’t forget that George Springer should return soon from his fractured wrist.
Meanwhile, Fiers should push right-hander Scott Feldman out of the rotation, but Feldman also has bullpen experience. I have certainly had trouble relying on Fiers, and that probably won't be lessened by switching leagues. His WHIP is an elevated 1.36, and he throws so many pitches he’s hit-or-miss to go more than six innings per outing. The last-place Brewers didn’t really need him, of course, with right-hander Wily Peralta recently joining the rotation. As for center field, Gerardo Parra can handle things and Khris Davis earns regular time in left, but Parra could also be on the move any minute, opening up center for Logan Schafer, in theory. Not that Schafer helps fantasy owners much.
As for the haul returning to Milwaukee, outfielders Brett Phillips and Domingo Santana are the ones to watch for fantasy, and it’s possible Santana, who's spent time in the big leagues already this season, will play for the Brewers. He’s a corner outfielder with power but significant holes in his swing, with potential for 30 home runs someday but also 200 strikeouts. In 60 major league plate appearances, he’s walked three times against 31 strikeouts. Phillips is the superior dynasty selection, a five-category provider who has been hitting well above .300 since the start of 2014, but he’s 21 and at least a year away.