Tarik Skubal Tops 4 Rumored MLB Trades For Which Fantasy Baseball Managers Dream Upon
Major League Baseball is very unpredictable. The Tigers and Mets entered 2026 with high hopes, yet they are both last in their respective divisions. The White Sox and Nationals entered 2026 with lower expectations, and both are firmly in the playoff conversation. You never know what will come of any given season.
In fantasy baseball, this plays a huge role in the ultimate valuations of select players. Freddy Peralta has plummeted on a bad Mets team, while Aroldis Chapman lacks saves on a struggling Red Sox team, and the entire Giants lineup is stuck on a broken baseball team. Luckily, those players are also among the 5 big trade rumors that may have brought them back to a fantasy baseline.
Freddy Peralta to Chicago Cubs
The rumors are hot regarding Peralta, and the Cubs are at the front of the line. Peralta is the SP39 in fantasy baseball. He does so with a 3.90 ERA, notably worse than the 2.70 he flaunted with the Brewers in 2025.
Peralta has struggled a great deal due to a lack of run support and momentum. The Cubs offer Peralta elite run support (5th in Offensive Rating), and that will go a long way, especially under a renowned manager in Craig Counsell.
Aroldis Chapman to Philadelphia Phillies
Chapman's most likely landing spot would be a huge improvement. The Red Sox are currently 29-43 (as of June 18) while the Phillies are 40-35. Those are 11 more games that Chapman could have been part of for a win, including a handful more save opportunities.
Chapman is currently dominant with a 0.83 ERA and 0.97 WHIP, recording a save in 14 of the Red Sox's 29 wins.
Joe Ryan to New York Yankees
Ryan's landing spot is undefined. The Cubs lead the conversation, but there will be many bidders. Nonetheless, Ryan is becoming increasingly likely to be dealt with as the days and weeks go on. Ryan has a 2.99 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 2026, but does so while stuck on a 36-40 Twins team. Ryan is the SP11 in fantasy baseball.
The Yankees would offer elite upside for Ryan. He will join a top-5 World Series contender that is 2nd in Offensive Rating. The Twins rank 16th in that metric. He can win the Cy Young, especially while playing in a bigger, better market.
Tarik Skubal to Los Angeles Dodgers
The baseball fan does not want this to happen. The fantasy baseball owner certainly does want this to happen. The Tigers are struggling, and Skubal is hurting in the process. He has 3 wins in 8 starts. Skubal had been out for 2 months due to injury.
In Los Angeles, Skubal would play for a team that can win 70% of its games. When Skubal starts with his Cy Young arm and a mid-to-low 2.00's ERA, the Dodgers may win over 75% of the time. In turn, Skubal will have a lot of wins under his belt, and that surges him to SP1 in fantasy baseball with certainty.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.