Trade and Prospect Call-Up Create Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Options

There's been some MLB news that's dropped today that is pertinent to fantasy baseball, so let's discuss some potential waiver wire pickups before they are scooped up in your league.

When the regular season resumes, expect waiver wire stories between now and near the end of the regular season!

Fantasy baseball waiver wire options can be found all season on FantasySP!

Lance McCullers Jr. and Colton Gordon - Milwaukee Brewers

McCullers and Gordon are reportedly being traded from the Astros to the Brewers. The Astros got Jadyn Fielder (the son of Prince Fielder) in the deal.

McCullers has appeared in just eight games this season, covering 39 1/3 innings. He's 2-3 with a 6.86 earned run average. He's allowed 32 runs (30 earned) on 38 hits and 22 walks, while striking out 43 batters along the way.

Gordon has made one start across four appearances this season. He's covered 9 1/3 innings, allowing 12 runs on 21 hits and three walks, while striking out 11 along the way.

McCullers is on the 15-day injured list right now. Ironically, he provides the Brewers with some starting pitching depth, as they have Kyle Harrison and Brandon Woodruff on the injured list now. Jacob Misiorowski has also been dealing with some fatigue, so getting McCullers, and Gordon, adds some arms to the organization.

McCullers has had some big MLB seasons in the past but injuries have wiped out several seasons of action too. He has made 148 starts over 154 appearances in nine years, and since 2015. He has a career 3.85 ERA, with 904 strikeouts over 813 1/3 innings.

He gains some fantasy appeal with this trade for sure. Milwaukee is known for getting the best out of pitchers, and if McCullers could stay healthy, he could be part of the team's starting rotation and find some success the remainder of this season.

McCullers is owned in just 3% of fantasy baseball leagues right now. He's worth some adds in really deep fantasy leagues right now. Once he's activated, expect him to be picked up in more leagues, and if he finds success in Milwaukee, he could work into all deeper leagues, and some standard ones as well. Keep close tabs on McCullers.

Gordon is a controllable arm, and is apparently who the Brewers were most interested in acquiring in this deal. In time, the Brewers could turn Gordon into something through work in the pitching lab.

He's not owned in many fantasy leagues right now, but could be worth watching in case he ever gets called up and serves a notable role for Milwaukee. Pitchers usually find success after being traded to Milwaukee, so I'd be keeping my eyes on Gordon as well.

In Houston, the trade of McCullers and Gordon opens the door for some other pitchers to make it to the big leagues and have an impact there. It boosts the values of the pitchers already in the big leagues, as they have two less pitchers to worry about now.

We'll see if any pitching prospects of the Astros get a chance to produce at the big league level later this season.

Harry Ford - Washington Nationals

Ford is set to be called up to the big leagues after the All-Star break ends in a couple days. The Nationals need another catcher with Drew Millas hitting the injured list, and Ford is the guy who will reportedly get the call.

Ford is the team's No. 7 prospect. He was the 12th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners. Ford was traded to the Nats in the offseason in the Jose A. Ferrer deal.

Ford is 23 years old, stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 200 pounds. The right-handed thrower and hitter briefly appeared in the big leagues with Seattle last season, but had just one hit across eight games.

Keibert Ruiz is the Nationals' regular catcher, but I'd expect the Nats to find a way to give Ford some playing time if they are going to call him up. They could start both guys if one starts at designated hitter.

With no clear path to playing time, Ford is more a player to keep tabs on than rush to add right away. He could be worth scooping up in some deep, deep fantasy leagues, or in dynasty leagues he becomes an option now.

He probably will need to deliver at the plate to keep his place in the big leagues for the remainder of the season. With some decent expectations as a prospect, Ford is worth tracking at the very least.