Fantasy Stock Updates for the Troy Tulowitzki Trade

This may have been the biggest trade we are going to see before the deadline this year, and with good reason. The Blue Jays have acquired Troy Tulowitzki and La Troy Hawkins for Jose Reyes and three prospects. The trade involved six players, with a few more being impacted as well. Let's take a look at how their fantasy value may have changed, both for the rest of this season as well as long-term.

The Blue Jays

Troy Tulowitzki - The best shortstop in the game doesn't get traded everyday, and of course the first reaction is to assume that leaving Coors Field as your home park is always bad. However, it may not be all that much of a negative impact here.

The Blue Jays have been the best offense all season now, averaging over 5 runs per game so far. It's a significant difference between the Jays and the next two teams, the Yankees (4.65)... and the Rockies (4.58). Ok, so the lineup change should help somewhat for Tulo in terms of RBI opportunities, but the run environment isn't as big of a deal as originally thought. Tulo has also been surprisingly even in terms of home/road splits this year, posting OPS+ of 127 at home, and 130 on the road.

There are concerns about whether the turf in Toronto will be bad for the oft-injured Tulowitzki, but I don't know how much more likely the turf is to cause an injury:

Idea that turf will make big difference, pos or neg, for Tulo is a bit overblown. His injuries don't match up with biggest turf worries.

— Will Carroll (@injuryexpert) July 28, 2015

Overall, he's a great hitter going to a lineup with even more great hitters, which likely offsets any specific difference that may occur from not having 81 games a year at Coors Field.

SHORT TERM: No change - He's still the best fantasy shortstop
LONG TERM: No change

La Troy Hawkins - Hawkins gives the Jays another option in the back end of the bullpen, which has been struggling to define roles for most of the year. I don't think he gets a shot at closing for sure, but I think there's a non-zero chance he is the closer before the end of the year. It's probably about the same as was available in Colorado, but the Jays should have more opportunities the rest of the way than the Rockies.

SHORT TERM: Slight up
LONG TERM: No change

The Rockies

Jose Reyes - With the acquisition of Tulowitzki, it was clear that Jose Reyes was no longer needed, and helped to offset some of the large amount remaining on Tulo's contract. Reyes has actually hit better away from the Rogers Centre this year, and I could see the potential for more extra base hits in the cavernous outfield at Coors Field. Whether he's still with the team at the end of the season remains to be seen though, as it has been rumored he could be moved somewhere else before this is over.

SHORT TERM: Slight up - I like the potential for more runs because more hits could be falling in.
LONG TERM: Unclear so no change

Jeff Hoffman - The top prospect acquired in the deal, Hoffman is only 18 months removed from being a top overall pick candidate. He's returned to the field and was pitching at AA for the Blue Jays before the trade, and the upside is that he's a top of the rotation starting pitcher for the foreseeable future. He's been getting groundballs at over 50% this year, and while it's a small sample, it could be good for his future in Coors. You never really want to see a pitcher head there if you can avoid it, as the number of pitchers who have succeeded there long-term is practically nil.

SHORT TERM: No change - I don't expect him to debut in 2015.
LONG TERM: Slight down - His new home park likely won't do him any favors.

Miguel Castro - Castro has moved quickly this year, finishing 2014 at High-A before making the big club out of Spring Training. He returned to the minors before too long, and has been working as a reliever there in recent outings. I have to assume that the Rockies will look to move him back to starting in order to get the most value out of him, although it's not clear whether he will be able to do that for sure.

SHORT TERM: Slight up - I don't think he's back up this year, but starting helps his fantasy value
LONG TERM: No change

Jesus Tinoco - Tinoco is a lottery ticket for the Rockies, as he just reached full-season ball this year as a 20 year old. He's viewed as a potential starting pitcher, and has been working as one for Lansing. However, it's not clear yet whether he will be for sure, but could be the prospect that really makes the return on this trade good for the Rockies.

SHORT TERM: No change
LONG TERM: No change

Boone Logan and Tommy Kahnle - I'd be shocked if the Rockies don't deal John Axford before the trade deadline, which means that there are save opportunities up for grabs if that happens. Logan and Kahnle have been working late in games, but they're only worth a grab if you're desperately looking for saves.

SHORT TERM: Slight up
LONG TERM: No change