I think the Madrigal trade, regardless of what you think of him as a player, is a useful template in this vein. Find the worthwhile target that's hurt on a competitor and you can use both MLB pieces and some of the Rule 5 crunch guys to achieve that end. Also, while I like the wholly inclusive look at the candidates involved, I think there's a fair number of potential guys that can be left exposed without a ton of risk. Clarke, Thompson, basically everyone in that last MLB list save for maybe Hill or Little, it's all players who have swingman/middle relief or platoon upside if things break right. So while it's worth the thought to maximize your assets, in deadline deals it's a tiebreak consideration compared to getting the return you most believe in. I have always wondered why some teams aren't buyers even if they are not competing that season. It seems like a waste of an opportunity to improve your team if the right players are available. I am pretty sure the Cardinals picked up Scott Rolen at the deadline in a season that they were not competitve