Winning the trade market is at least as important as nailing the draft. Aside from the waiver wire’s huge impact in the season’s first few weeks, trading is the best way to quickly improve your squad. Great buy-low moves can set you up for victory in September. Solid sell-high deals can get you relatively big hauls for overachieving players who likely won’t sustain their production. Here are some undervalued athletes you should look to nab and some overvalued guys you might want to send away, courtesy of our featured pundits.
Q1. Which one MLB player are you trying to buy low and why? Also, who are you willing to give up for him?
Amed Rosario (OF/SS – CLE)
“Since June 15th, Rosario is tied for the 10th most hits in baseball. Rosario is one of only 10 players in that period to put up four home runs and stolen bases. He is tied for the second most triples, has an average over .300, and though the power has come on slowly, he has a .194 ISO during this time. Yahoo Fantasy shows him as ranked just outside the top 150, but if the power continues, Rosario could be the 20/20 player some had hoped he’d be. Rosario could probably be had for an SP5 or SP6 or a turnstile power bat.”
– Christopher Welsh (FantasyPros)
Lance Lynn (SP – CWS)
“Pay no attention to Lance Lynn’s 6.97 ERA. His expected numbers are all nearly three runs lower, and we know he’s a better pitcher than what his ERA says. We could dive deep and talk about the hard contact he’s allowing, the .347 BABIP, a lower-than-usual K/9 and more, but the truth is that we’re dealing with a small sample size and a pitcher coming off a lengthy layoff due to injury. He’s rusty. This is normal. Yes, he’s 35 years old, and yes, his fastball that has been around 94 the last few years is sitting around 92 to right now. That’s also normal for a pitcher who missed so much time and essentially still ramping up. Buy low before he hits his stride, and I’d be willing to swap a fellow sell-low option like Javier Baez or Jonathan India or a package involving a bat similar to DJ LeMahieu.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
Jon Gray (SP – TEX)
“Over the last month, Jon Gray has 34 K/5 BB, a 2.64 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. This may finally be the turnaround we’ve all been waiting for, post-Colorado. There are plenty of guys pitching over their heads right now. like Taijuan Walker, who I would flip for Gray the rest of season, or even look to move Nick Pivetta, who seems to be coming back down to earth of late. ”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)
Check out our trade values for all players in our weekly Fantasy Baseball Trade Value Chart 
Q2. Which one MLB player are you trying to sell high right now and why? Also, who would you try to get in return?
Joc Pederson (OF/DH – SF)
“Joc Pederson is an All-Star. Given how his last few seasons have gone, it feels weird even typing that. But he landed with the San Francisco Giants this offseason and, similar to many players who go to the Bay, has found new life. After hitting 18 home runs in 137 games in 2021, Pederson already has 17 through 75 games in 2022 to go with a .256 batting average. The problem is he’s in a strict platoon and only has 34 plate appearances against left-handers this season. That caps his overall production and, especially in weekly lineup leagues, makes him a difficult start/sit candidate every single week. His value is at its peak given his production through the first half of the season, but it’s time to swap him for some pitching help. His value will vary depending on your league settings, so shoot high for someone like the aforementioned Lynn but know that you’ll probably have to settle for someone further down the list. ”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
Joe Ryan (SP – MIN)
“I really like Joe Ryan of the Twins as a long-term investment, but in redraft leagues, you must consider his 4.70 xFIP compared to his 3.09 ERA. Over his last six starts, he has a 3.90 ERA and just two QS. It may be time to jump ship in case the second half falls apart. The ideal return would be an underperforming veteran arm, like a Lance Lynn, and a bat.”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)
Dansby Swanson (SS – ATL)
“Swanson has enjoyed an incredibly successful first half of the season. On the year, Dansby has the third highest qualified BABIP of the year at .388. Since June 15th, Swanson has the seventh-highest BABIP, but now over .400 at .408. He has the second-highest strikeout rate K% of any of the top 10 BABIP leaders on the year, and over the last month, his BB% sits at 3%. Swanson can and will be solid, but this might be a perfect sell time. Swanson should bring back a top 100 SP.”
– Christopher Welsh (FantasyPros)
Thank you to the experts for naming their trade candidates. Make sure to give them a follow on Twitter for more great advice all season and check out our Leading Off Podcast every single day for quick-hitting takeaways and advice.
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