Fantasy baseball enthusiasts are always looking for an edge in their leagues, and one strategy that can pay off is buying low on struggling players and selling high on those who have exceeded expectations. Below, our featured experts take a closer look at some players they’re targeting for these trades. Our experts have closely monitored the latest player trends and performance metrics to identify key players you should consider buying low and selling high to maximize your roster’s potential.
By leveraging our exclusive trade analyzer and relying on advanced metrics and our comprehensive player rankings and player projections, our experts have determined which players you should be targeting in trades and which ones you should be looking to move. So, whether you’re in need of a roster shake-up or simply looking to capitalize on a player’s hot streak, this article is here to guide you through the process.
Let’s dive into these trade recommendations, analyzing the rationale behind each move and providing you with actionable advice to help you dominate your league. And don’t forget to check out our other fantasy baseball resources to help you stay ahead of the competition all season long. Happy trading!
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Players to Buy Low and Sell High
What one MLB player are you trying to buy low and why? Also, who are you willing to give up for him?
Rafael Devers (3B – BOS)
“Players as good as Rafael Devers are rarely available via trade. However, over the last 30 days, Devers has been underwhelming, hitting .209 with a .696 OPS during that span. Josh Jung and an arm could be enough to land the slugging Devers, who will most assuredly have a better second half. As great as Jung has been, the track record of Devers is far more impressive. ”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)
Bobby Witt Jr. (3B, SS – KC)
“Bobby Witt Jr. has been disappointing thus far in 2023. He is slashing .248/.289/.434 with 12 home runs. Sure, he has 22 stolen bases on the year, but this might be your best opportunity to get a great talent for much less than he might regularly cost. His xBA is .289, and xSLG is .532, a full 98 points higher than now. What it would take to get him is based entirely on the type of league you’re in. It would take more in keeper/dynasty, but it might be worth it if you can pry him away from someone and have him beyond this year. I would be willing to offer up a Royce Lewis/Devin Williams-like combo to start the negotiations.”
– Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)
Bryce Miller (SP – SEA)
“Bryce Miller owns a 3.68 ERA in 51.1 innings this season, which is good from a surface-level standpoint, but it’s a far cry from the rookie scattering four earned runs in his first 31.1 Major League innings earlier in May. Still, Miller’s 3.12 FIP is a lot more indicative of how effective he’s been, and much of his ERA being so high is down to a rough two-start stretch in late May and early June that saw him surrender 19 hits, 15 earned runs, three home runs and a pair of walks in seven total innings. Since then, the right-hander has allowed just two earned runs in his last 13 innings while striking out 12 batters. Furthermore, he’s sporting the third-best Pitching+ number, per FanGraphs, among starters with at least 50 innings and is sixth among the same group in terms of Stuff+, also per FanGraphs. If fantasy managers can acquire Miller, who is much better than his relatively bloated ERA, for a pitcher like Domingo German or Chris Bassitt, it’d be a definite win. ”
– Ben Rosener (Tigers Rebuild)
Corbin Burnes (SP – MIL)
“I am buying low on Milwaukee Brewers ace Corbin Burnes. The 28-year-old has had a rough June, posting a 4.68 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 27:7 K: BB across 25 innings, including getting torched for seven runs in his previous start. Overall his ERA in 2023 is 3.96, up from last year’s 2.94, while his K% has dropped from 30.5% to 23.5%. The Brewers right-hander has pitched well most of the year but has been lit up for five or more earned runs in four different appearances. Fantasy managers might be willing to move on Burnes as they’re not getting the production they expected by taking him as the No. 1 pitcher in most 2023 drafts. I would deal two players within the 30-75 range in the latest FantasyPros Expert Consensus ROS Rankings to acquire Burnes for the second-half run of the season. ”
– Brad Camara (RotoBaller)
Nolan Gorman (2B, 3B – STL)
“Nolan Gorman has fallen on tough times after a hot start, but he’s still just 23 years old and will enter the All-Star Break with at least 15 home runs and (likely) 50 RBI. The .231 average is worrisome (as is the fact that he’s hitting under .200 against lefties), but that should help depress his value. He provides a valuable middle-infield bat and probably won’t cost too much, considering his recent slump. Trying dangling a middling starter (Chris Bassitt, maybe) or extra outfielder (Cody Bellinger, perhaps) and see if you can buy low on the youngster.”
– Nick Raducanu (Dr. Roto)
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What one MLB player are you trying to sell high right now and why? Also, who would you try to get in return?
Luis Arraez (1B, 2B – MIA)
“Luis Arraez has been a really fun story, but despite his batting average prowess, he’s still offering you almost no power and middling run/RBI totals. Perhaps his BA can help another roster that’s getting killed there, and you can flip him for a more well-rounded bat. Maybe Arraez and a throw-in for Marcus Semien is a deal to be had. ”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)
Thairo Estrada (2B, SS, OF – SF)
“Thairo Estrada offers a lot of positional flexibility, which is why many fantasy managers hold onto him. Still, it’s also the thing that makes him attractive to your league mates. His batting average of .287 should be falling off a cliff in the near future to around his xBA of .241. He has an entirely unsustainable .352 BABIP, and his xwOBA is .302, which is too low to provide the counting stats we love from him. Depending on positional need, I would see if I could get someone like Alex Verdugo for him.”
– Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)
Shane Bieber (SP – CLE)
“If the season ended today, it’d be the fifth straight year that Shane Bieber, who owns a 3.51 ERA in 95 innings so far in 2023, has logged an ERA below the 4.00 mark. While a low ERA has been a recurring theme in terms of the right-hander’s year-to-year numbers, Bieber is no longer registering the high strikeout and low FIP numbers that have accompanied said low ERA metrics in the past. The veteran’s career-worst FIP prior to 2023 was a 3.32 metric from 2019 – so far this season, it’s up to 4.15 in part due to significantly lower strikeout rates as the 28-year-old is striking out just 6.54 batters per nine innings. With a four-seam fastball velocity that’s down to 91.3 MPH and opposing batters posting a 46.6% hard-hit rate against him, it feels like there’s some serious regression coming down the line for Bieber this season. Trade him away now for a player like Jarred Kelenic, Lars Nootbaar, or Bryce Miller. ”
– Ben Rosener (Tigers Rebuild)
Eddie Rosario (OF – ATL)
“I would look to trade Atlanta Braves outfielder Eddie Rosario. The 31-year-old has been on fire in June, slashing .362/.422/.845 with eight home runs, 19 RBI, and 16 runs over 16 games. His hard-hit percentage is 40.7% in 2023, up over seven points from last year’s 33%. The veteran outfielder has mashed righties, evidenced by blasting 10 of his 13 homers against right-handers this season. Rosario won’t see everyday at-bats and will be out of the lineup against Southpaws. With Rosario’s incredible June, including homering in his last five games, fantasy managers should look to move him while he’s wielding a hot bat. He is one of the streakiest hitters in baseball, and if a manager is willing to give up a player from the top-75 through the top 150 in the latest in-season FantasyPros expert rankings to acquire him, make the deal. ”
– Brad Camara (RotoBaller)
Nolan Jones (1B, OF – COL)
“Nolan Jones has been one of the hottest players in the league since his call-up and is currently hitting .354 with 12 runs, five home runs, 14 RBI, and five steals in just 82 at-bats. I like Jones. I think he’s going to be a good player. But do we really think he’s going to keep up this pace? It might be tough to sell such an unknown player, but young prospects are also easier to sell due to the buzzy around them. If you can dangle Jones for an area of need (maybe a closer like Carlos Estevez or a high-steals middle infielder like Whit Merrifield), you should be able to get some help where you need it.”
– Nick Raducanu (Dr. Roto)
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