Fantasy baseball managers 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, the Featured Pros are here to guide you through the process.

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2023 Fantasy Baseball: 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?

MacKenzie Gore (SP – WAS)

“The big thing that I’ve noticed in Gore’s last two starts is that his zone percentage on his 4-seam has been much higher, and he’s not walking guys as a result, which is his Achilles heel more than anything – walks and command. Gore doesn’t tend to get knocked around, and he can definitely strike guys out, so walking three or more hitters in a game is really his only barrier to being a solid quality start pitcher with strikeout upside. His approach is solid, and he’s been executing a lot better lately, using fastballs early in the zone to generate strikes and then using his slider curve arsenal to finish off batters. Gore dropped his BB% from 14.8% in April to 8.8% in May and continues to waver around that sub-ten percent rate while maintaining his elite K% (29% [fifth in the MLB]). If anything, despite his elevated left OBP, he has been quite unlucky recently, as evidenced by his .340 BABIP and 16.5% HR/FB% this season compared to his career .304 BABIP and 9.8 HR/FB%. Yes, his ratios aren’t that great currently, as all of Gore’s metrics are close to in line with his ERA, with his xERA, FIP, and xFIP all hovering around the 4.00 range, but he has the stuff to be a great pitcher, and I see his inflated 1.4 WHIP cooling down soon alongside his BABIP. Someone I’d be happy to trade away for him would be Josh Naylor, who I see as an attractive sell-high while his numbers look great. ”
– Rex Rutchik (Left Turns)

Sandy Alcantara (SP – MIA)

“Last season, Sandy Alcantara was the best SP in the game, delivering a 2.28 ERA/2.99 FIP with 8.1K/9, and won the NL Cy Young award. This season, no one knows what’s going on with him. He is 2-6 with a 5.08 ERA, and his K rate has decreased slightly to 7.3 K/9. However, now is the ideal time to buy low on the Miami Marlins righthander. He is still surrendering a manageable 4.22 xERA and a reasonable 3.76 FIP. The decline in stats is apparent, but he has been better than those stats indicate. Alcantara is coughing up a .251/.310/.378 slash across his 15 starts compared to giving up only .212/.263/.324 last season. The FIP and the expected stats indicate that he is also dealing with some bad luck. Fantasy managers are feeling the pain as we are about to hit July and want to give up on the right-hander. I would gladly buy low and expect a turnaround this summer. The Marlins’ pitching staff has picked him up and is still winning. However, his turnaround will be what they need to push for a playoff spot this season. ”
– Dennis Sosic (Fantasy Six Pack)

Austin Riley (3B – ATL)

“After enjoying a strong season at the plate in 2022 – one spurred on by a 50.8% hard-hit rate, a 15.7% barrel rate, a .255 ISO, and a .378 xwOBA supporting surface line metrics like a .273 average, a .349 on-base percentage and 38 home runs in 693 plate appearances – Austin Riley hasn’t been quite as productive in 2023. Entering play Tuesday, he was hitting .265 with a .332 on-base percentage, 13 home runs, a pair of stolen bases, a 46.3% hard-hit rate, a 9.7% barrel rate, a .173 ISO, and a .347 xwOBA – all either good, or decidedly above-average set of metrics, but not quite the elite output Riley had last season. Still, the slugger has turned things around as of late as he’s batting .288 with a .339 on-base percentage, an 11.7% barrel rate, and a 49.2% hard-hit rate in 174 plate appearances since May 14. Even better production will come if he keeps making this type of contact on a regular basis, so the window to acquire the 26-year-old third baseman might be closing fast. Jon Gray, Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Byron Buxton are a handful of players who would make sense to try and trade for Riley. ”
– Ben Rosener (Tigers Rebuild)

Juan Soto (OF – SD)

“Usually, the “buy-low” candidates to consider are those who have fallen so far that fantasy managers are considering a move just for the sake of recouping some value. That isn’t the case with Juan Soto. No one is looking to dump him, but it’s clear that he has not delivered on his early-first round ADP. He is, however, still a top fantasy asset who is currently trending below his career averages for most major categories. A big name like Soto would probably require another big name to make the move — Trea Turner seems like the right fit — so only target him where there is clear value and not an expectation to overpay.”
– Mario Mergola (Sporfolio)

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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?

Adolis Garcia (OF – TEX)

“Adolis Garcia Garcia started the season on fire with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs through April and May, but his numbers have cooled off drastically in June except for his .278 BA, keeping his value afloat. Garcia has been the definition of streaky this season; with his home run and RBI totals inflated by two crazy monster performances, he is due for some batting average regression, especially considering his .380+ BABIP in June – top 20 in baseball. Currently a top 5 outfielder in both points and rotisserie formats, Garcia carries a substantial amount of weight in the fantasy community right now. If I could find a way to flip him for Sandy Alcantara, who I have faith in for the rest of the season and believe that there is no way he finishes the campaign with an ERA north of 4.00. Or, if not Alcantara, I would try to deal Garcia and someone else in a package for a star like Vladdy. ”
– Rex Rutchik (Left Turns)

Joey Votto (1B – CIN)

“Along with the Reds’ excitement and return to the NL Central division race, we saw the return of Reds mainstay 1B Joey Votto. After a 10-month absence, Votto returned to hit a dinger and a go-ahead two-run single in his return. Fans will want to jump on the bandwagon but don’t believe the hype. He is a feel-good story, but fantasy managers will be better off selling. The veteran 1B is slashing .278/.435/.778 with three homers on the season. However, his xBA is .208. He is also striking out at a career-high 26.1 K%. Votto hit only .205 last season, which is what we should expect to see from him. He is a player I want to move immediately while the hype is still there because it won’t last long. I would take whatever I could get for Votto. ”
– Dennis Sosic (Fantasy Six Pack)

Paul Sewald – (RP – SEA)

“In part due to Andres Munoz missing time on the injured list, Paul Sewald has dominated the save chances early for the Seattle Mariners, logging 14 of the club’s 17 saves as of the beginning of play on Tuesday. However, with Munoz now back in the late-inning mix – the hard-throwing right-hander already has a save so far in 11 appearances – it’s worth wondering how long this will go on with Sewald dominating the ninth-inning chances. Of course, that’s nothing against the veteran, who has been excellent with a 2.64 ERA, a 2.45 FIP, and 12.33 strikeouts per nine frames in 30.2 innings of work. However, we’ve seen this movie before where Sewald gets a decent chunk of the saves only for other relievers (Diego Castillo, Munoz, and Erik Swanson last year; Drew Steckenrider in 2021) to siphon off a notable number of saves themselves. Don’t trade Sewald unless you’ve got a contingency plan or two for saves, but now might be the time to see if you can land a potential impact hitter like Max Muncy or Jose Altuve for the Mariners’ closer. ”
– Ben Rosener (Tigers Rebuild)

Luis Arraez (1B, 2B – MIA)

“It almost feels disrespectful to type this, but the best “sell-high” player right now is Luis Arraez. His batting average continues to hover around .400, and that means that he will remain a hot topic in all baseball circles for the foreseeable future. The more buzz around his name, the more valuable he is in trade talks. It’s hard to argue that his batting average will topple, but trading him now for a solid starting pitcher — someone like Lucas Giolito — means you probably moved him at his peak, where he won’t surprise anyone with a sudden surge of power or speed to help cover any dip in his current production. ”
– Mario Mergola (Sporfolio)

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