The trade deadline is right around the corner, so it’s now or never for making the moves you need to make to go for the championship. Our Featured Pros have some ideas to help make that happen. Here are the players to trade right now.
- Weekly Trade Value Chart
- Weekly Waiver Wire Advice
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- Weekly Fantasy Baseball Content
Players to Trade For
With the trade deadline approaching in many leagues, who is your main target, and why? Also are you willing to “buy high” on that player?
Sandy Alcantara (SP – MIA)
“For me, it’s Sandy Alcantara, who might just be rounding back into form. After a strong start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, Alcantara has allowed just nine hits, two walks, and earned run in his last two starts spanning 17 innings. Prior to that, he had logged a 2.60 ERA and a 3.85 FIP in 27.2 innings in his last four July starts. Despite entering Tuesday with a 4.46 ERA and a 3.86 FIP this season, Alcantara’s stuff has been decidedly good. Per FanGraphs, only six starters entered Tuesday with a better Stuff+ metric than Alcantara’s 111 number – Spencer Strider, Corbin Burnes, Gerrit Cole, Shohei Ohtani, Dylan Cease, and Shane McLanahan. This feels like the start of the positive regression starting to kick in, and I’d be comfortable parting with significant (relatively speaking) fantasy trade capital to acquire Alcantara. Though given his bloated and misleading ERA, fantasy managers might not have to give up too much to acquire the right-hander.”
– Ben Rosener (Tigers Rebuild)
“The opportunity to acquire Sandy Alcantara likely slammed shut after his last two outings, but he is certainly still worth trying to acquire if you can make a deal for him. Otherwise, I am very fond of a couple of very productive leadoff hitters in Red Sox OF Jarren Duran and Padres infielder Ha-Seong Kim. Their recent stretch of multi-category contributions makes them very valuable in fantasy leagues, and are the types of players who could propel teams to a title this season. ”
– Lucas Spence (Pitcher List)
Pablo Lopez (SP – MIN)
“A player I am targeting as we near the trade deadline is starting pitcher Pablo Lopez. The right-hander has been inconsistent on the mound at times this season for a Twins club at the top of the underwhelming AL Central division. Lopez is the perfect example of a value addition that should definitely see some positive regression as the season continues. Fantasy managers should look no further than the 30% strikeout rate and 3.27 xERA as indicators that better times are ahead for Lopez. I would be more than happy to dangle an overachieving position player to find a solid addition to my pitching staff for the postseason.”
– Chris Schommer (FantasyPros)
Trea Turner (SS – PHI)
“Trea Turner has had a disappointing season AND has been bad lately. That’s a perfect recipe for buying low! Now, you might be completely out on Turner, and I’d very much understand why. That said, I still think he’s worth trying to trade on because you probably won’t have to give up very much (maybe one of those great two-for-one deals where you give up two borderline waiver guys who are coming off a good week) for him. Anyone who has the Phillies’ shortstop on their roster is beyond disappointed that he hasn’t come anywhere close to returning second-round value (along with the fact that he just hit .218 in July) and is probably looking for a good reason to move on from him. I get that he hasn’t lived up to expectations, but he still has 10 home runs and 21 steals on the year. There’s still some value here as long as you’re not giving up too much. ”
– Nick Raducanu (Dr. Roto)
Ketel Marte (2B – ARI)
“Just yesterday, I swung a deal for Ketel Marte, who has been lighting up fantasy rosters (somewhat quietly) all season long. What jumps out most for me is that his numbers are not inflated and in line with who he has been every year of his career, save for last year when he dealt with injuries. He is slashing .294/.372/.517, with 18 home runs, 73 runs scored, and 57 RBI. Marte is one of those “final pieces” worth flipping a prospect for if you are going for the title this season, as he is an upgrade to almost anyone at the position. Case in point: I traded Nico Hoerner and the injured Royce Lewis in my deal to acquire him. He is worth a buy high, in my opinion. ”
– Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)
Players to Trade Away
With the trade deadline approaching in many leagues, what player are you hoping to unload, and why? Also are you willing to “sell low” on that player?
DJ LeMahieu (1B, 2B, 3B – NYY)
“DJ LeMahieu brings plenty in terms of multi-position eligibility and a track record of production in the Majors, but he hasn’t been quite as productive this year. Thanks in part to a strikeout rate that’s north of 20% (it’s 22.7% to be exact) for the first time in his Major League career, LeMahieu is batting just .232 with a .306 on-base percentage in 306 plate appearances this season. And while his 43.9% hard-hit rate is both reasonably good (it’s in the 66th percentile league-wide) and mostly in line with his hard-hit rates dating back to the 2015 season, the Yankees infielder isn’t making much in the way of quality contact. After rattling off successive, season-long xwOBAs of .376, .366, .340, and .344 in the last four years, LeMahieu is down to a .318 xwOBA in 2023. With no obvious signs pointing to positive regression coming soon, I’d be comfortable taking whatever I could get for LeMahieu in a trade – even if it’s an injured list stash for later or a reliever in a closing committee.”
– Ben Rosener (Tigers Rebuild)
Michael Lorenzen (SP – PHI)
“A player I am looking to unload in most leagues currently would be starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen. The right-hander benefited from pitching in a pitcher-friendly home ballpark in Comerica Park, but after being traded to the Phillies, he should definitely see some negative regression. Combine the move to a more hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia with his 40.2% hard-hit rate and 4.07 xERA, and fantasy managers can expect a return to reality for the overachieving Lorenzen moving forward. I would be willing to take what I can get for the right-hander at this point.”
– Chris Schommer (FantasyPros)
Matt Olson (1B – ATL)
“This isn’t a knock on Matt Olson. He’s a National League MVP candidate. But he’s playing above his head, and it’s worth dangling him (or any other elite player on your roster who is on fire) to see what you can get in return. Maybe you’re in a roto league where you need an elite pitcher and a closer. Maybe you’re in a head-to-head league where you need a boost in certain categories. See if you can use Olson to get back a HAUL (again, don’t sell him just to sell him) on the back of his home run pace, as he could push 50. He’s also hitting .429 with four home runs and nine RBI over his last seven games, so you’d be selling very high on him. ”
– Nick Raducanu (Dr. Roto)
Eduardo Rodriguez (SP – DET)
“Like many fantasy managers, I hoped Eduardo Rodriguez would get traded to a contender. Now that we know he is staying put, I’m willing to unload him for a player that helps me in a different category. It’s not that E-Rod has been bad, per se, but his win equity takes a significant hit staying in Detroit. Additionally, his BABIP of .270 is well below his career mark of .304, and he has had sporadic success since his return from the IL. I’m not willing to sell low on him, but if I need another player and a team looking for pitching, I’m willing to move him without any issue.”
– Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)
Sonny Gray (SP – MIN) / Daulton Varsho (C, OF – TOR)
“This would have been SP Tyler Wells for me, but then the Orioles demoted him last week and made the decision pretty simple for everyone. Sonny Gray and Dalton Varsho are a couple of players I think are worth moving on from if you can get anything of value in return. Gray had a terrific April but has been nothing short of mediocre since then. Varsho, meanwhile, has been downright terrible in his first year in Toronto and stands to continue losing playing time as well. ”
– Lucas Spence (Pitcher List)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
