Sometimes patience is the key to successful trading in fantasy baseball. A month ago, a trade offer that I made for the electric Elly De La Cruz in a NL-only keeper league was a complete no go. My team had a shot at a top 5 finish, which has its perks in our league, but giving up multiple players to a title contender for one of the most valuable young players was too tempting to not explore. De La Cruz is almost at the bare minimum salary with a $260 budget.
Waiting made sense, as our league’s trade deadline might spark some action. The alternative was playing out the string and competing with a good team, though not a championship caliber one. This past weekend, after some back and forth with a trade deadline beckoning, the trade came through. Elly De La Cruz would be mine and the haul of players going the other direction will have a say in who wins an ultra-competitive league’s championship. And De La Cruz greeted me with one home run, one stolen base, three runs and six RBI in one of his first games on my roster.
As if he needed to endear himself more to me.
This all just goes to show that even when a trade may feel dead, waiting it out could net a budding superstar. So remember that when someone shuts down a trade offer initially, it may just be a matter of time before that fantasy manager changes course.
This week has a younger feel to the Deep Sleepers, as recent call-ups are looking at establishing themselves in the big leagues. As always, these are players rostered in less than 30% of leagues.
Fantasy Baseball Deep Sleepers & Waiver Wire Options
Luis Urias (2B/3B/SS – BOS): Rostered: 7%
It was just last March in the World Baseball Classic semi-final between Mexico and Japan, Urias smoked a home run off Team Japan’s star right-hander Roki Sasaki for an early lead in what turned out to be a comeback win for Japan. That has been the 2023 highlight for Urias, who missed more than two months after suffering a leg injury on Opening Day. Since being traded to Boston and debuting on Aug. 4, Urias has found steady playing time, with back-to-back four-RBI games Aug. 17 and 19. Maybe he’s finally getting his legs under him. So if you need some at-bats, he’s a multi-position option.
Cole Ragans (SP – KC): Rostered 23%
Something has gotten into Ragans, who has 44 strikeouts in his past 30.2 innings, covering five starts. He has three wins for a bad Royals team, and the next time his turn should come up is at home against the Pirates the week of Aug. 28.
Nolan Schanuel (1B – LAA): Rostered 6%
All Schanuel has done since being called up on Aug. 18 is get a hit in every game, and boost his average up to .368. Maybe the power comes later, but his hit tool is legit. Schanuel was one of the top hitters in college ball, finishing on top of all Division I hitters in batting average, on-base percentage and walks before being drafted in the first round this past June. He walked 21 times against 10 strikeouts across three levels of the minor leagues, hitting .370 with an OPS of 1.003. Perhaps Schanuel can give the Angels some much-needed good vibes the rest of the season.
Masyn Winn (SS – STL): Rostered 12%
Winn was ranked the No. 32 prospect by MLB.com, hitting 18 home runs, stealing 17 bases and scoring 99 runs in 105 games at Triple-A. The Cardinals are looking for a lift, and calling up a top prospect can be exactly what’s needed. Winn will get the bulk of at-bats at shortstop for the Cardinals, and he could flash some sneaky speed the rest of the way.
Ryan Pepiot (SP – LAD): Rostered 6%
Pepiot has an opportunity in front of him, pitching for the Dodgers now that they’ve suffered losses to injury in the rotation. Pepiot is a former top prospect and has 11 strikeouts over nine innings, across two starts. Dodger starters have yet to be announced, though Pepiot figures to be in the mix to start in a home series against the DBacks next week.
Adam Duvall (OF – BOS): Rostered 22%
Duvall missed time with a broken wrist after getting off to a torrid start, and he appears to have gotten his groove back. He has multiple hits in five of his last six games, hitting three home runs and driving in eight RBI in that span. Duvall could be a source of some counting stats late in the season.
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