9 Players to Trade Now (Fantasy Baseball)

Fantasy baseball managers are always looking for an edge in their leagues, and one trade strategy that can pay off is buying low on struggling players and selling high on those who have exceeded expectations. Below, our featured experts look closely at some players they’re targeting for these trades. They 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, comprehensive player rankings, and player projections, our experts have determined which players you should target in trades and which ones you should look to move. So, whether you need a roster shake-up or simply want to capitalize on a player’s hot streak, this article is here to guide you through the process.

Let’s examine these trade recommendations, analyzing the rationale behind each move and providing you with actionable advice to help you dominate your league. Don’t forget to check out our other fantasy baseball resources to help you stay ahead of the competition all season long. Happy trading!

Trade Advice: Buy Low

What one MLB player are you trying to buy low and why? Also, who are you willing to give up for him?

Julio Rodriguez (OF – SEA)

“Julio Rodriguez is a buy low simply because of his track record of starting slow and heating up throughout the summer. He is still hitting the ball as hard as anyone in the league, and since the calendar turned May, there have been encouraging signs. Since May 1st, Rodriguez has an 18.9% strikeout rate and an 8.6% walk rate. That’s improved from 32.3% and 4.8% in March and April, although it hasn’t translated in the fantasy stats. He’s still batting just .269 in the month with one home run, two RBI, and two steals, leaving the buy-low window wide open. I would be willing to give up Marcell Ozuna for him, although I’d like to buy lower.”
– Chase Davis (FantasyPros)

Aaron Civale (SP – TB)

“I’m prepared to go down with the Aaron Civale ship. I’ll still be babbling, “He’s better than this. We just need a larger sample size!” as we load the women and children onto the rescue boats. Among qualifying pitchers with at least 100 BIP, Civale’s 2.19 difference between his ERA (5.83) and his xERA (3.64) is third behind only Garrett Crochet‘s 2.48 and Hunter Brown‘s 3.40. His xFIP (3.44) and SIERA (3.54) paint a similar picture, though his FIP is slightly higher at 4.32. He’s been burned by home runs through his first nine starts, while the rest of his expected numbers are very similar to last season when he pitched to a 3.46 ERA over 122 1/3 IP. But his strikeouts, Chase%, and Whiff% are all up, and I think we’re still in the early stages of Civale figuring out his new pitch mix. He isn’t going to be an ace, but he could be a reliable pitcher for your fantasy teams and is currently available in more than 50% of Yahoo leagues.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

Corey Seager (SS – TEX)

“The time has come to find out the cost of Corey Seager. He has a wOBA of .298 but an xwOBA of .360. His paltry .350 slugging percentage is about 150 points below his expected. His hard hit% is low compared to his career rate, and any correction to this number should boost all of his fantasy stats across the board. We expected SOME regression from last year’s stellar campaign, but it shouldn’t be this much and won’t be much longer. If the manager with Seager needs saves, I will try to get out from under Hector Neris‘s presence on my roster before that blows up… which is probably soon, and throw in another piece like Oneil Cruz.”
– Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)

Jazz Chisholm (OF – MIA)

“Jazz Chisholm has a solid five HR and eight SBs, which is paired with a sub-optimal .243 batting average and an xBA that is lower, sitting at .227. Why I think it’s a great time to buy, he’s striking out less, at 25% which is the lowest of his career by a couple percent. He’s walking more, at almost 10% of the time, and his barrel% is near the top of his career. But the reason I really want to jump now, while he’s not very exciting or popping for people, is he’s likely getting moved. He’s showing some positive signs as a hitter, and if you put him with a big offense with support, he may see more RBI, run, and stolen base opportunities.”
– Christopher Welsh (FantasyPros)

Ronald Acuna Jr. (OF – ATL)

“This may be your final buy-low window for Ronald Acuna Jr. His shocking .696 OPS and paltry 3 homers are not what folks signed up for with the 1.01 pick this year. Over his last 15 games, Acuna is slashing just .206/.265/.317. Now, to get Acuna, it’s still going to cost you some elite talent, but if I could turn Freddie Freeman or Bryce Harper into Acuna, I would do it. The Braves collectively have struggled as an offense, and that eventually will turn around soon as well. ”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)

Trade Advice: Sell High

What one MLB player are you trying to sell high right now, and why? Also, who would you try to get in return?

Ranger Suarez (SP – PHI)

“Ranger Suarez is the most obvious sell-high candidate with a 1.50 ERA and 0.72 WHIP. His underlying numbers back up everything he’s done to this point with career-bests in strikeout rate, walk rate and hard-hit rate. However, these numbers are unsustainable. Suarez’s advanced ERA metrics are also really good but are still about a run worse than his actual ERA. The lefty’s arsenal has taken a dip in velocity on all of his pitches this year, which usually isn’t positive but could be leading to an improved walk rate. I would trade him for a top-15 arm like George Kirby or Kevin Gausman.”
– Chase Davis (FantasyPros)

Reese Olson (SP – DET)

“Reese Olson looks like a young pitcher who is doing all the right things and reaping the rewards. Through eight starts (47 1/3 IP), he has a 2.09 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP with some decent underlying numbers. But there’s no denying he is due for some significant regression here. His xFIP and SIERA are 3.76 and 3.77, respectively, while his FIP (2.54) and xERA (3.32) are more favorable. His groundball rate is elite, but it comes with a decent amount of hard contact and a shortage of whiffs (7.80 K/9, 21.7 K%). He also hasn’t allowed a single home run this season (see: groundball rate), but that isn’t going to continue, especially if he doesn’t start missing more bats. Oh, and know what else he doesn’t have yet this season? A win. It’s hard to pitch to a 2.09 ERA and not win any of your eight starts, but the Tigers make it look easy. But that’s another reason to sell high — he isn’t going anywhere, and wins will continue to be hard to come by. I’d see if you can flip him for a sell-high bat like Jo Adell or a buy-low like George Springer.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

Max Kepler (OF – MIN)

“Max Kepler has only appeared in 25 games but has made the most of them. He is slashing .321/.376/.536 with three home runs, 17 RBI, and 13 runs. Those are some great numbers to capitalize on NOW because they won’t last. His xBA is .242, and his xwOBA is .315 versus the shiny .395 he is currently sporting. However, if you could flip him for Brandon Nimmo, I would do it in a heartbeat, as Nimmo is on the other side of the coin as the underperformer.”
– Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)

Max Scherzer (SP – TEX)

“Max Scherzer has yet to throw a pitch in 2024. Sure, the K rate was still great last year, but it’s clear his body has been betraying him the last few years, and the most recent nerve issue in his thumb has delayed his return to the Rangers. After a cortisone injection, he seems to be back on track, but how long will it be before something new pops up that causes him to miss starts? Father Time is undefeated, and with so many teams desperate for arms, the name brand of Max Scherzer may be worth more in 2024 than the actual pitcher. Shop him, you may be surprised what you could get in return.”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)

Featured Pros MLB Trade Advice Julio Rodriguez Marcell Ozuna Chase Davis Aaron Civale Garrett Crochet Hunter Brown Corey Seager Hector Neris Oneil Cruz Jazz Chisholm Ronald Acuna Jr. (OF – ATL) Freddie Freeman Bryce Harper Ranger Suarez George Kirby Kevin Gausman Reese Olson Jo Adell George Springer Max Kepler Brandon Nimmo Max Scherzer