FantasyPros Staff | Wed, Jun 5th 2024, 12:38pm EDT

8 Fantasy Baseball Players to Trade Now (2024)

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 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!

Fantasy Baseball Buy Low/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?

Zack Gelof (2B – OAK)

“Zack Gelof’s season got off to a sluggish start after dealing with an injury. He’s hitting just .182 on the year over 42 games. However, he does have 4 HR and 5 steals. His .255 BABIP is well below his .331 mark of last year. In 2023, Gelof had 14 HR and 14 steals in 69 games for the A’s. He could be a strong second-half contributor and a great buy-low gamble for the next 2/3 of the season. You can probably get him for next to nothing right now after this recent .170 BA over his last 12 games.”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)

Reid Detmers (SP – LAA)

“Reid Detmers flummoxes me. The big lefty was optioned to Triple-A on Sunday after another disastrous start, but his numbers… don’t completely suck. He has a K% of 25.3 and a Whiff% of 29.5, with an xERA of 3.53. Considering his ERA currently sits at 6.14, there should be positive regression coming in the future. He has increased his ground ball rate to 40%, and his LOB% should also see improvement, given the rest of his pitching profile. If you are in a position to wait out whatever the Angels are doing with him, Detmers’s value certainly has never been lower. I would offer someone like Wilyer Abreu to start discussions. ”
– Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)

Brandon Nimmo (OF – NYM)

“Brandon Nimmo is an excellent buy-low candidate. Despite concerns over his .216 average and 25% strikeout rate, his underlying metrics tell a different story. Nimmo is sporting an xBA of .277 and the lowest BABIP of his career, indicating he has been unlucky at the plate. His xWOBA is .385, significantly higher than his current .328 WOBA, and his xSLG is .492, compared to his actual .385 SLG-both the best of his career. He’s making better contact, barreling up balls at a higher rate, and walking more. These indicators suggest he’s due for significant positive regression soon. I would look to trade away Isaac Paredes for Nimmo.”
– Rex Rutchik (Left Turns)

CJ Abrams (SS – WAS)

“CJ Abrams’s first two months of the season could not have gone much differently. After an incredible April, when he batted .295 with 7 HR, 7 22 R, 17 RBI, and 7 SB, Abrams went ice cold in May, batting just .205 with 2 HR, 10 R, 9 RBI, and 1 SB. His fantasy managers, who initially thought they struck gold with an even bigger breakout than Abrams had in 2023, are now wondering if it was a fluke and if they should sell before his value dips any further.

This is where you enter the chat. A lot of the underlying numbers for Abrams still look solid. His expected wOBA, batting average, and slugging percentage are all 75th percentile or better. Whenever he makes contact, good things are happening. He’s just dealing with some chase issues right now. This is a player who hit 18 HRs last season despite a Baseball Savante page that was mostly dark blue. Many thought 2023 was his breakout, but it might just be his floor going forward. Buy the dip on Abrams. I’d gladly flip Luis Gil for him even if I had to throw in something else to make the deal happen (and you might not). ”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

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Fantasy Baseball Sell High Targets

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, DH – SD)

“Luis Arraez was tearing it up before his recent shoulder injury. He was hitting well over .400 over the last two weeks. However, despite his glorious batting average, he still has just 1 HR and 17 RBI on the season. He remains a limited contributor outside of the BA category, and if this shoulder issue (DTD as of now) lingers, you would be wise to sell him off while his hot streak is still in people’s memory. I’d take a 5th starter for him if I could add more SP depth to my roster.”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)

David Fry (C, 1B, OF, DH – CLE)

“While I would not be in a hurry to trade him, David Fry has a lot of value right now, and some regression is in store. The 28-year-old has an unsustainable BABIP of .400 and an ISO over 100 points higher than his career average. While his xwOBA is still high (.392), he will have some bad upcoming stretches to get there from his current .477. I am only interested in flipping him for a decent starting pitcher like Garrett Crochet (as long as I don’t care about win equity whatsoever).”
– Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)

Ezequiel Tovar (SS – COL)

“Ezequiel Tovar is a player you should consider trading away. His .295 batting average and .315 WOBA are misleading, as his expected batting average (xBA) is only .231, and his xWOBA is just .282. The disparities between these metrics, coupled with his .403 BABIP, suggest that Tovar has been quite fortunate at the plate. This luck is especially evident given his below-average exit velocity, bat speed, and 6.5% weak contact rate (compared to the MLB average of 5%). Additionally, Tovar is struggling with plate discipline, walking infrequently while his chase and whiff rates are in the second and third percentiles, respectively. He’s also striking out at a concerning 30% rate. A player to target in return could be Pablo Lopez, as some owners might be worried about his recent rocky starts.”
– Rex Rutchik (Left Turns)

Javier Assad (SP – CHC)

“The window to sell high on Javier Assad might be closing soon, so it’s time to jump through it. After 2023, when Assad outperformed his underlying indicators, he’s doing so in an even bigger way in 2024. His 2.27 ERA is good for ninth-best in all of baseball among qualifying pitchers as of this writing, but his expected numbers are as follows: 3.71 xERA, 3.72 FIP, 4.01 xFIP, 4.10 SIERA. Now, those numbers aren’t all that bad. They just aren’t as shiny and pretty as 2.27.

His strikeout rate is fine, and it’s actually up to about a strikeout per inning over what he did in 2023. But he doesn’t have great velocity, and his chase and whiff rates are near the bottom of the league. After throwing his sinker more than 30% of the time in 2023, he has actually leaned into it even more in 2024 and is up to a 35.6% usage rate. He’s getting good results right now, but I don’t know that his sinker/cutter/four-seamer top three is sustainable, especially when none of them average 92 MPH while combining for more than 76% of his pitches. Sell now and see if you can land a Ryan McMahon or a Tyler O’Neill. ”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

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