Fantasy Baseball Trade Advice: Buy Low & Sell High (Week 12)

For this buy low and sell high article I decided to have three different roster percentage tiers for each section. So, both buy low and sell high sections have a low, middle and high roster percentage player.

Most leagues are halfway done with the regular fantasy baseball season. So now is the time to start preparing for the final stretch and put your team in a winning position. Even if it’s for next season, it’s never too early to start preparing.

Fantasy Baseball Trade Advice (Week 12)

Buy Low

David Hamilton (SS – BOS)

In 121 at-bats, David Hamilton is hitting .289 with a .790 OPS. He also has 13 stolen bases and has only been caught stealing once. In the last 15 games, he has hit safely in 11 of them. Hamilton hits left-handed so, he will sit at times against left-handed pitchers. However, if he keeps hitting, Boston could make him more of a staple in the lineup. If you need some middle infield help, Hamilton could be acquired for free on waivers or at a low price in a trade. He might not be a plug-in and forget-about starter but he could be a solid bench player for the rest of the season.

MacKenzie Gore (SP – WAS)

MacKenzie Gore has a 5-5 record with a 3.54 ERA on the year. His WHIP could use some work as it is currently sitting at 1.36. He hasn’t reached six innings pitched in his last three starts. Gore’s owners could be looking for a change and now might be the time to acquire him before he puts together a series of good starts. He has strikeout upside with 81 punchouts in 68 innings pitched. Gore is only 25 and it wasn’t long ago that he was a top prospect. I would be more interested in acquiring him in a dynasty league than a redraft league. He has lowered his ERA and expected ERA in each of the past two seasons. His strikeout rate has increased and he produces a ground ball rate of over 30%. Because he has struggled in his past few starts, now might be the time to make a deal.

Alex Bregman (3B – HOU)

Alex Bergman is hitting .236 on the year with nine home runs. His average has increased each month but has skyrocketed in June. In April, he hit .218. He followed that up in May by hitting .221. He has a .355 average so far this month. He is also on a 13-game hitting streak. Bregman has been a buy-low candidate for the past few months but the chance of acquiring him for a discounted price is closing. He is in a contract year, so he has every reason to finish the year strong. That doesn’t always translate into success, but the Astros lineup is getting better. I foresee Bregman maybe not hitting .355 for the rest of the season but a .260-.270 hitter with 20-something home runs is possible.

Sell High

Tylor Megill (SP – NYM)

Since missing more than a month to start the season, Tylor Megill has made four starts and pitched over five innings just once. The strikeout upside is there with 32 strikeouts in 25.2 innings. Because of this Megill has been a streaming option and a good pitcher to acquire for good ratios. His last start wasn’t great after he went just 4.2 innings but he did have 8 strikeouts. For those in your league desperate for pitching, Megill could be good trade bait. You won’t get a ton for him, but I would look at moving him and getting someone with more dependability. Also, he had a shoulder strain on his throwing arm earlier this season forcing him on the injured list (IL). Those never seem to disappear in the same season.

Dansby Swanson (SS – CHC)

Dansby Swanson is hitting .226 with six homers and has an OPS of .671. Those numbers don’t sell themselves. After hitting .235 in April, Swanson followed that up in the month of May hitting just .155. He did have 40 fewer at-bats in May compared to April. Currently, Swanson is hitting .324 in June. Owners might not be blowing up your phone with trade requests for Swanson but if you have had any interest from owners or want to pursue your own trade, now could be the time. Swanson’s best season batting average came in 2022 when he hit .277. He has hit between 22-27 home runs for the past three seasons. Swanson could be productive for the next month or two but his average for the past few seasons tends to drop in the last few months of the season. There isn’t another level for Swanson, so if you get an offer you like, I wouldn’t lose any sleep accepting the deal.

Teoscar Hernandez (OF – LAD)

Teoscar Hernandez is currently on a home run campaign. He has hit five home runs in the past five games. Hernandez has 17 on the year and could pass his career high of 32 home runs from 2021. Currently, he is hitting .266 with an OPS of .861. Hitting in a talented Dodgers lineup is also a nice addition. His strikeout rate is in the high 20s and that fits his career average. In nine seasons, his career average is .261, which is also in line for this season. If you’re competitive and in a redraft league I might be willing to stand pat with Hernandez and see how the rest of the season shakes out. In dynasty/keeper leagues I would be more inclined to move him, especially with how he is hitting. Owners in need of power could be calling you soon, if not already. Depending on your needs, Hernandez could be a nice flip for something else in need or younger talent for the future.