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 fantasy baseball 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!
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- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Baseball Trade Advice: Buy Low/Sell High
What one MLB player are you trying to buy low and why? Also, who are you willing to give up for him?
Roman Anthony (OF – BOS)
“Is it crazy to think you can buy low on Roman Anthony? Not according to my DMs and what I’m seeing in the FantasyPros Discord. With all of the recent struggles of new hitters, fantasy managers are panicking quickly when young sluggers don’t hit the ground running immediately upon their call-up. Anthony was called up just a little over two weeks ago, and he’s batting .114 with one home run and one stolen base while striking out more than 25% of the time. But when you watch this kid hit, he looks like a pro. He’s walking more than 16% of the time. He doesn’t look lost against lefties. He’s making good contact. His expected batting average is only .227, but his BABP is just .138. Pay attention to what the Red Sox and manager Alex Cora are telling you. Cora likes to platoon players and protect young lefty hitters against veteran lefty pitchers. Anthony batted in the two-hole in his last two games against Tyler Anderson and Robbie Ray. And against righties, Cora has been slotting him into the three-hole since the Rafael Devers trade. This is the best prospect in baseball, and he is going to turn things around, probably quickly. I’m floating offers of Nick Pivetta, Kodai Senga, Kris Bubic, Yusei Kikuchi, or Andrew Abbott for him.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
Jordan Westburg (2B,3B – BAL)
“Jordan Westburg can’t seem to shake the injury bug but his latest scare and mini-slump have opened up a buy-low window. Westburg had come back strong in his first week off the IL with 3 HR 8 RBI. This past week, he had three straight hitless games before jamming his finger on a stolen base attempt. The uninspiring season stats and lack of big-name status make him a perfect player to buy.”
– Pierre Camus (Fantasy Endgame)
Dylan Cease (SP – SD)
“Dylan Cease – Cease has been pretty inconsistent this year, and I may have mentioned him before, but he has said how he feels its close to turning around. Over the last month, he has had a 4.24 ERA, but the 17th-best SIERA among starters at 3.26. During that same period, he’s had a 11.38 K/9 or better written as a 30% K rate. His not nice 69% LOB% (left on base) should regress positively, though he has run sub 70% LOB% the last few years. His strikeout potential is so high, and his team context make him a really solid buy right now. ”
– Chris Welsh (FantasyPros)
“I have to admit, I’m a die-hard, tortured soul Dylan Cease fan. Sure thing 200K season Pitchers are rare and when I find em’ I don’t give up on ’em. It’s a problem and possibly even a fetish. That being said, the reality is that if you look at Cease’s 2023, 2024 and 2025, his 2025 is probably a fair example of a player “performing to the mean,” meaning he isn’t as good as his 2024 was or as bad as his 2023 turned out to be. 2025 is probably slightly worse but more or less what we should expect from Cease. That being said, he’s a buy-low based on what Fantasy owners were paying for in draft season and even if his most recent hot stretch doesn’t continue, he’s a good value acquisition right now. I don’t know why a guy with his consistent, dominant strikeout numbers has so many seasons with such an inflated WHIP. I’d definitely sell pitchers like Schwellenbach for the Braves or Brian Woo with their mediocre K/9 numbers for those Cease strikeouts. My “out of left field strategy” guy would be to sell low to buy low, Gunnar Henderson for Dylan Cease. My plan B to buy low or buy mid-level, MacKenzie Gore. Bad team, under the radar legit season and a spicy K/9 to dream of better days ahead on. ”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)
Edward Cabrera (SP – MIA)
“Edward Cabrera has a 3.81 ERA and pitches for the lowly Marlins, but I want to acquire him wherever I can. Cabrera had a dreadful 7.23 ERA over 4 April starts. However, in May he had a 2.00 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP over 5 GS and in June he carries a 2.70 ERA over his first 3 starts. His 9 K/9 is right where you want it to be and he could even be a trade deadline candidate. I would trade say a Jonathan Aranda who has struggled on the road this year with a bunch of road games ahead this summer for Cabrera.”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)
What one MLB player are you trying to sell high right now and why? Also, who would you try to get in return?
Clarke Schmidt (SP – NYY)
“Through 12 starts and nearly three full months of the season, Clarke Schmidt has a 2.84 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a 4-3 record to go with 65 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings. After a rough April thanks in part to some bad luck, he rebounded with a solid May and an excellent June. He’s running hot right now, making it the perfect time to sell to the fantasy manager in your league who is looking for some pitching. Schmidt has a nearly identical ERA to what he posted over 85 innings in 2024, and his expected numbers are similarly pointing towards regression. So, is he just a pitcher who is going to routinely outperform his expected metrics, or is the regression coming? I lean regression, but I’m also not looking to hang around to find out. Can I flip him for Jac Caglianone, who is off to a slow start with the Royals? I’ll start there and then pivot to players like new-look Max Muncy, TJ Friedl (last week’s sell high for me), Luis Arraez, or Tommy Edman.”
– Mike Maher (FantasyPros)
Marcell Ozuna (OF,DH – ATL)
“As if the news that Marcell Ozuna is playing through a hip tear wasn’t reason enough to move him before it worsens, his situation may get even worse. Atlanta’s playoff hopes keep slipping and Ozuna is rumored to be a trade candidate. While he may land on a team with a better record, destinations like Detroit or Cleveland won’t improve his offensive content in terms of lineup support or ballpark. Ozuna has been gradually fading since his hot start to the season and is hitting just .179 in June. Time to swap him for a slumping Wyatt Langford who could and should improve in the second half.”
– Pierre Camus (Fantasy Endgame)
Eugenio Suarez (3B – ARI)
“Eugenio Suarez – Assuming he is avoiding anything serious after being hit on the hand, Suarez has been one of the premier power bats in fantasy. He is also one of the top trade candidates in baseball. Over the last month (since May 20th), he’s hit 11 home runs and has an over .300 batting average. The negatives are the almost 28% strikeout rate, and an inflated .330+ BABIP, which is 80 points higher than his full season, and 30+ points higher than his career. One of my biggest worries is a potential trade. He loves hitting in Arizona, and I don’t believe most destinations are an offensive upgrade. Couple that with his streakiness, strikeouts, and I am looking to capitalize on his value as soon as he is back in games.”
– Chris Welsh (FantasyPros)
Hunter Brown (SP – HOU)
“Hunter Brown SP Astros – There’s nothing not to like about Browns 2025. The strikeouts, ERA and WHIP fully legitimizes his dominant season so far. He’s no fluke, and that’s why he’s gone for me. He was a hot name during draft season and he’s done everything to prove prognosticators and early buyers right. He SHOULD just keep on rolling as the Ace of maybe the best team in the American League. Another reason to sell, the payoff for trading him should be lofty. I’d target someone with a reliable track record and room to possibly even improve their 2025 production. Combine your sell high for his buy low. Names like, Logan Webb or Zach Wheeler are fair based on the seasons so far. Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Brown would be considered a win by your opponent while being the “buy low for a sell high” scenario I described. A curveball approach would be to aim high for a Trea Turner or a “slightly out of left field” approach while sticking to my “sell high while buying low” strategy by targeting Christian Yelich or Ronald Acuna Jr. or Mookie Betts. Happy hunting.”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)
Shota Imanaga (SP – CHC)
“Shota Imanaga is returning for the Cubs, but let us not forget he was not looking good before his injury. His K/9 was way down (6.85), his BB/9 was way up (2.82) and despite a 2.82 ERA, his xERA (4.64), FIP (4.53) and xFIP (4.84) were all screaming “trade me!”. The ace of the first place Cubs should be extremely marketable consider the recent rash of pitching injuries. If I could get a solid arm like Ranger Suarez and an upside bat like Roman Anthony or Jac Caglianone I make that deal in a second.”
– Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)
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