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, analyze the rationale behind each move, and provide 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 Waiver Wire Assistant
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Tools
- Weekly Fantasy Baseball Content
- 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?
Jesùs Luzardo (SP – PHI)
“Jesùs Luzardo is an excellent buy-low. He’s had a few awful innings that have inflated his stats, and the blowup innings tend to draw the ire of fantasy managers. While Luzardo has a 4.30 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. The underlying stats are excellent. He has a 3.16 xERA and a hard-hit rate of 27.2%, which is in the 96th percentile. He has a 78:19 K:BB ratio, and many of his StatCast numbers are excellent.”
– Adam Ronis (Sirius XM)
Jackson Merrill (OF – SD)
“We’re sitting near an all-time low for Jackson Merrill, hitting just .207. Despite the struggles, he’s still put up five homers and 10 stolen bases. His profile still pops off the board with a double-digit barrel percentage, a career-high hard-hit rate, and pulled-air percentage. His xBA is almost 40 points higher at .243, and he has a BABIP 60 points lower than his career. The electric version we saw a few years ago from Merrill may be a thing of the past, but Merrill’s cost might be so low it’s worth buying for a potential bounce back now.”
– Chris Welsh (FantasyPros)
Daniel Palencia (RP – CHC)
“Daniel Palencia has been one of the least productive established closers for fantasy this season, but it’s not his fault. First, an IL stint in mid-April wiped out two weeks of action. Then, the Cubs decided to stop winning close games altogether. Their 10-game losing streak was snapped, but they’ve barely had any close margins this past month. That’s why Palencia has just three saves, hasn’t recorded a save since May 14, and only has 11.2 innings pitched this year. He still has elite swing-and-miss stuff and should get plenty more opportunities the rest of the way.”
– Pierre Camus (Fantasy Endgame)
Willi Castro (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF – COL)
“Willi Castro has found his groove, and the Rockies are no longer messing with his playing time. He is an electric fantasy player who will rack it up in the runs department while also giving you double-digit power and double-digit speed. With more than half of a season remaining, do not be surprised to see Castro rally to a 15 HR/20 SB season; it always helps to play half of your games in Coors Field. Trade away a pitcher such as Justin Wrobleski, someone on the bottom of your rotation who is doing well.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)
Elly De La Cruz (SS – CIN)
“Elly De La Cruz has only slugged two home runs while stealing only two bases in his last 100 at-bats, providing an intriguing buy-low narrative on its own if not for the elephant in the room: he just hit the IL for 2-4 weeks with a chance to be six or more with a strain to his wheel (at least that’s how you play it in negotiations). Elly is my favorite two-way rabbit/power source guy in the league, and while missing a month to 6 weeks is a calculated risk when acquiring him, it’s also going to reduce the acquisition cost significantly. If I owned him and he was healthy, he’d be untouchable, so if a strained hammy and an IL stint are what I have to accept to gain access to his services from the All-Star break through the Fantasy playoffs, I’m taking that bet with an Ole St. Nick jolly grin. I don’t know what’s going on with Kyle Tucker, but I’d seriously consider putting him in play for Elly. I think I’d try to make it a 2 for 2 type trade to see if I could acquire a tasty sweetener in the deal to hedge my bets, since Tucker was a high draft pick and a case can be made that he is a good buy-low target of his own. But, if the opposing owner plays hardball, my hot take would be, “ok, I’ll do Tucker for De La Cruz straight up”. I’d swap Vlad Guerrero for him, one for one, with Vladdy’s overrated name and bad month and overall disappointing 2026. I would be very selective about what draft-day top-25 pick I’d offer for an injured player, but for a talent like Elly, I’d consider a name that high up the list. However, once you get outside that, I’m open to most of the possibilities as long as that player isn’t meeting expectations and I have doubts that they will. Manny Machado and Rafael Devers both come to mind as considerations in a deal for Elly. Another buy-low I’d consider targeting is a “75% of Elly” when he’s at his best: Jarren Duran. He’s been on a bit of a hot streak lately. I’d make a run as a buy-low on him as well. Happy hunting.”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)
What one MLB player are you trying to sell high right now and why? Also, who would you try to get in return?
Spencer Arrighetti (SP – HOU)
“Spencer Arrighetti has a 1.34 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP through eight starts. While no pitcher can sustain this, there are a lot of bad warning signs that it could get much worse. The Astros right-hander has an xERA of 4.68 and a 13.1% walk rate that will eventually become a huge issue. With a .210 Batting Average on Balls in Play (BABIP), a lucky 89.3% left on base percentage, and a career-low 53.5% first pitch strike percentage, it’s clear there are going to be some bad days ahead for Arrighetti.”
– Adam Ronis (Sirius XM)
“I’ve long believed in Spencer Arrighetti, so it’s great to see him healthy and getting positive results. That said, the tightrope act can only last so long… His 1.34 ERA is clearly unsustainable, and a 4.75 SIERA screams negative regression. It’s amazing that he’s been so productive despite a 13% walk rate and a meager 9.5% Swinging Strike Rate. It will catch up with him at some point, and you want to maximize your return on him before it does. He can still serve as a solid mid-rotation arm this season, but he isn’t an ace like the ratios make it appear at the moment.”
– Pierre Camus (Fantasy Endgame)
Jacob deGrom (SP – NYM)
“It’s tough to trade pitching, and it can be even tougher trading high-end pitching. Jacob deGrom is not someone I want to move on any cheap, but to sell high, potentially in a 2-1 trade. DeGrom’s been solid this year, but not quite the untouchable piece. He’s giving up a career-high 11.3% barrel percentage against, a 3.48 ERA with an xERA higher at 3.78, and some weird home/road splits. At home, he has a 1.52 ERA with over five on the road. None of this makes me run for the hills, but with a struggling Rangers team that could sell, things feel more uncertain and like the prospects of getting a higher-end hitter to go with a depth pitcher in a move off of deGrom.”
– Chris Welsh (FantasyPros)
Jose Soriano (SP – LAA)
“I was right about Chase DeLauter earlier in the year, who has only had 3 HRs since his opening 4 HR series against the Mariners. I was right about Jose Soriano last month. With Jose Soriano still owning an ERA of 2.73, it is now the final buzzer to trade away Soriano. While the ERA might look sexy, Soriano in May posted a 5.34 ERA. Starting off June, he walked seven Rockies and could not get through the 5th inning. It is time to sell the Rocket; he is out of control. Trade for a more stable arm, someone like Emmet Sheehan will probably be an even trade if you hold onto Soriano any longer.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B – TOR)
“I’m not sure you CAN sell Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at this point, but if you can, I am. I don’t even recognize who THIS guy is. In the last 30 days, he has stolen more bases than slug home runs – one bomb to three thefts – and he’s batting .244. The Vladdy Daddy I know hits, hits for a high average, and he doesn’t run- he walks, which is the one thing he is still doing. I’ve always thought he was overrated and has been drafted so high mostly on his name and expectations rather than the reality of his career. He’s never hit as many home runs as I wanted for his draft day cost. I’d sell Guerrero for anyone sliding under the radar. That mostly includes breakouts that could be considered sell-high guys as well as pre-season waiver wire guys gone good. That includes names like Andy Pages – whom I can’t imagine you could get for Vlad but give it a noble effort – Christian Walker, Miguel Vargas, or a two or three-time disappointment who is turning it around in 2026 like Michael Harris II. Two players I’d make a push for that might take some smooth talking because it would be a tough or unconventional trade. I’d target the two multi-dimensional Cruzes. O’Neil Cruz because he’s inconsistent, and you could play on the downturns while trying to sell Vlad’s eventual turnaround, and Elly De La Cruz. Play on Vladdy having a big second half while De La Cruz is going to be out a month, possibly more. Try to sell that it could be six weeks and that, being a hamstring, will sap his running ability, making him a pure power source who may even be on a pitch count, limiting his at-bats upon his return. It’s risky, but I’d rather have 2-1/2 months of Elly than all of 2026 with Vladdy. Hot take here you go. A last thought… do you believe Manny Machado is cooked? Vladdy for Machado? Both buy-lows with the potential to be buy-bads? Looks fair and intriguing to me.”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | SoundCloud | TuneIn
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy baseball, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Baseball Tools as you navigate your season. From our Lineup Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy baseball season.