Other than April, the end of July is the best time of year to make 2-for-1 trades in your fantasy baseball leagues. The MLB trade deadline will bring several players onto the waiver radar, in terms of new closers, youngsters who are promoted to full-time roles, and veterans who find themselves on better teams. Creating roster space now will help managers quickly pick free agents at the end of the month.
The second piece of advice this week is for those in faceoffs to keep a close eye on injured players. Specifically, those who have had a good season thus far can afford to make a trade where they trade a healthy player for a better player who is expected to return from the IL in August. Keeping an extra injured player could cost the coach a win in the coming weeks, but it will be worth the risk if the player is a game-changer during the fantasy playoffs.
Sell cheap
Kevin Gausman (SP, Toronto Blue Jays)
Those who overcame Gausman’s struggles while remaining at the top of the rankings should try to trade him now for a player with better production but lower name value. The right-hander has dealt with decreased fastball velocity and effectiveness this year, which has contributed to a lower strikeout rate and worse ratios.
Gausman’s 4.55 ERA is a deserved mark, as Statcast has given him a 5.12 xERA. And his 1.30 WHIP isn’t due to bad batted ball luck (0.308 BABIP). Gausman could have better luck with his 67.2% pitching rate, but even with that change, he will likely be a 4.00 ERA pitcher down the stretch in a season where 4.00 ERA pitchers are easy to target. find in the exemption line.
Adolis García (OF, Texas Rangers)
I’m not sure some fantasy managers fully understand the degree to which García has failed this season. To put his struggles in perspective, no baseball player has hit worse than García in as many appearances since May 1. The 31-year-old was excellent in April (.301 BA, 6 HR, 21 RBI, .929 OP). Since May 1, however, García has hit .170 with nine home runs, four steals and 22 RBI in 67 games. García’s coaches who remain in contention should consider trading him for someone who is having a better season.
Buy high
Marcell Ozuna (OF, Atlanta Braves)
Ozuna should be considered one of the top 15 players on Yahoo! Trade Market, but it doesn’t receive that high standard in many leagues. It ranks ninth on Yahoo! This year’s MVP list, and the categories in which he shines — homers, RBI and batting average — are the hardest to secure on the ropes. He hasn’t been backed by luck either, as he’s in the top five in xBA, xSLG, and xwOBA on Statcast.
Ozuna is underrated due to his age (33) and inconsistent career record, but he is as likely as any hitter to post strong hitting numbers down the stretch.
Sell high
Josh Smith (3B/SS/OF, Texas Rangers)
Smith is apparently in the midst of a breakout season, having increased his OPS year over year by over 200 points. And the Rangers rewarded the 26-year-old by batting him third in the lineup more often than at any other position. However, the Statcast data on Smith is bleak, as he has the most negative difference of any qualified player between his SLG and xSLG and his wOBA and xwOBA. I would be happy to sign any Smith player I can imagine remaining in my lineup until at least September 1st.
Anthony Volpe (SS, New York Yankees)
At first glance, Volpe has been a respectable fantasy asset this year. After all, he’s on pace for about 10 homers, 25 steals and over 100 runs scored. But those numbers don’t tell the whole story of someone who started well before hitting .216 with one home run and six steals since the beginning of June.
The Yankees recently tested other players at the starting position, which is the final blow to Volpe’s fantasy potential. Just like Smith, the goal should be to trade Volpe for anyone who could be a mainstay on the roster.
Buy low
Max Fried (SP, Atlanta Braves)
Fried, who was recently placed on IL due to neuritis in his forearm, is a great example of what was said in the introduction. There is no timetable for the left-hander’s return, meaning those in tight playoff contention in head-to-head leagues may not get him back before the end of the season. Those who have a firm playoff spot could trade an average starter for Fried in hopes of being able to add someone to their playoff lineup who qualifies as a No. 2 Fantasy starter when healthy.
Spencer Horwitz (1B/2B, Toronto Blue Jays)
Despite playing well so far, Horwitz has generated little fantasy buzz. However, points league managers should become more familiar with his exploits as the 26-year-old possesses a solid skill set for that format. Horwitz has some power, maintains exceptional control over the strike zone (BB:K ratio of 16:22) and gets almost all of the plate appearances of the first two spots in the lineup, making him a great option in leagues that don’t give significant value. in robberies. It can be purchased for a small cost in deep formats and taken off waivers in some shallow leagues.
