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Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: Hitters you should try to deal or acquire
Before jumping into specific names this week, I want to highlight the usefulness of the Yahoo Trade Market. This page is so valuable that it is frequently used by those who play fantasy baseball on other sites. The Trade Market can be searched to show recent trades involving any specific player, which can often give a manager a good idea of how that player is perceived across the fantasy baseball landscape. The Trade Market is more valuable for some players than others. For example, we all know that Bobby Witt Jr. fetches plenty in trades. But the Trade Market is incredibly useful when evaluating players who have recently had a shift in their value, such as a hotshot rookie or a newly minted closer. Now let's look at six hitters who may be involved in many deals this week. Advertisement [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Sell High Hunter Goodman, C/OF, Colorado Rockies There is an easy angle to trading Goodman right now — he trails only Cal Raleigh in fantasy production among catchers. Surely, there are plenty of teams in each league who would like to acquire the No. 2 catcher. I see reasons for concern regarding Goodman, who has major gaps between his actual stats (.285 BA, .483 SLG) and his expected stats (.240 xBA, .414 xSLG). He plays for a team that ranks 28th in runs scored. And there are plenty of sources of catcher production who are widely available on waivers. My goal would be to trade Goodman for something that is harder to find, such as a top slugger or a stable starting pitcher. Buy Low Corey Seager, SS, Texas Rangers Seager's annual battle with injuries has become a source of frustration for fantasy managers. And this year has been no different, as the veteran is already in the midst of his second IL stint for a right hamstring injury. Still, acquiring Seager at an injury-influenced discount is a risk worth taking for many managers, as a healthy version of the 31-year-old is among the biggest fantasy impact players. Seager has resumed physical activities. He could return in a couple of weeks and hit .300 with a .900 OPS the rest of the way. Taylor Ward, OF, Los Angeles Angels As long as Ward's average sits in the vicinity of .200 (currently .203), the buy-low window remains wide open. The veteran is striking out more often than usual (27.0%), but beyond the whiffs there are plenty of positives. His 13 homers put Ward on a career-best pace. And the extra power is coming from improved quality of contact, as his 91.9 mph average exit velocity and 16.0% barrel rate are improved marks. Managers who acquire Ward before he experiences improvements on his .203 BABIP could find themselves with an all-around contributor this summer. Buy High Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics I've always been a Wilson believer, and I haven't seen anything this season to change my mind. The youngster has contact skills that rival any player in baseball, and this year he ranks behind only Luis Arráez in strikeout rate. And unlike Arráez, Wilson has shown some interest in accumulating home runs and stolen bases. Sure, Wilson doesn't have massive totals (5 HR, 4 SB), but he could have a complete offensive profile by hitting .300 with double-digit totals in both categories. He ranks 13th in xBA (.309) and could lead the league in batting average if Aaron Judge were to slow down. Sell Low Jose Altuve, 2B/OF, Houston Astros I couldn't find the right category for Altuve, who is more of a 'sell medium' right now. The 35-year-old got off to a decent start this year, despite logging poor skill metrics. But his skills have caught up with him of late, as he's hitting .185 with zero homers and one steal in May. Altuve has had terrible quality of contact all season, as his 84.8 mph average exit velocity is among the worst of all players. Time is catching up with the diminutive veteran, and it may be a good idea to trade him while his overall numbers are still respectable. Advertisement Anthony Santander, OF, Toronto Blue Jays Santander can't blame bad luck for his slow start with the Blue Jays. The veteran has been off at the plate, as his 25.4% strikeout rate is a diminished mark, as is his 5.1% barrel rate. It hasn't helped Santander that the rest of Toronto's offense has been in a funk, and at this point I would try to get a decent return on the premise that last year's 44-homer version of Santander will soon reveal himself. The truth is that I'm not optimistic about an immediate turnaround, and I'm tired of watching Santander drag down fantasy teams.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: 6 starting pitchers improperly valued right now, and how to take advantage
Starting pitchers are tough to assess during the initial weeks of the MLB season, as both their fantasy numbers and underlying skill metrics tend to fluctuate wildly from one start to the next. Wise managers will stick with the tried-and-true K-BB% stat when looking for diamonds in the rough, and they will use noisy stats such as BABIP, strand rate and HR/FB rate to find the hurlers who are improperly valued on the Yahoo Trade Market. Here are six candidates who fit that description. A manager who wants to buy low on Cease (4.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) can easily make a case that the inconsistent right-hander is having yet another down year. After all, while his strikeout totals have been consistent, Cease's ratios have been anything but over the past five seasons. The reality is that his 2025 strikeout and walk rates are similar to the marks posted during his best seasons, as is the quality of contact that he has allowed. Cease has been felled by a .331 BABIP and a 66.7% strand rate, and those numbers should experience positive regression in the coming weeks. There aren't many opportunities to add 200-strikeout pitchers at a discount. Already one of the safest starters in fantasy baseball, Webb has taken his game to another level by improving his strikeout rate. The veteran's 29.3% mark is easily a career high and is nearly 9% better than his mark from last season. He has accumulated at least five strikeouts in every start, which is a feat that he accomplished in only 58% of his appearances last year. By racking up more whiffs while continuing to induce plenty of grounders, Webb has become someone who perfectly blends a high floor and a notable ceiling. The icing on the cake is that he pitches for a team that sits seventh in baseball in winning percentage. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] A late-round pick in many 2025 drafts, Luzardo has reclaimed the velocity he lost last year and once again features a fastball that exceeds 96 mph. Even better, the left-hander is throwing his slider more often and at a higher speed than ever before. Luzardo may not repeat his 208-strikeout season from 2023, but he can collect 190 whiffs while posting excellent ratios on one of baseball's best teams. This year, Bibee has been a jack of all trades, but a master of none. The right-hander has thrown five pitches at least 12% of the time, and while his fastball velocity lines up with previous seasons, the speed of his secondary offerings has declined. He has really struggled to put batters away (16.8% strikeout rate), while issuing free passes more often than usual (8.6% walk rate). In fact, Bibee would look much worse if not for a .236 BABIP and an 83.3% strand rate. The 26-year-old has been serviceable in recent starts, which makes this a good time to trade him for a respectable return. Many managers will look at Mahle's underlying numbers and refuse to pay a premium in trade talks. But there will at least be a couple of managers in each league who won't be able to resist acquiring someone with eye-popping ratios that include a 1.47 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Those who are trying to move Mahle can point out in trade talks that he has faced some quality lineups, including two starts against the Red Sox and an outing against each of the Dodgers and Cubs. Between the 30-year-old's lengthy injury history and mediocre 37:16 K:BB ratio, there is ample reason to cash out in the coming weeks. Mahle faces the White Sox next week, and my ideal goal would be to trade him after that start. There is an easy way to sell Pfaadt's success on the trade market. After all, the right-hander was among the unluckiest pitchers in baseball last year, logging a 4.71 ERA that was more than a full run lower than most of his ERA estimators. And now that his luck has changed, he has a well-deserved 3.73 ERA. But the truth is that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction with Pfaadt, who has experienced a dip in his strikeout rate and has benefited from a 79.9% strand rate. He's more of an innings eater than a true impact pitcher.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: 6 starting pitchers improperly valued right now, and how to take advantage
Starting pitchers are tough to assess during the initial weeks of the MLB season, as both their fantasy numbers and underlying skill metrics tend to fluctuate wildly from one start to the next. Wise managers will stick with the tried-and-true K-BB% stat when looking for diamonds in the rough, and they will use noisy stats such as BABIP, strand rate and HR/FB rate to find the hurlers who are improperly valued on the Yahoo Trade Market. Here are six candidates who fit that description. A manager who wants to buy low on Cease (4.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) can easily make a case that the inconsistent right-hander is having yet another down year. After all, while his strikeout totals have been consistent, Cease's ratios have been anything but over the past five seasons. The reality is that his 2025 strikeout and walk rates are similar to the marks posted during his best seasons, as is the quality of contact that he has allowed. Cease has been felled by a .331 BABIP and a 66.7% strand rate, and those numbers should experience positive regression in the coming weeks. There aren't many opportunities to add 200-strikeout pitchers at a discount. Already one of the safest starters in fantasy baseball, Webb has taken his game to another level by improving his strikeout rate. The veteran's 29.3% mark is easily a career high and is nearly 9% better than his mark from last season. He has accumulated at least five strikeouts in every start, which is a feat that he accomplished in only 58% of his appearances last year. By racking up more whiffs while continuing to induce plenty of grounders, Webb has become someone who perfectly blends a high floor and a notable ceiling. The icing on the cake is that he pitches for a team that sits seventh in baseball in winning percentage. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] A late-round pick in many 2025 drafts, Luzardo has reclaimed the velocity he lost last year and once again features a fastball that exceeds 96 mph. Even better, the left-hander is throwing his slider more often and at a higher speed than ever before. Luzardo may not repeat his 208-strikeout season from 2023, but he can collect 190 whiffs while posting excellent ratios on one of baseball's best teams. This year, Bibee has been a jack of all trades, but a master of none. The right-hander has thrown five pitches at least 12% of the time, and while his fastball velocity lines up with previous seasons, the speed of his secondary offerings has declined. He has really struggled to put batters away (16.8% strikeout rate), while issuing free passes more often than usual (8.6% walk rate). In fact, Bibee would look much worse if not for a .236 BABIP and an 83.3% strand rate. The 26-year-old has been serviceable in recent starts, which makes this a good time to trade him for a respectable return. Many managers will look at Mahle's underlying numbers and refuse to pay a premium in trade talks. But there will at least be a couple of managers in each league who won't be able to resist acquiring someone with eye-popping ratios that include a 1.47 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Those who are trying to move Mahle can point out in trade talks that he has faced some quality lineups, including two starts against the Red Sox and an outing against each of the Dodgers and Cubs. Between the 30-year-old's lengthy injury history and mediocre 37:16 K:BB ratio, there is ample reason to cash out in the coming weeks. Mahle faces the White Sox next week, and my ideal goal would be to trade him after that start. There is an easy way to sell Pfaadt's success on the trade market. After all, the right-hander was among the unluckiest pitchers in baseball last year, logging a 4.71 ERA that was more than a full run lower than most of his ERA estimators. And now that his luck has changed, he has a well-deserved 3.73 ERA. But the truth is that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction with Pfaadt, who has experienced a dip in his strikeout rate and has benefited from a 79.9% strand rate. He's more of an innings eater than a true impact pitcher.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: 6 starting pitchers improperly valued right now, and how to take advantage
Starting pitchers are tough to assess during the initial weeks of the season, as both their fantasy numbers and underlying skill metrics tend to fluctuate wildly from one start to the next. Wise managers will stick with the tried-and-true K-BB% stat when looking for diamonds in the rough, and they will use noisy stats such as BABIP, strand rate and HR/FB rate to find the hurlers who are improperly valued on the Yahoo Trade Market. Here are six candidates who fit that description. Buy Low Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres A manager who wants to buy low on Cease (4.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) can easily make a case that the inconsistent right-hander is having yet another down year. After all, while his strikeout totals have been consistent, Cease's ratios have been anything but over the past five seasons. The reality is that his 2025 strikeout and walk rates are similar to the marks posted during his best seasons, as is the quality of contact that he has allowed. Cease has been felled by a .331 BABIP and a 66.7% strand rate, and those numbers should experience positive regression in the coming weeks. There aren't many opportunities to add 200-strikeout pitchers at a discount. Buy High Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants Already one of the safest starters in fantasy baseball, Webb has taken his game to another level by improving his strikeout rate. The veteran's 29.3% mark is easily a career high and is nearly 9% better than his mark from last season. He has accumulated at least five strikeouts in every start, which is a feat that he accomplished in only 58% of his appearances last year. Advertisement By racking up more whiffs while continuing to induce plenty of grounders, Webb has become someone who perfectly blends a high floor and a notable ceiling. The icing on the cake is that he pitches for a team that sits seventh in baseball in winning percentage. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Jesús Luzardo, Philadelphia Phillies A late-round pick in many 2025 drafts, Luzardo has reclaimed the velocity he lost last year and once again features a fastball that exceeds 96 mph. Even better, the left-hander is throwing his slider more often and at a higher speed than ever before. Advertisement Luzardo may not repeat his 208-strikeout season from 2023, but he can collect 190 whiffs while posting excellent ratios on one of baseball's best teams. Sell Low Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians This year, Bibee has been a jack of all trades, but a master of none. The right-hander has thrown five pitches at least 12% of the time, and while his fastball velocity lines up with previous seasons, the speed of his secondary offerings has declined. He has really struggled to put batters away (16.8% strikeout rate), while issuing free passes more often than usual (8.6% walk rate). In fact, Bibee would look much worse if not for a .236 BABIP and an 83.3% strand rate. The 26-year-old has been serviceable in recent starts, which makes this a good time to trade him for a respectable return. Sell High Tyler Mahle, Texas Rangers Many managers will look at Mahle's underlying numbers and refuse to pay a premium in trade talks. But there will at least be a couple of managers in each league who won't be able to resist acquiring someone with eye-popping ratios that include a 1.47 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Those who are trying to move Mahle can point out in trade talks that he has faced some quality lineups, including two starts against the Red Sox and an outing against each of the Dodgers and Cubs. Advertisement Between the 30-year-old's lengthy injury history and mediocre 37:16 K:BB ratio, there is ample reason to cash out in the coming weeks. Mahle faces the White Sox next week, and my ideal goal would be to trade him after that start. Brandon Pfaadt, Arizona Diamondbacks There is an easy way to sell Pfaadt's success on the trade market. After all, the right-hander was among the unluckiest pitchers in baseball last year, logging a 4.71 ERA that was more than a full run lower than most of his ERA estimators. And now that his luck has changed, he has a well-deserved 3.73 ERA. But the truth is that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction with Pfaadt, who has experienced a dip in his strikeout rate and has benefited from a 79.9% strand rate. He's more of an innings eater than a true impact pitcher.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: Hitters to target and ones to deal now
With more than a month of regular season action in the books, fantasy baseball managers who are off to slow starts are beginning to panic. This makes May a great time to get active on the trade market, as there should be a strong appetite for major deals. Although many managers will be focused on plugging holes and addressing weaknesses right now, this is still the time of year to trade for value. The early season trade winners will be the ones who get the better player in the deal while helping managers to sleep better at night by addressing a weakness. Here are a few hitters who will be improperly valued in many leagues. Sell High Kristian Campbell, 2B/OF, Boston Red Sox I want to start by saying that I really like Campbell. He has a bright future. But no one is more overvalued on the trade market than a hyped rookie who is off to a hot start. Such is the case with Campbell, who has thus far been everything fantasy managers could have hoped for (.288/.389/.468 slash line). A closer look reveals plenty of strikeouts (26%) and an unsustainable .378 BABIP. Regression is likely coming for the rookie, and those issues could be compounded when pitchers make adjustments as they get more data on his strengths and weaknesses. Wise managers will swap the 22-year-old for a stable veteran. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, New York Yankees A possible future Hall of Famer who is batting .351 in baseball's biggest market should command a decent return in many leagues. Goldschmidt has become the definition of an empty batting average, as his lofty mark has been propped up by a .415 BABIP in spite of a decreased 88.9 mph average exit velocity. In a best-case scenario, the 37-year-old hits .300 with mediocre contributions elsewhere. And if his batting average tanks at some point, Goldschmidt will become waiver wire fodder in some formats. His Yahoo Trade Market page shows that Goldy has recently been part of some significant deals. Sell Low Christian Walker, 1B, Houston Astros It may be time to get something for Walker while you still can. The 34-year-old is giving off José Abreu vibes by getting off to a miserable start after signing a multi-year contract to be the Astros' first baseman. His strikeout rate has ballooned to 29.3%. To Walker's credit, he has hit .254 with three homers since April 18 (you can use those stats in trade talks), but during that stretch he has logged an abysmal 18:1 K:BB ratio. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Buy High Brendan Donovan, 2B/3B/SS/OF, St. Louis Cardinals The good thing about a 'buy high' offer on Donovan is that it likely doesn't need to be that high. After all, the versatile fielder started the season on waivers in many leagues, and his homer (3) and steals (3) totals are unremarkable. But it's still worth trying to acquire Donovan, who has emerged as the Cardinals' No. 3 hitter. The veteran has raised his average exit velocity and barrel rate this year, and his 11:15 BB:K ratio is an elite mark. He should be a reliable contributor the rest of the way. Kyle Schwarber, OF, Philadelphia Phillies Perhaps Schwarber doesn't get enough credit, thanks his low batting averages in past seasons, but he has become one of the most reliable power producers in baseball and should be valued as a top-20 player. The slugger is tied for first in baseball with 12 home runs. He also ranks third in walks, and the best news is that he has significantly dropped his strikeout rate to 21.2%. He's worth a massive return on the Yahoo Trade Market. Buy Low Yordan Álvarez, OF, Houston Astros To win a fantasy baseball league, you sometimes need to take chances. And Álvarez is definitely a chance worth taking right now. One of the best pure hitters in baseball, Álvarez is a buy low option for two reasons. First, he has fared poorly this season, batting .210 with three home runs. And second, Álvarez was recently placed on the IL with a muscle strain in his right hand. We don't know how long he'll miss, but there's optimism he'll return quickly. The opportunity to acquire someone with a lofty lifetime .959 OPS is worth pursing, especially since his underlying skills were intact during his early slump. Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays Bichette has been the definition of an empty batting average thus far, batting .278 with one homer and four steals. And with the entire Blue Jays offense struggling (27th in baseball in runs scored), Bichette has scored just 13 runs despite being the team's regular leadoff hitter. There is hope for power production, as all his batted ball tendencies are in line with his career norms. And the gap between his SLG (.371) and xSLG (.492) is among the largest in baseball.
