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.
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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.
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.
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