When it comes to trading, one of the biggest mistakes fantasy baseball managers make is consistently targeting the best players.
Need power? I’ll try to trade for Aaron Judge. Pitching issues? Let’s see if I can get Tarik Skubal.
While these players are elite players, it takes more than an arm and a leg to acquire them, and most managers end up “robbing Peter to pay Paul,” so to speak.
You should follow the lead of MLB general managers this year, who have largely retained big names rather than selling them.
Instead, everyone made smaller deals to bolster their rosters for the playoffs, just like you should do in your fantasy leagues.
If you’re looking for power, take a look at new Cubs third baseman Isaac Paredes.
With 16 home runs this season and a career .204 isolated slugging average, Paredes should see solid statistical improvement in the second half of the season.
The park factors alone, from Tropicana Field to Wrigley, are extremely favorable.
The left-field line might be 355 feet at Wrigley, compared to just 315 feet in Tampa Bay, but the left-to-right walls are about 10 to 15 feet closer to home plate in Chicago, and as a pull hitter, Paredes should see an increase in his power numbers.
There are also some intangibles that shouldn’t be ignored. Imagine spending the last two years playing your home games in front of seven people in a cavernous echo chamber, and now watching the sacred ivy creep up the outfield walls while 40,000-plus people cheer you on every at-bat.
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The Cubs may have an uphill climb to the wild card, but their rabid fans won’t stay silent until they’re mathematically eliminated.
Given the power boost and additional position eligibility for Jazz Chisholm Jr., you might want to aim a little lower in the outfield.
When the Guardians sent a few prospects to the Nationals, they added outfielder Lane Thomas, who has been vastly underrated this season with eight homers and 28 stolen bases.
Thomas is now batting second in Cleveland’s lineup with leading hitter Steven Kwan giving him traffic on the bases while Jose Ramirez provides elite lineup protection behind him.
Thomas won’t single-handedly win your league, but his contributions are probably better than the worst outfielder on your roster.
With time remaining before the fantasy trade deadline, it’s important to evaluate your roster and isolate what you need most and how much you can spend to meet that need.
Don’t think you have to trade for the elite players who dominate the leaderboards.
There’s nothing wrong with making a few minor adjustments to get what you need.
There’s nothing wrong with taking a more affordable path to your championship.
Howard Bender is the Content Manager at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Visit FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball news and advice.
