Fantasy Baseball: 5 great candidates to buy-low on
If you’ve had a strong first two weeks of your fantasy baseball season and you find yourself stockpiled with talent, it’s never too soon to pull the trigger on a trade that could pay off handsomely in your favor in the latter half of the season or playoffs.
There are some names out there off to rough starts. Perhaps you are riding the wave of a few players on your roster who almost certainly will not be able to maintain their current pace. If that’s the case, you should trying selling high on them before it’s too late.
These five names are fairly conservative options to turn their respective seasons around at some point in 2016. If you have the flexibility and roster depth at other positions, low ball someone in your league with an offer for one or more of these five players. Chances are, you will end up winning the trade in the long haul.
Next: Chris Archer
5. SP Chris Archer – TBR
A stark contrast between Chris Archer‘s first three starts in 2015 (2-1, 1.37 ERA, 21 K) and 2016 (0-3, 5.87, 23). Make no mistake though, he is the best starter on a Rays rotation loaded with talent and still awaiting the return of Alex Cobb.
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Archer finished second in the American League and fourth across all MLB in strikeouts last season. He’s had a rough start to the 2016 campaign, but he will rebound. His K/9 of 13.5 marks his best start categorically in that regard, so he’s having no issues fanning batters. His stuff is still powerful and his slider remains nasty.
Facing Toronto, Baltimore and Cleveland in his first three starts has led to high hit and walk totals. The Blue Jays and Orioles are both divisional rivals with advanced scouting reports on Archer. Furthermore, they boast two of the more potent offenses in the league. Baltimore especially, as they currently lead MLB in the team categories of home runs hit and are second in club batting average with a .291 mark.
Archer will get the Red Sox in his next start. Historically he hasn’t been very good versus them or at Fenway, so if he turns in another clunker, shortly thereafter will be the perfect time to pounce.
Next: Todd Frazier
4. 3B Todd Frazier – CWS
Todd Frazier is fresh off of back-to-back All-Star seasons in 2014 and 2015 with the Cincinnati Reds. He displayed his power well at both events, finishing as a runner-up in the Home Run Derby of 2014 before eventually going on to win it last season.
Great American Ballpark in Cincy was extremely kind to hitters, so it may have helped Frazier with his career power numbers. He clubbed 108 through five seasons there while setting a new personal best in 2015 with 35. He’s never been a .300 kind of guy when it comes to making contact, but he’s surely better than the .163 BA he sports at the moment. His .182 BAbip also suggests he’s having some terrible luck with his balls hit into play
U.S. Cellular Field is also very accommodating to hitters and Frazier is in a pretty deep lineup with the likes of Jose Abreu, Adam Eaton, Brett Lawrie and Melky Cabrera. The power outage is not in full effect either, as Frazier has gone deep twice this season. This is the first time in his career the New Jersey native hasn’t suited up for the Reds. Once he gets his bearings, he should find a groove and produce a line that looks similar to .260-30-85 for fantasy baseball purposes.
Next: Corey Kluber
3. SP Corey Kluber – CLE
The AL’s 2014 Cy Young recipient has gotten off to a rough start in 2016. The perception was in 2015 that he did not pitch as well either, but in truth, he had a fine season.
Last year, Corey Kluber‘s peripheral numbers were as good if not better in some categories than they were in 2014. The defense behind him was a big issue for most of last season until Francisco Lindor was finally called upon to play shortstop. All of it resulted in an ugly winning percentage for Kluber, despite having pitched four complete games, ranking fifth in total punch outs and registering a sub-3.00 FIP.
Like Archer, Kluber is 0-3 and has been giving up a lot of hits so far. He’s only 30 and has faced the Red Sox, Rays and Mets thus far in 2016. Kluber’s next outing will come April 23 against then Tigers. He has an improved defense behind him from this time last year, but because of a lack of run support, he won’t win 18 games again. But expect the ERA to drop significantly and for the quality starts to begin piling up.
Next: Ben Zobrist
2. 2B/OF Ben Zobrist – CHC
Ben Zobrist is an extremely versatile player. He doesn’t strike out a lot, gets on-base plenty (career .354) and has position eligibility at second base and in the outfield. Not to mention, he’s the member of a pretty talented lineup and has primarily been hitting No. 3 in the order so far.
While players like Jason Heyward, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are underperforming right now as well, it’s going to be a lot harder to pry them away from another owner. Zobrist will continue to hit in the top half of the batting order and will eventually heat up. His skills are too good and the protection around him is too deep for an unexpted drop off in production.
In a less hitter friendly park last year after his trade, Zobrist hit .284/.364/.453 with seven home runs and 23 RBI for Kansas City. There’s a good chance he’s laying around on someone’s bench right now as he struggles through a 9-for-42 slump to open the season. The Cubbies look like they will be a great offensive team in 2016. Zobrist will be a key contributor and should score over 90 runs.
Next: Yu Darvish
1. SP Yu Darvish – TEX
As one of the games biggest power pitching threats makes his way back from Tommy John surgery, Texas Rangers fans wonder if he will be a strong complement to Cole Hamels in the 2016 rotation.
Before succumbing to the UCL tear in spring training last year, Yu Darvish went to three straight All-Star games and compiled 680 strikeouts in 545.1 career innings pitched in the Majors. The word right now is that he could begin a minor league rehab assignment as early as April 26 with Double-A Frisco, as he’s looked pretty impressive in his throwing and bullpen sessions already this year.
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Worst case scenario, you trade for him, stash him on your DL spot before he comes back and he gets roughed up for some or most of the season or he re-injures his elbow. Best case scenario, he’s back pitching for the Rangers by mid to late May and is every bit as nasty as he was in previous years. It’s a high risk, high reward kind of transaction. But it’s also the kind that could end up winning you your league in September.