X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Baseball Trade Targets for Week 6

Dave Swan's fantasy baseball buy low and sell high candidates for Week 6 of the 2021 season. He recommends MLB risers and fallers to target or deal away in trades.

Sometimes fantasy baseball can resemble the stock market. You want the best portfolio of players without having to pay too much for them. Sometimes to achieve the optimal team, you need to make trades. The best way to gain added value is to trade away an over-performing player for one in a rut. This way, you reap the benefits of a stud player hitting their stride as you get to watch the other person look for answers. The tricky part is assessing which players are trending which way.

We don't have a ton of data to reference on the 2021 season, as many of the underlying metrics still need more time to stabilize before we can make exact assumptions. However, we can look at a player's track record and performance in this early season.

This will be a weekly piece that drops every Thursday for your assistance. If you like it, follow me on Twitter @davithius to send me a note, suggest other players you're not sure about, or if you want to chat about baseball. I am always happy and willing to answer questions.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Trade Targets to Acquire

Clint Frazier, New York Yankees

Frazier would be a great trade target for a team looking to fill out a fifth outfielder spot. After last year's mini-breakout, fantasy managers surely expected to get more production out of him. His .267/.394/.511 slash line with a .905 OPS forced his ADP near the 150 range. But through 70 AB in 2021, his .143/.294/.271 slash line leaves him so much less desirable. So why target him?

For starters, it likely won't take much too much to pry him away. Paying ten cents on the dollar for a potential stud outfielder could be a huge boost to your team. By now, Frazier is probably riding the pine on someone's bench. This is the perfect time to strike. Take a look at the chart below.

It looks like many lines, but the main focus needs to start with the red, yellow, and dark blue ones. First, Frazier's K% (dark blue) is one reason for the plummet in batting average. The average K% for all MLB players is around 21%; as you can see, Frazier's climbed to nearly 40% and now steadily declining. Second, you can see that his contact% (yellow) and z-contact% (red) continue to climb.

That is a good thing for Frazier because he has a career barrel rate over 10% and xwOBAcon that is just north of .408. To put that in lamens terms, when he makes contact, the ball does good things. Last, his wOBA (light blue) is starting to creep back up to what we saw in 2020. Frazier is a sleeping giant; start your trade-off very low for him and see how cheap you can steal him away from a team.

Hunter Dozier, Kansas City Royals

A Statcast darling, if I have ever seen one, is Hunter Dozier. He boasts the 80th percentile in barrel rate, 81st percentile in sprint speed, and 80th percentile in hard-hit rate. Oddly, through 87 at-bats, that has only translated to a .184 batting average and .693 OPS. On the bright side, there have been five dingers in that timeframe.

Dozier touts multi-position eligibility, which could come in very handy with the way injuries are piling up in the MLB. Over his last week, the underlying metrics are finally showing off his potential. In his previous 22 at-bats, the slash line is a staggering .318/.375/.955 with a 1.330 OPS. His hard-hit rate is at a career-high of 48%, as well the barrel rate is well over 13%. The expected stats tell us Dozier's batting average should be .264 with a .526 expected slugging percentage, not the .184 BA with a .448 SLG%. It's time to trade for him before the stats start to level out!

Edwin Diaz, New York Mets

The closer market is a wasteland on the wire; you'll drive yourself mad trying to predict who will get the next save chance in a committee bullpen. My advice, try to pry Edwin Diaz away from someone. The main reason for drafting a closer is saves, and Diaz only had three. Yet, another reason people tend to evaluate RPs incorrectly. The ebb and flow of a season make small samples very tricky.

A surface stats some may point to his ERA, which is not an ideal stat to look at, especially for an RP. Diaz shows off a 4.22 ERA but has been very unfortunate. His xERA puts him at a 3.06, and his SIERA is just north of 3.20 as well. However, Diaz is still striking out batters at a healthy rate(31.8% K-rate).

There has been a tremendous amount of shade thrown at Edwin Diaz over the years, and this one is no different. The potential to put up a 30-plus save is still there. You might have to give up a little bit to get Diaz, but it could be a huge return waiting for you!

 

Trade Targets to Move

Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers

This one pains me to write because I am a Boyd boy, but you have to look at trading Matthew Boyd. We drafted Boyd expecting to get strikeouts, but where are they? His K% is down to a puny 17.3%, and he only has 24 Ks through six starts. Not ideal!

The focus has shifted from striking out batters to not allowing loud contact. Boyd has surely done that, as the barrel rate against him is under 6%. However, there is bad news; he is still giving up the same hard-hit% as always. This could be a sign of bad things to come.

His 2.27 ERA is terrific, but that is back up by a 4.70 SIERA(6th worst in the MLB). On top of the SIERA, his 4.99 xFIP also suggests a bit of bad luck is coming. There could be some rough stretches coming for Boyd, and the team is offering up very little run support. Time to move him to a team that doesn't look past ERA to evaluate a pitcher.

Colin Moran, Pittsburgh Pirates

The obvious stat that jumps out to me is Moran's batting average. His .294 BA feels like a mirage, especially since Moran is a career .277 hitter. This drives me to inspect his BABIP. That's where things start getting dicey. A .380 BABIP is nearly 60 points high than his career mark of .326, which could be pretty scary. If his BABIP normalizes down to .326, the batting average could tumble with it. Wait, a career-high batting average, with an abnormal BABIP paired with a 28% strikeout rate? Luck is certainly on Moran's side to start 2021.

Are we willing to gloss over the fact that Moran has the 54th percentile barrel% and 25th percentile hard-hit rate? No, that makes me even more suspicious about his four HRs. This looks like a perfect candidate to move before the wheels start to fall off. If the batting average becomes hollowed out and the power dries up, you'll be looking at a bench bat. Move him for someone with bigger upside potential.

Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs

Baez is a very tricky player because his production swings from great to awful quickly. He showcases the 93rd percentile in barrel rate and 81st percentile in sprint speed, both great metrics for targeting power+speed combo players. The downside to Baez is when they will come and how clustered.

Currently, on the season, Baez is slashing .245/.282/.360 with a .811 OPS-good not great. However, in his last two weeks, Baez is 12-for-38 with a .316/.333/.632 slash and .965 OPS. This might be a perfect time to drop the Javier Baez Statcast slider. Feast your eyes on all the blue below. K%, BB%, Whiff%, Chase%, and xBA are near the worst in the league. In fact, he features the worst z-contact% in the MLB(64%).

Starring at a player with eight HRs and six SBs could return a massive haul. This is a perfect opportunity to trade at one of his peaks for a high-level player. Target someone with a more balanced approach to count on for the rest of the season.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jonathan Kuminga18 mins ago

Ruled Out On Tuesday
Troy Terry19 mins ago

On Track To Play Tuesday
Dylan Crews21 mins ago

Not Starting Against Blue Jays
Jaylen Brown25 mins ago

Questionable Versus Miami
Jonathan Marchessault26 mins ago

Remains Out Against Blue Jackets
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.27 mins ago

Sitting Out In New York
Alex Laferriere32 mins ago

Expected To Return On Tuesday
Paul Goldschmidt34 mins ago

Hitting Leadoff Again
Donte DiVincenzo34 mins ago

Suspended For One Game
Jonathan Aranda40 mins ago

Christopher Morel Sitting Against Pirates
Miles McBride42 mins ago

Still Out On Tuesday Night
Luke Schenn43 mins ago

A Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Jose Siri46 mins ago

Making Another Start In Center Field
Dante Fabbro49 mins ago

Returns Against Predators
Karl-Anthony Towns50 mins ago

Now Questionable Versus Philadelphia
Brett Baty51 mins ago

Sitting Against A Right-Hander
Kyle Higashioka57 mins ago

Back In The Lineup, Jonah Heim Takes A Seat
Naz Reid58 mins ago

Suspended For One Game
Vinnie Pasquantino1 hour ago

Sitting On Tuesday
Clarke Schmidt1 hour ago

Throws Three-Inning Sim Game
Sean Manaea2 hours ago

Shut Down For Two Weeks
David Bednar2 hours ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Jake McCarthy2 hours ago

Back In The Lineup Tuesday
Zach Neto2 hours ago

Starting Rehab Assignment On Tuesday
Jo Adell2 hours ago

Starting On Tuesday
Nick Robertson2 hours ago

Astros Acquire Nick Robertson From Blue Jays
Iván Herrera2 hours ago

Ivan Herrera Sitting, Pedro Pages Will Start At Catcher Tuesday
Francisco Lindor3 hours ago

Returns To The Lineup On Tuesday
Detroit Lions3 hours ago

Alim McNeill Could Miss Start Of Regular Season
Christian Encarnacion-Strand3 hours ago

Not In Reds Lineup Tuesday
Jesse Chavez3 hours ago

DFA'd, Braves Select Zach Thompson To MLB Roster
Tennessee Titans3 hours ago

Justin Hardee Sr. Returning To Titans
Washington Commanders3 hours ago

Brandon Coleman Moving To Right Tackle For Commanders
Adam Ottavino4 hours ago

And Yankees Agree On One-Year Deal
Raheem Blackshear4 hours ago

Returning To Carolina
Kirk Cousins4 hours ago

Not Expected To Attend Voluntary Offseason Training
NFL4 hours ago

NFL Ownership Votes To Move Kickoff Touchbacks To 35-Yard Line
Olli Määttä4 hours ago

Olli Maatta A Game-Time Call On Tuesday
Jordan Greenway4 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Tuesday
Dallas Cowboys4 hours ago

Cowboys Willing To Make Micah Parsons The Highest-Paid Non-QB
Jordan Staal4 hours ago

Doubtful For Wednesday
Matt Roy4 hours ago

Not Traveling With Team
Geno Smith4 hours ago

Raiders Working On Extension With Geno Smith
Chris Godwin4 hours ago

Buccaneers Optimistic Chris Godwin Will Be Ready For Week 1
Josh Norris4 hours ago

Not Traveling With The Team On Tuesday
Los Angeles Rams5 hours ago

Coleman Shelton Expected To Start Again In 2025
Brady Tkachuk5 hours ago

Not Playing On Tuesday
Los Angeles Rams5 hours ago

Rams Open To Drafting A Quarterback
Kyren Williams5 hours ago

Rams To Discuss Long-Term Deal With Kyren Williams
Aaron Rodgers5 hours ago

Signs "Pointing" Toward Aaron Rodgers Signing With Steelers
Brock Purdy5 hours ago

49ers Optimistic On Getting Extension Done With Brock Purdy
Sam Hilliard6 hours ago

Outrighted To Triple-A Albuquerque
Jordan Spieth6 hours ago

Needs To Find Consistency At TPC San Antonio
Jake Knapp6 hours ago

Making First Appearance At Valero Texas Open
Michael Kim7 hours ago

Looking To Find The Magic Again In San Antonio
Tommy Fleetwood7 hours ago

Is Nearly A Must-Play At Valero Texas Open
Tony Finau7 hours ago

Hoping For Better Approach Play In San Antonio
Eric Cole7 hours ago

Trending In Right Direction Ahead Of Valero
Cole Anthony8 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Tuesday
Jerami Grant9 hours ago

Likely To Miss Another Game Tuesday
Anfernee Simons9 hours ago

Iffy For Tuesday's Game
Scoot Henderson9 hours ago

Unavailable Tuesday
Deandre Ayton9 hours ago

Out Against Hawks
AJ Green9 hours ago

May Miss Another Game Tuesday
Kyle Lowry9 hours ago

Picks Up A Questionable Tag
Tyrese Maxey9 hours ago

Remains Out Against Knicks
Quentin Grimes9 hours ago

Good To Go Tuesday
Casey DeSmith11 hours ago

Sharp In Monday's Victory
Mason Marchment11 hours ago

Tallies Two Helpers On Monday
Adam Klapka11 hours ago

Tallies Two Points In Shootout Victory
Ivan Fedotov11 hours ago

Sharp Against Nashville
Matvei Michkov11 hours ago

Continues Hot Stretch On Monday
Luke Hughes11 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Victory
Sam Stevens20 hours ago

Enjoys Nice Result In Houston
PGA20 hours ago

J.T. Poston Seeks To Contend At Valero Texas Open
Ochai Agbaji20 hours ago

Resting On Tuesday
RJ Barrett20 hours ago

To Be Rested Tuesday Night
Immanuel Quickley20 hours ago

Returning To Action Against Bulls
Jakob Poeltl20 hours ago

Available On Tuesday
Jonathan Kuminga21 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday's Game
Christian Braun21 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Meeting With Timberwolves
Denny McCarthy22 hours ago

Keeps Making Cuts But Needs To Make More Putts
Brian Harman22 hours ago

Off To A Subpar 2025 So Far
Ilya Samsonov24 hours ago

Nursing An Upper-Body Injury
Tomas Hertl1 day ago

To Sit Out At Least One More Week
Garnet Hathaway1 day ago

Rejoins Flyers Lineup
Erik Johnson1 day ago

Available Monday
Ryan Preece1 day ago

Has Three Straight Top-10 Finishes For First Time In His Career
NASCAR1 day ago

Bubba Wallace After Third-Place Finish At Martinsville: "What a Great Day"
Todd Gilliland1 day ago

Has Mistake-Free Day At Martinsville, Grabs Another Top-10 Finish
Brandon Moreno1 day ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Steve Erceg1 day ago

Losses Third Consecutive Fight
Drew Dober1 day ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres1 day ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Harry Hall1 day ago

Bounces Back In Houston Last Week
Denver Broncos1 day ago

Denver To Take A Running Back In The Draft
CJ Vergara1 day ago

Gets Submitted
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Showing Improvement Heading Into The Valero Texas Open
Édgar Cháirez1 day ago

Edgar Chairez Gets Submission Win At UFC Mexico City
Courtland Sutton1 day ago

"No Timeline" On Courtland Sutton Extension
Vince Morales1 day ago

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Raul Rosas Jr.1 day ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Mexico City
New York Jets1 day ago

Jets To Wait On Contract Extensions For Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner
Saimon Oliveira1 day ago

Still Winless In The UFC
David Martinez1 day ago

Wins His UFC Debut
Jameson Williams1 day ago

Detroit To Exercise Jameson Williams' Fifth-Year Option
Kevin Borjas1 day ago

Earns His First UFC Win
Brandon Aiyuk1 day ago

49ers Expected To Hold Brandon Aiyuk
Ronaldo Rodríguez1 day ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Suffers His First UFC Loss
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

Scores Top-20 Finish At Texas Children's Houston Open
Jacob Bridgeman1 day ago

Had Some Rest Heading Into The Valero
Sami Valimaki1 day ago

Finishes Fourth At Texas Children's Houston Open
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 32nd At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Tom Kim1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 36th At Valspar Championship
Rickie Fowler1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 52nd At Texas Children’s Houston Open
Bud Cauley1 day ago

Finishes Tied For Fourth At Valspar Championship
Sam Burns1 day ago

Misses The Cut At Valspar Championship
Daniel Berger1 day ago

Finishes Tied For 20th At The PLAYERS Championship
Treylon Burks1 day ago

Unlikely To Be Ready For Training Camp
Keenan Allen1 day ago

Chargers Not Ruling Out Reuniting With Keenan Allen
Christopher Bell1 day ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott1 day ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson1 day ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron1 day ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Joey Logano1 day ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Tyler Reddick1 day ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain2 days ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe2 days ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones2 days ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Josh Berry2 days ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano2 days ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece2 days ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott2 days ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell2 days ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney2 days ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
Steve Erceg4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Brandon Moreno4 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres4 days ago

Set For Co-Main Event
Drew Dober4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Mexico City
Joe Pyfer4 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum4 days ago

Set For Middleweight Matchup
Vince Morales4 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Raul Rosas Jr.4 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Saimon Oliveira4 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Three Aging Fantasy Football Players To Sell In Dynasty Leagues

It's hard to always know when to sell off your aging fantasy football players. Often, it's also difficult to accept that it's better to move on from a player when he's coming off a productive season and still has a lot left in the tank. But I believe it's better to be a year early […]


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Five Fantasy Football Superflex Quarterback Breakouts, Draft Targets (2025)

If you’ve ever played in a Superflex fantasy football league, then you know how important quarterbacks are in this format. The ability to start multiple stud quarterbacks can carry you to a Superflex title. Unfortunately, finding two such players isn’t so easy. All the top signal-callers come off draft boards first, and that makes it […]


Omarion Hampton - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Ideal Landing Spots For The Top 12 Fantasy Football Rookies - 2025 NFL Draft

Then, the NFL Draft continues to inch closer and closer. This is a very interesting class, with a handful of players who could be stars in the NFL and reshape fantasy football leagues going forward. Here are the ideal landing spots for the top 12 fantasy football rookies. These picks exist in conversation with each […]


Jalen Coker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Eight Best Ball Late Round Value Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is the most popular game in all of sports. It has gone from a paper-and-pen game to a multi-million dollar-a-year one. While redraft leagues are the most popular form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are quickly gaining steam. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft thousands of […]


Abdul Carter - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10 Fantasy Football Edge Rusher Prospects

Edge rusher is the most important, most coveted, and most highly-paid position on defense in the NFL. It stands to reason that the most important position in the entire game being quarterback, and by a wide margin, means the most important position on defense are the players that are tasked with disrupting opposing QBs as […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Brock Purdy Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook and Trade Value

Despite becoming the all-time leading passer for the Iowa State Cyclones, Brock Purdy wasn't a highly touted prospect due to his perceived lack of athleticism. The 49ers picked him with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but Mr. Irrelevant quickly proved everyone wrong. In his first two years, he started in back-to-back NFC […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Scouting NFL Draft Prospects!

Michael F Florio goes over some of the top prospects from this years NFL Draft. Florio talks about what he looks for when watching prospect tape and explains what traits translate best to the NFL level. Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) on Sundays from 6-7 am. You can […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Buy or Sell: Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason

One year ago, we discussed the futures of Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Aaron Jones as those free agents found new homes. This year's headliners are Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, and Jordan Mason. Not quite the same. Still, with every transaction come implications for dynasty fantasy football rosters across the globe. Below, we […]


Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued NFC Draft Targets

While the 2025 fantasy football redraft season is still several months away, there is no such thing as being too prepared for your fantasy draft. Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. The landscape of fantasy football will change between today and the start of redraft season, with the […]


Detroit Lions Defense, Aidan Hutchinson - Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Streamers, IDP Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers: Five Draft Targets

It's notably difficult to identify sleepers in fantasy football IDP leagues. The skill of the players in question is very important, but situation also plays a large factor, as does a recent history of injuries. Rather than bucketing them into groups, it's better to analyze each one individually, look at where they are in terms […]


Ashton Jeanty - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Ashton Jeanty's Top Potential Landing Spots For 2025: Fantasy Football NFL Draft Outlook

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will enter the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the best prospects in the class. Jeanty just ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns across 14 games this past college season. Those 2,601 rush yards were the second-most of all-time in FBS history, only behind Barry Sanders's 2,628 rush yards […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single QB

The 2025 NFL Combine has now been completed, so it's worth doing another mock draft to see where everyone stands after the league's pre-draft testing event. Overall, there were a few surprises, but the order of many players will remain the same. The mental domain of the original rankings, which have been fairly set in […]


Rashid Shaheed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Later-Career Breakout Candidates

Typically, most NFL players break out in the early parts of their careers. Between the ages of 20 and 25 is when you expect to see the majority of players have their first big season. Some waste no time and put together excellent years while they're rookies, while some need more time to develop. These […]