Welcome back to Buy & Sell, and now for this week’s theme… We are ONE-THIRD DONE! Huzzah to those who still are motivated enough to compete to keep reading. It’s time to really start looking at your categories and making more specific moves, but that also may mean making some painful cuts. But you’ll see once you do it, it actually relieves more future pain. Okay, I’ve already talked about pain enough today for other reasons, so on to the list!
BUY
10-team
Jonathan Aranda (1B, Tampa Bay Rays)
He’s spent quite a bit time lately going Aranda Horn. Like the bases, not the infield throw around, or that ESPN show with Tony Kornheiser, ahh good times. Aranda has been quietly productive but quite under-discussed as a player with a weaker April, but while the buy-low window in trades quickly closed, he’s still not getting enough respect. My man is hitting a highly respectable .275 with 11 homers in 211 AB (257 PA), and he’s maintained the same excellent 80th percentile barrel rate from last year while drawing more walks and whiffing less.
Although his stat line looks less gaudy than 2025, he’s showing improved skills almost across the board (aside from a lower HardHit% down to a still great 48%. It’s just that this year he just doesn’t have a hitter-friendly minor league park for half his games this year. In all 10-team formats it’s time to roster him as a rare player who can hit for big power while also threatening a .300 AVG, somewhat like a lite, smaller bicep version of teammate Yandy Diaz, although Aranda is actually excellent at lifting the ball, with an 89th percentile LA Sweet Spot. I hope every time he homers the Rays bring out the dancing lobsters, because this is the Aranda Show.
Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF, Chicago Cubs)
If you considered him a bust at the end of April, you are about to eat… Stretch Armstrong. Which also probably doesn’t taste good, judging from what came out the arm of mine when I tested his limits. PCA was having his naysayers in full force, but he’s now up to a totally acceptable, even if somewhat disappointing .242/.328/.390 with 7 HR and 12 SB. But unlike last year, the luck dragons have swung the other way, and he’s actually underperforming his expected stats with a .251 xBA and a significantly better .456 xSLG. This year, his bat speed has gone up, and so has his HardHit%, yet his whiff rate has also improved from terrible to just bad, and his chase rate has improved from abysmal to merely terrible. I like him, really, I swear!
The point is, last year he was a player vastly outperforming his peripherals, but I do think he’s a better, more well-rounded hitter with the improvements he’s made and a high-upside power/speed bat. I will note that regarding the speed, he’s in a risky territory with 2 caught stealing recently, bringing him to only 7 bases out of 12, and he’ll need to improve that ratio to keep getting the green light. But also, his sprint speed this year, while down a tick, is still an elite 95th percentile, so I do think it’s more of a temporary hiccup. Would I be surprised if he hit at a 30/25 pace the rest of the way? No, I wouldn’t. So float an offer to a likely frustrated PCA owner now and see if your fantasy team can get a digital assistant.
Honorable Mention: Dillon Dingler (C, Detroit Tigers) – The last time I suggested he’s a top 10 catcher and possibly top 5, he went on a massive slump. But it’s behind him now, he’s already topped his 2025 homer total with 14 jacks, and his xBA and xSLG continue to be excellent in a way that reminds me very much of Ben Rice. You want another Ben Rice, right? Then why is he rostered in just 73% of leagues? C’mon, people.
Honorable Mention: Sam Antonacci (2B/OF, Chicago White Sox) – Statcast’s comps for him in terms of quality of contact: Carlos Cortes, Josh Jung, Bo Bichette, Vlad Jr. That’s pretty good company for someone whose main value in the stolen bases, which he’s finally hit the ground running for.
12-team
Carson Benge (OF, New York Mets)
It’s all about making Benge amends, baby. He wronged us after his debut, where the production was not there, but he’s been on fire lately, hitting .348 with 3 homers lately, and all 3 homers coming in one game. His overall line may still not wow you with a nice .254 AVG and 6 HR and 9 SB, but the trend lines are all heading up, and Benge’s current lines also were unlucky, with a much better .276 xBA, and even more notably, his current .385 SLG% is vastly below his .459 xSLG. Now entrenched as the Mets leadoff hitter and Juan Soto coming back (with other less impactful injured bats to follow), he’s a great, well-rounded asset who does well in everything besides pulled fly balls… and I’m optimistic he’ll get around to improving on that too. He should be rostered in all 12-teamers at this point and viable in 10-teamer formats where you need runs.
Bryce Eldridge (1B, San Francisco Giants)
Beware, your benchings have enraged him and unleashed his Eldridge powers! But wait, why pick up a guy when the Giants aren’t regularly playing him?! I don’t care. Add him now. If you plant him, playing time will come. Aside from one big game, nothing looks too prospect sheen-y as he’s hit a solid but not spectacular .254/.333/.460 with 2 HR in 71 PA. But under the hood, he’s been firing on all cylinders with a surprisingly passable 25% K% with an outstanding 58% HardHit%, and a .300 xBA and .560 xSLG, suggesting he’s had some poor luck. I figured maybe he wasn’t pulling balls in the air, but nope, he’s doing that fantastically with a 28% Pull Air%. His rolling xwOBA is skyrocketing, and while he’s still probably unobtainable in keeper formats, in redrafts your buy-low window is closing rapidly. He’s even viable as a spec add in 10-teams due to the massive power upside, but preferably if you have room on your bench to wait until he claims the role for good (I expect this will be soon.
Honorable Mention: Jorge Mateo (SS, Atlanta Braves) – He’s likely more of a short-term play but big risk vs reward. Mateo has been breaking out with a shockingly good .305 AVG with 4 HR and 7 SB in just 87 PA, Statcast supports it and he’s just kept getting better. He’s still only 30 and still has the best sprint speed in the league, with great contact quality and the best Pull Air% of his career. Add now before people catch on, and if he’s rostered, make a play for him while doubt is still the prevailing emotion.
15-team
Jacob Gonzalez (2B, Chicago White Sox)
Am I really suggesting adding the previous fringe prospect who responded to his call-up by getting a golden sombrero in his second game and rocking a 55% K% rate with no homers? Why yes, yes I am. Strikeouts are a funny thing, and can’t really be relied upon in small samples. I love small sample anomalies, but this one is pretty wild… despite that awful K rate, he actually has a 100% Z-Contact% a strong 82% Contact%, and an exceptional 19% CSW%. Now, this is also kinda fluky, and I’m cherry picking a bit because he’s also rocking an unseemly 44% chase rate, but the point stands, his K rate shouldn’t be nearly this bad. Okay, but what about the 0 homers? The .103 xBA and .275 xSLG. Whatever, the xStats are useless at this sample size, but his EV is actually excellent at 98 mph with a 75% HardHit%. Sure those will regress, but I think we need to at least go up a rung on Jacob’s ladder.
He’s a true breakout prospect as a guy who hit 8 HR in a full season last year (537 PA)… and then more than doubled that with a whopping 19 HR (238 PA) in a partial season in Triple-A. That’s a boost in ISO from .114 to .352, and for those playing at home, yes that is TRIPLING his ISO, and that is insane. You can’t blame a hitter haven, as Triple-A Charlotte is actually the most pitcher-friendly park in the International League (not the slugfest PCL). It’s also worth noting that while not speedy, he did manage 17 SB last year and 8 this year, so he should be able to add a handful, along with the potential for homers. I could see a Colson Montgomery lite with a bit of speed, and also now possible multi-position eligibility due to his games at 1B s far. We’ll see if he sticks when Murakami comes back, but I think he has the flexibility to stick around.
J.P. Crawford (SS, Seattle Mariners)
He’s been around for a while, but he’s steadfast and gives you something palatable, so scoop up some J.P. Licks. He’s up to 9 homers on the year and hitting leadoff most days for an underrated M’s offense, but it seems nobody cares, as he’s still only rostered in 16% of leagues, and was even recently on the wire in my 15-teamer, which is an OBP format. Like, WHAT? He’s hit a splendid .304 with 2 homers this week, and 5 of his 9 total homers have come in the past 21 days. It’s not sexy, but the runs will help you more than scuttling between the latest SS catch of the day.
Honorable Mention: Endy Rodriguez (1B/C, Pittsburgh Pirates) – The Pirates are now a good team but their catcher situation has been a dumpster fire, but Endy is the way out. Look past his .209 xBA and .398 xSLG and see that he’s hitting the ball hard with strong barrel% and not striking out too much, so the door is wide open for him.
Deep Leagues
Bryan Torres (OF, St. Louis Cardinals)
I remember him from preseason team previews as a guy to watch despite being old for a prospect because he can simply hit, and that is what he has continued to do (and Victor Scott has certainly has continued NOT to do. The .250 with 1 homer line looks pedestrian, and the power looks quite weak, but he does seem to be able to make decent contact and pull fly balls, which could lead to a quietly productive NL-only 5th outfielder who should draw a lot of walks and steal more bags going forward.
Victor Mesa Jr. (OF, Tampa Bay Rays)
Mesa is certainly the less valued of the two and more likely to be available after hitting an unseemly .160/.250/.280 with a homer in 29 appearances, but there’s arguably even more of interest here than Torres, as Mesa has been unluckier with a much more workable .262 xBA and .468 xSLG, and he’s barreling the ball often (13%) with a strong early LA Sweet Spot, a decent K rate, and an excellent 25% Pull Air%. Also, between the two, Mesa Jr. is 24, and that kind of thing does matter even in redrafts in determining which players are still developing.
Honorable Mention: Jared Young (1B/UT, New York Mets) – Look, it’s probably premature to put him here, but I’m doing it anyway. The 30-year-old journeyman is playing over Vientos and making it look like a smart decision, as he’s hit a pair of homers and is hitting a solid .282 in 39 AB, and Statcast thinks he’s deserved better, and his 21% Barrel% certainly helps explain some of that. Could be 15-team viable soon if position doesn’t matter.
Honorable Mention: Kyle Karros (3B, Colorado Rockies) – The 23-year-old’s homer total is still lacking, but he is hitting the ball considerably harder this year while hitting at good launch angles, which should combine favorably with Colorado in the summer. There’s a fair argument for switching Young and Karros due to the positions.
SELL
Daylen Lile (OF, Washington Nationals)
This makes me sad, and I swear it’s not just Lile Crocodile tears. Not that I was so optimistic that he’d become a star or anything, but I just love hitters taking it to the next level, and he just hasn’t. Look, nobody is going to scream and ask for the manager after getting a relatively balanced .250 with 7 homers and 4 SB in 248 AB (273 PA). The problem is, in 10-team formats, that’s hitting below each of the benchmarks for what each hitter should be contributing per position to be competitive. Not only that, but the momentum is heading very much in the wrong way, as his rolling xwOBA is significantly down to an ugly .260 over his past 50 PA while his teammates are picking up the slack.
Unlike last year, looking at his rate stats for comfort leaves you feeling empty and… lukewarm. Most of his quality of contact metrics are below average, and the only one of his metrics that’s decent, his K% at 70th percentile, is belied by his 50th percentile whiff rate… and even then, the K rate is much worse than last year. I should say that there is one thing still elite, and that’s his sprint speed. But unfortunately for both him and his fantasy managers, he can’t convert that to stolen bases, as his 4 SB/3 CS tally is the same ugly 57% SB Success rate he had last year, although last year he was making more attempts. So the upside case is someone who, if they turn it around, could hit .265-.270 with 20 HR and 10 SB? I’d much rather take my chances on a Carson Benge or Brandon Nimmo who both show more juice under the hood.
Dishonorable Mention: Christian Yelich (DH, Milwaukee Brewers) – Will he make me regret this? Maybe. But 125 PA in, his quality of contact metrics look awful across the board with a climbing K rate. Now age 34 with a lengthy injury history, that DH-only status just makes him likely more of a pain to roster than the value someone will give you for the name value in a trade.
12-team
Dansby Swanson (SS, Chicago Cubs)
For years, he’s been a 12-team streaky but overall helpful shortstop, but maybe he already had his Swansong. Really more like a Canadian goose song, because there’s a lot of honking goose eggs in that terrible .181/.291/.326 with 7 HR and 5 SB in 228 PA. Many would say wisdom preaches patience and to note that he’s still pacing for a 20 HR/15 SB season and that could be more like 25/20 if he improves, but let’s face it, right now, he’s been plummeting like a Dansby Demon Drop, with his awful .232 rolling xwOBA in his last 100 PA the third biggest decline in baseball, and his more recent .225 xwOBA in his past 50 being somehow even worse.
Shortstop is a good position this year, even with some disappointments; there is more depth and intrigue! So why hold someone who is possibly hiding an injury and in the meantime tanking your batting average, when there are plenty of other power/speed options who offer at least similar power/speed contributions but with a decent batting average? He has kept afloat in points leagues just because of runs, but I also think that you can stream and pick him back up if/when he heats up, since his batting average being well under the Mendoza Line likely means 12-teamers will likely look past him even after a good week or two.
Dishonorable Mention: Colt Emerson (SS, Seattle Mariners): Are you in a keeper league? If yes, please DISREGARD THIS BLURB. He’s looked great hitting .271 with 3 homers, but it’s looking unsustainable, and right now is your best chance to get a haul for the 20-year-old FUTURE star, who unlike Eldridge, doesn’t look that impressive aside from a good Pull Air%. Sell the hype and net someone who can help you now. Is Jesus Luzardo a reach? I’d try it at least, why not?
15-team
Andres Gimenez (2B/SS, Toronto Blue Jays)
If you didn’t see my post from a month ago calling him sell high, boy did you miss out on your one chance to sell high (and I perhaps aimed too high and also didn’t find a taker. He had already been significantly overperforming in April and regression hit hard lately with a .125 AVG with just 1 HR and 1 SB in 56 PA over the past 3 weeks, so at this point the sell window has closed (though Statcast says he still has further down to go) so I would look to drop him… if I could get Jorge Mateo to take his place, I’d be simply chuffed.
Marcelo Mayer (2B/3B, Boston Red Sox)
This grouchy Oscar Mayer has definitely been a weiner. Maybe even Weiner Hut Jr. His expected production was bad and has only gotten worse, as it’s dropped from a .284 xwOBA in his previous 100 PA to a .242 xwOBA in his past 100 PA, and .225 in his past 50. I know prospect growth isn’t linear, but YEESH. The raw bat speed is still good, but it’s not translating to hard contact, and his xBA and xSLG are both 5th percentile. I wouldn’t even fault you for benching him in deep leagues, and I would expect a demotion coming soon.
Dishonorable Mention: Mark Vientos (1B/3B, New York Mets) – His few days of 2026 relevance behind him, he’s losing a playing time battle right now to journeyman Jared Jones, which tells you everything you need to know about how the Mets feel about Mark. I’d like to process a refund, we better check the Mark VienTOS. The Terms of Service say no refunds or redoes, but you can drop him free of charge.
