USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
As we approach the MLB All-Star break, the proverbial midpoint of the fantasy baseball season, teams in the top half of your league standings are likely sending out offers to bolster their rosters for a second-half push.
Trading can often be difficult as too many people are still trying to “win the trade,” but that doesn’t mean you stop dealing altogether.
You can still sell high on a number of players, especially if they fill a specific need for your opponent/trade partner.
With offensive production down and MLB sitting in another proverbial “dead ball era,” fantasy managers have focused more on the pitching.
We know wins can be an arbitrary category, so most of the attention is on strikeouts, low ratios and even saves.
If you have closers to trade, then start there, but if not, selling high on good starting pitchers, who might be shut down later in the season, is the way to go.
In a time when starting pitchers are continuously having their innings monitored, there are great opportunities to trade away a hurler who might be reaching his limit.
Garrett Crochet of the White Sox is the perfect example.
The 25-year-old southpaw has outstanding numbers, a 3.25 ERA with a 0.95 WHIP and 12.59 K/9, but also has thrown more innings than he ever has in a professional season.
Crochet has garnered all kinds of comparisons to a vintage Chris Sale.
Everything was lining up perfectly for him until 2022, when he needed Tommy John surgery.
Following his recovery, he threw a total of 25 innings in 2023, and this season he already is up to 88.2. Most pitchers coming back from Tommy John have an innings cap to protect their arms and the team’s investment.
Crochet is on a one-year deal, so the White Sox aren’t concerned with his workload and are likely showcasing him for a deal.
Should Crochet stay with Chicago and try to renegotiate, the team likely will shut him down as it isn’t going to even sniff a wild-card berth.
If the White Sox trade him, he is going to be expected to do what he is doing now in the second half, and October is a long way away.
Do you want to be the one holding the bag when the bottom falls out?
Trading him for assets to help you win this year is a must.
Crochet isn’t the only one, either. You can probably say the same thing for Jordan Hicks, Ben Brown and even Paul Skenes if the Pirates fall out of contention.
Offering up names like this will make your competition salivate and earn you Trade Partner of the Year awards. It is a long way to the finish line, so make sure you’ve got the right horses to get you there.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball news and advice.