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
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Dynasty League Sells - Players To Trade Away for Fantasy Baseball

Dylan Cease - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, MLB Injury News, DFS and Betting Picks

Kev Mahserejian gives his list of fantasy baseball players to sell for 2023 dynasty leagues. These are players to trade away for dynasty fantasy baseball.

"Selling high" is often misconstrued as selling at the absolute peak of value in fantasy baseball. That itself is difficult to gauge, especially for a contender who would prefer to reap the benefits of that peaking player. Selling high can sometimes just mean selling a good player in the offseason while they are perceived as healthy! They could have had the roughest season prior but a glowing Spring training alone with no setbacks can wipe that dirt away.

Selling players in a dynasty league is the most fun you can have if done properly. There is an art to selling as you don't want to scrap an entire roster, just the parts that may be rusty sooner rather than later. Impact players can always be had on the cheap while also acquiring future draft picks or minor league players.

For those fantasy managers looking to get an edge on their 2023 dynasty leagues, Kev Mahserejian has the insights needed to help win now and for the long haul.

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

 

2023 Dynasty Baseball - Sells

Dylan Cease - SP, Chicago White Sox

Cease's breakout last season was real for the most part as he fostered the best surface and peripheral numbers of his career. While no one should expect a repeat of Cease's 2.20 ERA, the bigger issue is how far apart said ERA is from performance indicators like SIERA and xFIP, which have him closer to a true 3.50 range. His strikeout and walk rate both worsened from 2021 and he had a career-low home run rate of 8.4% (well below the league average).

While Cease may be a great, young pitcher, he still does not have the necessary backing stats of an ace, which is his borderline price. Cease's BABIP and left-on-base rate in 2022 both indicate luck at play. With the ban on full shifts, his 42.6% pull rate (19th among qualified starters) may become exploited. Cease should be held in points leagues due to his ability to pitch deep into games and compile strikeouts. In roto or H2H formats, he is a sell.

Jacob deGrom - SP, Texas Rangers

Yes, Jacob deGrom is still the best pitcher on the planet but he is hanging on by a thread. The 34-year-old Rangers ace is not getting any younger while his body clearly has not responded well to pitching the past few seasons. deGrom has thrown 156.1 IP since 2021 and just 224.1 since 2020. The COVID year of 2020 can be forgiven across the board. Nonetheless, deGrom has not cracked 125 IP between the majors and minors since 2019.

If the injuries were just one-off issues like a broken finger or leg, there would be legitimate optimism about the former workhorse's future. However, given that we know deGrom's UCL was partially torn and never repaired in 2021, there is reason to suspect he is playing hurt.

Last season, deGrom suffered a stress fracture in his shoulder that resulted in lingering soreness and only pitching between August and September. In February, deGrom was reported as dealing with side soreness and was subsequently shut down just prior to the preseason.

Compound all of this with deGrom's age and the fact that pitchers are already the most injury-prone of all baseball players, and you have a recipe to get him off your roster before the next shoe drops.

 

Dansby Swanson - SS, Chicago Cubs

Swanson's 2022 was one for the books. He hit career-highs with a .277 batting average, 99 runs, 96 RBI, 18 steals, and for the sake of real-life value, 6.4 fWAR. Swanson finished as a first-round fantasy value thanks to his counting stats and is now playing for the Chicago Cubs. This is partially why we should be down on Swanson. He heads from the seventh-overall offense by wRC+ in 2022 to the 20th. While the Cubs did add pieces along with Swanson such as Trey Mancini and maybe the good version of Cody Bellinger, the offense as a whole remains lackluster.

The prospects that Chicago would have hoped to impact the 2023 roster are either struggling (Matt Mervis) or returning from injury (Brennen Davis). Meanwhile, star outfielder Seiya Suzuki injured his oblique earlier in the offseason and may not be 100% for a while. Swanson is a difference-maker on a roster but not an offense as he is merely above-average in value (109 wRC+ since 2020).

It is also reasonable to believe that he was aided by the strength of the Braves offense over the past few seasons. Swanson was typically hitting lower in the order while also surrounded by some of the league's best bats in Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Matt Olson, and past Braves like Freddie Freeman.

Swanson has pulled the rug from under fantasy managers before but should still provide a quality amount of HRs and SB. There is a bonus of him hitting at the top of the order but we should still not expect anywhere close to the runs, batting average, and RBI of 2022.

 

Xander Bogaerts - SS, San Diego Padres

Xander Bogaerts revealed recently that he was dealing with wrist soreness and received a cortisone shot to address it. Even more revealing was the fact that Bogaerts mentioned this was a common issue for him. Not to speculate about future injuries or surgeries without a proper diagnosis but this is odd.

Nevertheless, Bogaerts' bigger issue heading into 2023 is the fact that he has outperformed his Statcast data by a wide margin for years and this may be aided by the friendly confines of Fenway Park. Last season, Fenway ranked fourth in park factor while Petco Park ranked dead last. By all means, Bogaerts is a talented hitter with serious pop but compounding a move to the league's worst home park for hitters with a wrist injury is not ideal.

Bogaerts' yearly actual wOBA minus xwOBA:

  • 2019: .390 - .355 = .035
  • 2020: .368 - .341 = .027
  • 2021: .368 - .359 = .009
  • 2022: .363 - .323 - .040

It is more than likely we see these numbers flipped in 2023 as Bogaerts will not have the benefit of the Green Monster in left field.

 

Jake McCarthy - OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

Rake McCarthy had a great run in 2022 as he set fantasy ablaze with some power and plenty of speed. McCarthy slashed .283/.324/.427 across 354 MLB plate appearances, hit eight home runs, and stole 23 bases. Unfortunately, his xwOBA and wOBA do not match much as he performed as an above-average bat (.337) with the contact profile of a below-average one (.298). Luckily, speedsters have the benefit of legging out singles relative to better hitters and that can close the gap a tad but not much.

McCarthy is likely an average-at-best bat who lucked out in 2022. Even his strikeout rate of 21.5% may not be sustainable as he was higher at every level of the minors since 2018 until his Triple-A stint last season. McCarthy is projected as a bottom-of-the-order bat to start 2023 and may even sit versus lefties. The speed and average are a juicy combo but we may have a dream here rather than the next Cedric Mullins.

 

Other Notable Players To Sell



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
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF