We’re three weeks into the 2025 MLB season. That might not sound like much; it’s a 162-game marathon, after all. Still, time waits for no one. Even a small sample size is enough to make some educated guesses. If anything, your fellow fantasy baseball league-mates might be a little too eager to deal underperforming stars.
Before the month of April comes to a close, let’s take a deep dive on a few names savvy managers should target in a trade.
Fantasy Baseball Buy Lows – Week of April 16th
Adolis Garcia, OF – Texas Rangers
When discussing buy low hitters, the Rangers have enough players to occupy this entire list. Texas is averaging just 3.24 runs per game so far, the third-worst mark in baseball. For an offense littered with All-Stars, it’s safe to say this slump won’t last for long. If there’s a poster boy for these Lone Star struggles, it’s Adolis Garcia. Through 17 games, the 32-year-old has hit .200 while producing two home runs and three RBIs.
Those numbers for Garcia come off the heels of an abysmal 2024 campaign (.224/.284/.400). Safe to say, patience is running thin for most managers. Still, a look under the hood revels some promising signs for the slugger. Per Baseball Savant, Garcia has an expected weighted on-base average of .377 and an expected batting average of .247. In addition, the Cuban’s average exit velocity (94.0) and barrel rate (17.8%) rank inside the 90th percentile. Acquiring Garcia comes with knowing his limitations; he’s certainly not going to win you average and/or OBP. Regardless, for those in need of counting stats, it probably won’t take much to get a deal done.
Dylan Cease, SP – San Diego Padres
The Padres have surged to the top of the NL West with an MLB-best 14-4 record. San Diego’s stellar start is shocking when considering the subpar performance of Dylan Cease. Through four starts, the right hander owns a ghastly ERA of 6.64 and a WHIP of 1.53, his worst mark since 2019. Anyone who follows baseball expects the ace to turn things around soon…but it’s difficult to say when.
Despite putting a slew of runners on base, Cease’s awful month of April is hard to understand. One explanation is that San Diego’s defense hasn’t done the hurler any favors. Right now, the 29-year-old’s 2.97 FIP (fielding independent pitching) would qualify as the best mark of his career. The Padres only rank 12th in errors per game (0.5), so this is likely an outlier rather than a team-wide issue. Safe to say, those who drafted Cease haven’t had much success with their pitching. If a manager is desperate enough, dealing a combination of high-floor, low-ceiling assets makes sense.
Mike Trout, OF – Los Angeles Angels
A surprising 9-7 record for the Angels has been made possible without much offensive production from Mike Trout. The three-time MVP is hitting just .186, although he has notched six homers and 14 RBIs. Historically, statistics have never been an issue for the outfielder. Poor health has limited Trout to an average of 63.8 games played over the last five seasons.
Anyone who took a flier on this future Hall of Famer knew there was massive injury risk. Still, that’s a lot more palatable when Trout is hitting like a superstar. However, according to Savant, he’s not too far off from his normal level of play. The 33-year-old has an expected slugging percentage of .632, ranking inside the 96th percentile; Trout hasn’t reached that mark since 2019. An xBA of .256, while not terrific, hints at more contact in the near future. At this point in the year, what’s the harm in buying low on a proven talent?
