Fantasy Baseball Buy-Low Trade Targets in AL: Marcus Semien, Yainer Diaz, Tarik Skubal and More

In the early going of the fantasy baseball season, waivers and streamers are the name of the game. Now that we are nearly two weeks into the season though, trades can start picking up.

In this article, I wanted to point out a buy low trade target from most teams (some teams simply don't have options). We'll start with American League teams here - check back soon for the National League writeup.

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Rangers

Marcus Semien is my favorite buy low trade target on the Rangers. 

In 10 games and 40 plate appearances, he has a .135 average and .200 on-base percentage. His lone extra-base hit is a homer, and he's only scored two runs.

Semien is far too talented to struggle this much for too much longer. After a bit of a down season in 2024 though, you might be able to land him for extra cheap in a trade right now. He's still very likely to be a top-10 finisher at 2B, and probably will finish in the top five. See if you can swing a deal for him now.

Angels

Kenley Jansen has started the season well, but if you are in need of a closer, he's a really good target - he might still be available as a waiver pickup too.

Jansen has two saves and has tossed four scoreless innings so far. He has allowed a run and two walks, while striking out four. 

He's the team's clear closer, and the Angels might win a little more than expected in 2025, so getting the team's closer is never a bad idea. Jansen isn't anything special as a fantasy asset, but he can lock down saves and avoid a bunch of blowup outings.

Astros

You could pick a few guys from Houston, but I'll take Yainer Diaz.

He was viewed as one of the top fantasy catchers coming into the season, but has a .077 average and .143 OBP so far. Diaz has two hits and two walks across 28 plate appearances.

Diaz is far too talented a hitter to not start racking up hits here soon. I'd definitely check into the asking price for Diaz, because you might be able to snag an everyday, and likely top-five, fantasy catcher for a bit cheaper than he went in drafts.

Mariners

Bryce Miller is my pick from the Mariners.

He's gotten off to an 0-2 start on the mound. Miller has a 5.73 ERA after giving up seven runs on 13 hits and five walks over his first 11 frames. He has eight punchouts so far.

He was going around pick 80 on average in fantasy drafts, so this is not the start his fantasy owners wanted. Those owners might panic and sell a very talented fantasy pitcher for much less than they drafted him for, so I'd at least check on his asking price.

Red Sox

Connor Wong is another catcher off to a slow fantasy start.

Across his first eight games and 26 plate appearances, Wong has a .087 average and .192 OBP. He has two hits and three walks, but seven strikeouts too.

He is a deep-league fantasy option now, but was a standard league asset early on at a weak fantasy position. Adding him for cheap in a deeper league makes sense to me - it won't cost you much, and there's not a ton of risk involved.

Blue Jays

Anthony Santander is off to a slow start and is worth targeting in a trade.

He has a .326 OBP so far, but just a .194 average. Santander has no homers and just one RBI across 43 plate appearances with his new team.

In time, Santander should settle in and start mashing in the heart of the team's lineup. He was a great fantasy asset in 2024, and while he might not reach those levels in 2025, acquiring him now for a bit cheaper makes a lot of sense to me.

Rays

I'll say Junior Caminero from Tampa Bay.

He has a .250 average and .290 OBP, but just one extra-base hit, two RBIs and three runs scored across eight games and 31 plate appearances.

I am still expecting Caminero to break out in 2025, and now is the chance to possibly buy low on him. He shouldn't cost too much, and if he ends up breaking out later in the season, trading for him now could set you up to win a fantasy title.

Orioles

There's maybe other options on the Baltimore roster, but Gunnar Henderson is who I want to point out.

He missed the first several games of the season with an injury. Since returning, he has seven punchouts across 13 plate appearances, with just one hit as well.

Fantasy owners who spent an early pick on Henderson are likely to hold out hope on him, and I think he'll get going soon. That makes now a rare time to buy low on a fantasy star. He's still going to cost a lot, but you might be able to deal a player drafted a round or two later who got off to a hot (but unsustainable) start.

Tigers

There's definitely more attainable assets, but let's swing for the fences and chase after star pitcher Tarik Skubal.

Skubal has endured some tough luck in his first two starts, but an 0-2 record and seven runs allowed on 12 hits and four walks over 10 2/3 innings definitely is not good. Skubal does still have 10 punchouts for some fantasy value.

He's in the conversation for the best fantasy pitcher in the game, and he might go several starts before allowing seven combined runs again. Like in the case with Henderson, Skubal's fantasy value is likely never going to be lower, so why not see what it would cost to trade for him?

If you find a fantasy owner willing to move Skubal, don't be afraid to pay up for him - he'll start looking like a fantasy ace in the very near future and you'll come out a winner in the trade.

Royals

Salvador Perez is off to a pretty slow start, so now's the time to target the catcher and first baseman.

Perez has a .243 average and .263 OBP so far, which are way below what we expect from the slugger. He has four RBIs, but just one homer and three runs scored, along with 11 punchouts already.

He has position versatility, which is massive for fantasy purposes. I loved Perez before the season, and if you missed out on him in your draft, now might be your chance to acquire him (and probably for cheaper than the spot he was drafted at).

Guardians

I can't choose one player, so I'll just say to target any Cleveland starting pitcher.

The team's top fantasy pitcher (according to ESPN numbers) so far is Gavin Williams, and he has a whopping 10 points so far. Tanner Bibee, Ben Lively and Luis L. Ortiz have all scored 10 or less points.

Bibee is going to be the most expensive pitcher in a trade, but has just eight fantasy points combined in two starts. Williams is the next most owned, with Lively and Ortiz rostered in less than 10% of leagues.

Cleveland's arms should improve as the season rolls along, but any of those four starters are worth targeting (depending on your league setup, of course).

Twins

Bailey Ober is my target from Minnesota.

He's in the negatives for fantasy points after two starts. He's 0-1 with a 12.15 ERA, giving up nine runs on 11 hits and five walks over 6 2/3 innings. Ober has eight punchouts.

He's not going to struggle this much all season, but already has been dropped in a few standard leagues. You might not trust him right now, but trading him away is better than dropping him, so those fantasy owners might part with Ober for cheap.

Check in on his asking price and see if you can land Ober for cheap.