MLB Fantasy: Buy-Low on Tanaka, Sell-High on Pineda

Apr 8, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Patrick McDermott-USA TODAY Sports MLB Fantasy /

MLB Fantasy: Buy-Low on Tanaka, Sell-High on Pineda

In last week’s edition of buy-low/sell-high, I advised you to go out and trade for Gary Sanchez. He got hurt shortly after that, and will miss the next month. Unfortunately, while this means that Sanchez won’t be producing any time soon, it does mean that his value has hit an all-time low to the owners who drafted him.

I still advise you to make a run for the Yankees catcher, who could very well still hit between 20 and 25 home runs this season.

We have talked a lot lately about adding Aaron Judge from the waiver wire, and to trade for Gary Sanchez, and today we will talk about more Yankee players like Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda.

The two starting pitchers have gone in opposite directions over the past week, with the latter of the two delivering one of the best pitched games in the MLB this year.

MLB Fantasy- Buy-Low: Masahiro Tanaka

Apr 8, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) warms up in the bullpen before the start of a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Patrick McDermott-USA TODAY Sports /

Masahiro Tanaka started the year with a horrible performance against the Rays, as he gave up eight hits and seven runs in just 2.2 IP. He bounced back with an average game against the Orioles in start two of the year, going 5.0 innings and giving up just three runs on five hits, while striking out five.

He makes his next start against the Cardinals on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. If you want him for his cheapest price of the season, go out and acquire him before his game on Friday. If he’s able to show 70 percent of what he normally is against St. Louis then the Tanaka owners will have restored faith in him.

Moving guys like Lance McCullers or Jameson Taillon are potentially enticing returns for Tanaka owners if they choose to part with him.

I personally made a move to acquire Tanaka this week, following his second start of the season. It was a two-for-two trade, in which I received Tanaka and Addison Reed for Howie Kendrick and Kenley Jansen.

Overall, I’m not ecstatic about giving up Jansen, but I am just punting the saves category on that team. Plus, Tanaka has elite potential and it was worth giving up the Dodgers closer to acquire him.

MLB Fantasy- Sell-High: Michael Pineda

Apr 10, 2017; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Miguel Pineda (35) pitches during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports /

Well, there goes Michael Pineda changing my mindset again. After an atrocious beginning to the season when he gave up eight hits and four earned runs in 3.2 IP to the Rays, he came back and absolutely dominated the same Rays team in his second start.

He carried a perfect game into the 7th inning in his last start, and finished with just allowing two hits and one run, while striking out 11 batters in 7.2 IP.

Now, it may not be a large sample size this season, but his results have been extremely bipolar, which makes me nervous. I usually go with a mindset of solid consistency all season long and I don’t take too many risks on players who could potentially burst onto the scene or fall flat on their face.

With Pineda, I have been extremely wishy-washy because I love his pitch selection when he’s hitting his spots. When he’s off though, he is off. He hasn’t dealt with walk issues this season, but they will always worry me with Pineda.

If someone is dealing with injured starting pitching, or a guy like Tanaka stinking it up for him, they may be interested in the boom-or-bust potential that Pineda carries. He makes his next start for the Yankees on Sunday against the Cardinals at Yankee Stadium.

That contest could determine his value to a further extent. If you’re not interested in holding onto him long-term then I advise you to try to move him now rather than allowing him to blow up on Sunday, which would tarnish his value.

Apr 9, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) hits a single in the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

MLB Fantasy- Buy-Low: “Elite First Basemen”

Edwin Encarnacion and Miguel Cabrera have both begun their 2017 seasons in less than ideal fashion.

Encarnacion is playing for a new team with the Indians, and his transition has not been smooth so far. He has started batting 5-for-32 (.156 average) with just one home run and one RBI, which came on Opening Day. That game is his only multi-hit game of the season, as he collected two hits in that contest, and just three hits over his next eight.

Encarnacion owners may become skeptical of his start, and if you can take advantage of that mindset… do it. He will not be awful all year, and will likely turn it around shortly. He has hit between 34 and 42 home runs in each of the past five seasons, with 100-plus RBI in four of those campaigns.

Cabrera finally showed signs of breaking out of his early season slump on Thursday with his first big fly of the year. Even with the home run, he is still carries just a .133 batting average, while scoring just two runs. Age could be a factor, but also a back injury was bugging Cabrera in Spring Training so the slugger may just not be 100 percent healthy yet.

If you’re an owner of a hot-start first basemen, such as Wil Myers or Freddie Freeman, you may be able to land Cabrera in a deal if his owner is stressing out about his slow begin to the year.

Apr 10, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Mets right fielder Jay Bruce (19) watches his two run home run during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Mets defeated the Phillies 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

MLB Fantasy- Sell-High: Jay Bruce

Jay Bruce started off last season brilliantly, and even led the National League in RBI at the time he was traded from the Reds to the Mets.

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He had a .265/.316/.559 slash line with 25 home runs and 80 RBI in 87 games with the Reds, but fell to a .219/.294./.391 slash line with eight home runs and 19 RBI in 50 games with the Mets.

Through nine games of 2017, Bruce is currently tied for third in the MLB in home runs (four) and tied for 16th in RBI (eight). He is hitting at a .300 clip with a stunning 1.016 OPS for New York. He is seeing the ball extremely well right now, as he has walked six times thus far, while only striking out four times in 40 at-bats.

His average draft position in ESPN leagues is around 150th overall, which has been an absolute steal to this point. But, I’m hesitant to believe that Bruce will continue his hot hitting for much longer. Obviously I would love to see hit at this rate, but it’s doubtful for the career .248 hitter.

Yes, you can definitely continue to ride the wave that he’s produced, but as soon as the wave begins to crash it may be time to abandon ship. If someone is offering you a top-15 outfielder in a deal for Bruce, pull the trigger.

You could even throw offers out there for struggling outfielders such as Andrew McCutchen, Gregory Polanco or Jose Bautista and people wouldn’t be crazy (on either side of the deal) to make that move.

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