Fantasy Baseball 2026: Buy, Sell or Hold? Key Roster Decisions After April

The ability to decide which fantasy baseball players to buy, sell, or hold is essential for fantasy baseball managers looking to make smart trades and manage waiver wire moves effectively.

I’ve picked out three players you should consider buying low on, three you can safely drop, and three who are worth keeping on your roster based on their recent statistics and underlying metrics even though they might be currently slumping.

Players to Buy This Week

I'm recommending three buy-low players: a struggling first-rounder with rebound potential, a rising starting pitcher, and a post-hype sleeper performing well at a thin fantasy position.

Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres

Sooner or later Tatis Jr. is going to hit his first HR of the season and while there’s no science supporting this, power hitters tend to hit their HR in bunches. Tatis Jr. has a .261/.333/.311 slash line over his first 32 games, but his expected stats (.281 xBA, .410 xSLG) suggest he should be performing closer to his career averages. His 61.5% hard hit rate is the second highest of his career and his other power metrics (EV, Barrel%, Bat Speed etc.) are within his normal range. One possible explanation for his HR drought could be that his current 3.2 launch angle is much lower than his 9.95 career average, and it’s causing him to hit fewer fly balls. That’s a problem that a minor adjustment should fix. Tatis Jr. has played five games at the second base position so far this season, making him multi-position eligible in some league formats.

Sean Burke, White Sox

The White Sox can’t be considered pushovers any longer and Burke is a big part of their modest 2026 resurgence. In seven appearances (five as a starter and two following an opener) Burke has pitched to a 2.72 ERA and 1.008 WHIP. He’s shown excellent control as shown by his 32:8 K:BB ratio. Heading into his next appearance, Burke hasn’t given up a run in his last 14 2/3 IP. Burke was only rostered in 52% of Fantrax leagues as this week’s waiver wire run approached. If by some chance he wasn’t swooped up in this past weekend’s waiver wire run grab him as soon as possible.

Josh Jung, Rangers

With his past health issues behind him, Jung has gotten off to a hot start, batting .327 with a .931 OPS in his first 30 games. He’s cut his strikeout rate to a career low 15.6% and his 8.2% walk rate is the highest of his career. Jung’s average exit velocity and bat speed have also significantly increased this season. Jung, who has been moved up in the Rangers lineup and now batting second or third, has the potential to add 20 more home runs and 75 RBI to his current total if he’s able to stay healthy. He’s rostered in just 52% of Yahoo leagues and is a valuable pickup at a thin third base fantasy baseball position.

Players to Sell This Week

It's hard to admit when your player analysis is off, but if a player who regressed last season keeps underperforming in 2026, it's time to say goodbye!

Willy Adames, Giants

It’s looking like Adames made a mistake when he signed his $182 million seven-year contract with the Giants ahead of the 2025 season and quite frankly, if you drafted Adames this preseason, you made a mistake as well. Adames hit 30 HR for the Giants in 2025, but he batted just .225. Things have gotten progressively worse for Adames in 2026 and heading into Monday’s action he’s mired in a 3 for 40 slump. Adames is batting .195 and has a 30.9 K rate in his first 32 games of the 2026 season and with a .231 BA and .393 SLG in 111 career games in San Francisco’s Oracle Park there’s not much cause for optimism.

Ezequiel Tovar, Rockies

Since Tovar’s breakout 2024 season in which he hit 26 HR and drove in 78 RBI while batting .269, he has compiled a .238 BA and has a 13 HR 162 game average since 2025. Tovar heads into Monday’s action with a .197 BA and .537 OPS. He’s hit just one HR and driven in only 8 RBI in his first 35 games of the 2026 season and has an extremely high 28.9% K rate. Tovar’s average exit velocity is over 2 mph lower than his 2025 exit velocity and his expected stats while a bit better than his traditional stats, do not offer much hope for Tovar getting out of his funk at the plate.

Lawrence Butler, Athletics

I noticed many fantasy baseball managers drafting Butler this preseason, expecting him to return to the form that saw him hit 22 HR, steal 18 bases and post an .807 OPS in 2024. At this point of his career, he should no longer be considered a rising star. Instead, he has regressed and become a platoon player. Butler’s strikeout rate has steadily increased since the 2024 season and while his stats have been slightly better when he plays his home games at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park his overall ISO is a disappointing .112.

Players to Hold This Week

As we leave April behind it might feel like it’s getting late, but it’s still too early in the fantasy baseball season for overreactions. Trust your preseason evaluation process and think twice before deciding to give up on players that have a long history of elite fantasy baseball production.

Logan Webb, Giants

Webb has been one of the most dependable fantasy baseball pitchers over the past few seasons, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at the back of his 2026 baseball card. He has a 4.30 ERA and 1.364 WHIP across his first seven starts of the 2026 season. His strikeout rate is down, and his walk rate is up but overall, his recent stats are starting to normalize. Webb has compiled a 3.27 ERA in his last five starts and his WHIP, while still too high at 1.303, is trending down. Unfortunately, he’s not getting enough run support from the Giants’ anemic offense but with just about all of his peripheral stats near career norms, he’s a pitcher that you should definitely hold on to.

Jazz Chisholm Jr., Yankees

Chisholm Jr. had a .173 BA and .498 OPS and hadn’t hit a HR through his first 23 games but in his next 18 games he’s hit three home runs and batted .238 with a .739 OPS. He hit 31 HR and stole 31 bases last season, and his goal is to hit 50 HR and steal 50 bases this season. He’s on pace to steal 45 bases but he’s a bit behind when it comes to his HR production. He might not hit 50 HRs but based on his track record he has a good chance of compiling another 30/30 season despite his slow start.

Pete Alonso, Orioles

With his slow start Alonso is making Mets GM David Stearns, who let Alonso walk as a free agent, look like a genius. I’m going to have to hand it to Glen Colton and Rick Wolf whose SMART system recommends against drafting players who recently signed long-term free agent contracts and are playing for new teams. Alonso, who signed a huge long-term contract with the Orioles, is batting just .214 and has a .743 OPS in his first 34 games of the 2026 season. Alonso has hit just six home runs, and his bat speed has dropped from 75.3 last season to 74.0 this year, which is concerning. However, with an average exit velocity in the 98th percentile, and a hard-hit rate in the 96th percentile, it’s only a matter of time before Alonso is back on track and hitting the long ball again.

Buy, Sell or Hold? Those Are The Questions. Here Are The Answers

Should I buy low on Fernando Tatis Jr. after his slow start?
Yes. His expected stats and hard-hit metrics suggest his production should improve, making him a strong buy-low candidate.

Is Sean Burke worth adding in fantasy baseball right now?
Yes. His strong ERA, WHIP, and excellent strikeout-to-walk ratio make him a valuable pickup in most formats.

Can Josh Jung sustain his early-season breakout?
Yes, if he stays healthy. His improved plate discipline and rising power metrics support continued production.

Should I drop Willy Adames in fantasy leagues?
In most formats, yes. His declining batting average, high strikeout rate, and poor park factors limit his upside.

Is Ezequiel Tovar worth holding through his slump?
No in shallow leagues. His declining exit velocity and weak production suggest limited rebound potential.

What should I do with struggling veterans early in the season?
Evaluate underlying metrics before reacting. If skills remain intact, patience is often the best approach.