Rotoworld’s brand-new Pickups of the Day column is designed to help fantasy managers uncover a handful of widely-available targets over the course of the season. It could be a breakout candidate, a prospect stash, an injury replacement, a pitcher with a favorable matchup or week, a player who is due some better luck, or any other number of scenarios. If there’s value to be found on the waiver wire, we will find it and bring it your way.
In today’s column, we’re going to look at a potential difference-maker in the stolen base department and another terrific streaming option for Thursday’s slate of MLB action.
PICKUPS OF THE DAY
Josh Rojas, 2B/3B, Mariners
Available in 85 percent of Yahoo leagues
Understandably, it’s a tough pill to swallow to want to add a player who for the season is slashing a grotesque .242/.301/.329 with just two homers and 34 RBI. That’s a fair point. We’re not concerned with what they have done to this point though – only with what they’re doing now and will contribute for the remainder of the season.
After a brutal start to the season and demotion from the Diamondbacks, Rojas was shipped to the Mariners in a deadline deal. Since joining the M’s, he has taken full advantage of the opportunity. In his 15 games there, we have seen the player who was a very valuable and reliable fantasy option over the past two seasons – slashing .294/.333/.451 with both of his home runs, eight RBI and three stolen bases.
Speed has always been his biggest asset, as Rojas swiped 23 bases for the Diamondbacks during the 2022 campaign. If Mariners’ skipper Scott Servais is going to let him run – which it appears he’s going to do – he could wind up being a major difference-maker in that category over the final five–plus weeks of the regular season.
He also comes with two positions of eligibility, and the added flexibility never hurts. At a minimum, you can ride the hot streak and try to stream him to gain some ground in stolen bases. You may just wind up with a strong fixture in your lineup for the duration of the 2023 season.
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Ryan Pepiot, SP, Dodgers
Available in 78 percent of Yahoo leagues
Ryan Pepiot hasn’t even been added to the Dodgers’ big league roster yet, and he’s already rostered in 22 percent of Yahoo leagues in advance of Thursday’s start against the Guardians.
The 26-year-old hurler has made just one start with the big league club this season – registering a 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and a 5/1 K/BB ratio over his five frames. At Triple-A Oklahoma City, he has compiled a 3.97 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 26/5 K/BB ratio across 22 2/3 innings in his six starts.
He’s not likely to work deep into the game on Thursday – the expectation is that he’ll only go five innings – but he should do so with a handful of strikeouts and a decent shot at a victory with the powerful Dodgers’ offense backing him. When trying to stream pitchers – especially in deeper mixed leagues – that’s all you can really ask for. Take a shot with him on Thursday, and if he happens to stick around in the Dodgers’ rotation for a while, it’s an added bonus.