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. Today’s edition features a power source in Los Angeles and a viable starting pitcher option for fantasy managers in Arizona.
Jason Heyward, OF, Dodgers
Available in 99 percent of Yahoo leagues
While the Dodgers haven’t been the same team this year as they have been in the past few years, there is a couple of players that are playing extremely well at the moment that are available in pretty much every fantasy league.
Over the past few years, Heyward has been a disappointment. It felt like he never lived up to all of the prospect hype from when he was an Atlanta Brave. However, things are looking up for the veteran outfielder. He signed a one-year pact with the Dodgers this winter and brought a new swing to Spring Training. So far, the change has worked beautifully. The 33-year-old is hitting .258/.353/.479 with eight homers, two steals, and 32 runs scored across 193 games. To put that in perspective, Heyward had eight homers, 35 runs scored, and a .214/.280/.347 slash line in 104 games in 2021.
Heyward has been playing every day against right-handed pitching, and the Dodgers are projected to face four righties in their next five games. They are also playing all of their games at home, which has a 1.15 ballpark factor for homeruns. Keep in mind, 1.00 is average, so Dodger Stadium is 15 percent better than the league average in homers. So, long story short, go pick up Heyward and have your league mates asking, “What year is it”?
Ryne Nelson, SP, Diamondbacks
Available in 90 percent of Yahoo leagues
For fantasy managers looking for starting pitching help on the waiver wire, it has been a tough row to hoe. Unless you had the FAB capital to pony up for the next great pitching prospect making their debut in any given week. Ryne Nelson made his debut with Arizona late last year and performed admirably. He won a spot in the Diamondbacks rotation at the end of Spring Training, but things did not start out great. On June 20, Nelson had a ghastly 5.31 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and 52/26 K/BB ratio, but things have turned a corner in his last two starts.
Nelson has started to incorporate his changeup more, and he has had great results against the Giants and Angels. Nelson has a 1.26 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, and 12/3 K/BB ratio over 14 ⅓ innings with two wins. He will battle against the Mets in New York on Thursday, which is a pitcher’s ballpark according to ballpark factors, and he is an easy guy to pick up and stream for an easy win before the All-Star break.
