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 we’re diving into a forgotten fantasy contributor that’s off to a slow start, but could be about to break out in a big way – and an impact right-handed hurler making his big league debut.
PICKUPS OF THE DAY
Eddie Rosario, OF, Braves
Available in 99 percent of Yahoo leagues
Now you want to talk about a player who is universally available, Eddie Rosario is currently rostered in just one percent of all Yahoo leagues. One percent. It makes sense too. If you glance at his season line, it’s cringe-worthy – slashing just .200/.235/.385 with three homers, four RBI and zero stolen bases. So why on Earth are we recommending him as an addition?
Here’s why. The 31-year-old has a proven track record and just as recently as 2021 he was a 14-homer, 11-steal guy with a neutral batting average in 111 games between the Braves and Guardians. He has three seasons of 20+ home runs to his name – including a 32-homer, 109 RBI outburst with the Twins in 2019.
Looking specifically at this year though, Rosario appears to be the victim of very poor batted ball luck early in the season. He entered play on Tuesday batting just .175 on the season – but his expected batting average was .253. His slugging percentage entering Tuesday was .293, but his expected slugging was .452. There was bound to be some positive regression coming.
That started to come on Monday, as Rosario homered off of a left-handed reliever as the Braves crushed the Marlins. He was back at it again on Tuesday – this time taking left-hander Tanner Scott deep in another Braves’ victory.
Rosario plays everyday against right-handed pitching – and has been doing so while batting fifth in the Braves’ lineup. He sits against nearly all southpaws in favor of Marcell Ozuna – though that could change now that Rosario has taken left-handers deep in consecutive games. He has always been a streaky hitter, and is worth riding while he’s on a hot streak here – with the potential that he becomes a viable mixed league option for an extended period of time as well. Just be sure to cut him some slack if he doesn’t perform on Wednesday – as he’s taking on star right-hander Sandy Alcantara.
Tanner Bibee, SP, Guardians
Available in 88 percent of Yahoo leagues
The Guardians are known as an organization with an unbelievable ability to grow and cultivate young starting pitchers. They always seemingly have an endless stable of viable arms that are ready to step in and contribute at the big league level when another is struggling or goes down with injury. We saw Logan Allen step in and have immediate success on Sunday against the Marlins.
The one that everyone has been waiting for though – Tanner Bibee – is set to make his big league debut against the Rockies on Wednesday, and regardless of how he performs in that start, the 24-year-old right-hander should be here to stay.
He has been nothing but dominant in his two seasons in the minor leagues – registering a 2.13 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and a 186/35 K/BB ratio over 148 innings in 28 starts over the past two seasons. That includes a 1.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and a 19/8 K/BB mark over his first three starts at Triple-A Columbus this season. He’s got a nice fastball that averages 95.3 mph and a devastating slider that is going to eat up right-handed hitters while also mixing in a curveball and a changeup. He has struggled against left-handed hitters at times – and may do so initially at the big league level as well – but Bibee is absolutely a pitcher that fantasy managers should be excited about. He’s not getting the fanfare that Taj Bradley, Mason Miller and Brandon Pfaadt have been generating in recent weeks, but he’s every bit as likely to be a viable mixed league arm for the duration of the season as those guys – if not more so.
