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 starting pitcher who tweaked his pitch mix and seeing better results and an emerging middle infielder in Texas that have a chance to contribute for fantasy managers moving forward.
Ezequiel Duran, 3B, Rangers
Available in 88 percent of Yahoo leagues
Trivia time. Which team has the best wRC+ this year?
If you guessed the Rays, then you earn the gold star! Now, I’m sure you are thinking, what does this have to do with Ezequiel Duran? Well, the second-best team in wRC+ is the Rangers, and part of the reason why they rank as high as they do is because of Ezequiel Duran.
After Corey Seager landed on the injured list with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, the Rangers auditioned both Josh H. Smith and Duran for the role, and Duran has appears to have won the role as he has played more consistently as of late. In Saturday’s showdown against the Yankees, Duran went 2-for-3 with his second homer of the season and is hitting .302/.333/.444 with two stolen bases, and 12 RBI across 66 plate appearances. The Rangers face the Diamondbacks for two games starting on Tuesday and then play 12 games in a row against the Mariners, Athletics, and Braves, and Duran should see the bulk of the playing during that stretch. Sure, his 53% groundball rate is not something you want to see, but if you can pick up a shortstop-eligible player in the second-best offense in the league, you should jump at the chance, especially with the rash of shortstop injuries this year; you take what you can get.
Josiah Gray, SP, Nationals
Available in 69 percent of Yahoo leagues
If you would have asked me before the season if I would be recommending Josiah Gray in a Pickups of the Day column, I would have called you crazy. I was afraid of rostering him, he pitched for a bad team and had a dreadfully bad fastball. Last year, the league hit .302/.419/.734 against him, which in the words of Pete Campbell from Mad Men “Not great, Bob!” However, Josiah Gray has been dabbling with a pitch mix change to start the season. He is relying more on his superb slider in two-strike counts, which has brought his two-strike O-Swing rate from 28% to 32% and should pay dividends if he continues this approach. I have been following the Nationals’ minor league system for a while and it is refreshing to see a pitcher actually change his approach and improve. While I don’t think Gray is a season-long hold, he faces the Diamondbacks and Giants on the road in his next two starts. If you need the pitching help, and who doesn’t at this point, Gray might be your guy to roster for the next two weeks.
