Welcome to Pickup of the Day, where every weekday we’ll pick an under-the-radar player whose immediate value is on the rise. The idea here is to identify a starter who can give you some solid innings off the scrap heap, a talented backup who’s been given a chance because of a starter’s injury, an unheralded regular with a favorable matchup, or a potential breakout player who’s starting to put it together. Unlike regular waiver-wire advice, Pickup of the Day is geared more towards interim success, but hopefully we’ll have the intuition to help you snag a waiver-wire gem a few times this season.
Nick Pivetta’s rookie campaign has admittedly been a mixed bag. In addition to walking 28 batters in 52 innings, he has allowed nine home runs. However, he has also shown an ability to miss bats, piling up 53 strikeouts along the way. The 24-year-old has amassed at least 10 swinging strikes in three out of his last four starts. There’s certainly some blowup potential with Pivetta, but what better time to take a chance on him than a matchup against the Padres on Friday in Philadelphia? No team in MLB has struck out more often this season.
