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.
Chris Colabello hit .368/.417/.568 with four home runs, 14 RBI, and 15 runs scored across 25 games in May for the Blue Jays, who’ve needed the corner outfield help with http://www.nbcsports.com/edge/player/MLB/1494/Jose-BautistaJose Bautista still nursing a sore shoulder. This run of good fortune for Colabello probably isn’t built to last -- he’s a .246/.312/.407 career hitter and Bautista is getting healthier -- but it’s worth riding an extended hot streak in standard mixed leagues. Colabello should get semi-regular playing time for much of June.
