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.
Paxton was knocked around for eight runs (three earned) over 3 2/3 innings in his season debut last week against the Padres, but he struck out seven batters and walked just one while showing an encouraging uptick in velocity. The southpaw built off that performance Monday versus the Indians. While he took the loss after giving up three runs (one earned) in six innings of work, he struck out 10 batters and walked just one while regularly sitting in the high-90s with his fastball. He averaged in the 94 mph range with his fastball coming into this season, so the sudden uptick makes him pretty interesting in fantasy leagues. Felix Hernandez is not expected to return from the disabled list when he’s first eligible, so Paxton should get more chances to impress. He’s worth a pickup on upside alone.
