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.
Joaquin Benoit threw a bullpen session Thursday and it appears at this point that his sore pitching shoulder will not send him to the disabled list. However, fantasy owners would be wise to add Kevin Quackenbush just in case. The rookie recorded his first career save on Wednesday when Benoit was unavailable and is clearly next in line for the Padres’ closer job. If you’re in need of some saves late in the season, give Quackenbush a shot.
