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 an emerging stolen base source in Pittsburgh and an unexpected breakthrough reliever in Baltimore.
Jake Burger, 3B, White Sox
Available in 93 percent of Yahoo leagues
The White Sox have been ice-cold of late, losing eight consecutive games and 11 of their last 13 contests overall, but Burger has been sizzling-hot at the dish since being promoted from Triple-A Charlotte in early April. The 27-year-old burgeoning slugger took Rays’ lefty Shane McClanahan deep in the fourth inning and also added an RBI double in the eighth inning of the White Sox’ blowout loss on Thursday night. He’s up to six round-trippers in just 18 games and appears to be settling into an everyday role as Chicago’s primary third baseman in place of an injured Yoan Moncada, who is dealing with a disc issue in his back and won’t begin a minor league rehab assignment for at least a few weeks. The all-or-nothing approach at the dish limits his potential fantasy ceiling, but he’s capable of hitting homers in bunches when he’s on a hot streak. He’s at least worthy of a speculative roster spot in deeper mixed leagues as a power source at the hot corner.
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Yennier Cano, RP, Orioles
Available in 89 percent of Yahoo leagues
Cano’s metamorphosis into one of the premier high-leverage relievers in baseball has been one of the most unexpected developments of the 2023 campaign. The unheralded 29-year-old right-hander, who was acquired last August from the Twins in the Jorge Lopez trade, has allowed just one baserunner with a 10/0 K/BB ratio across 8 2/3 innings (seven appearances) to open the year. He also picked up his first career save earlier this week. Hard-throwing closer Felix Bautista isn’t going anywhere, but Cano is clearly making the leap to elite fantasy reliever status and should be rostered in all fantasy formats. He’ll chip in as a ratio booster for fantasy managers and should be able to vulture the occasional save when Bautista is unavailable for workload reasons.
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