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 the long-awaited return of a former impact starter in Atlanta and the emergence of a top-of-the-order speedster for Detroit.
Michael Soroka, SP, Braves
Available in 62 percent of Yahoo leagues
Soroka will make his long-awaited return to the majors on Monday evening in a tasty road matchup against the floundering Athletics following a nearly three-year odyssey that has included multiple Achilles injuries and a hamstring issue that shelved him at the outset of the 2023 campaign. The 25-year-old righty hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since August 3, 2020. However, he was an impact fantasy contributor earlier in his career, and has pitched well this season for Triple-A Gwinnett, posting a respectable 4.33 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 35/11 K/BB ratio across 35 1/3 innings (eight starts). There’s some immediate streaming appeal for fantasy managers with a favorable matchup against a rebuilding Oakland lineup, and he figures to get a couple extra turns in Atlanta’s starting rotation before Max Fried (forearm) is ready to return sometime around the All-Star break.
Zach McKinstry, 2B/3B/SS/OF, Tigers
Available in 73 percent of Yahoo leagues
In addition to being eligible at nearly every position across the diamond, McKinstry has experienced a mini-breakout in his Tigers debut, slashing a robust .295/.409/.451 with 23 runs scored, four homers, 10 RBI and 10 stolen bases across 150 plate appearances. The versatile 28-year-old utility specialist has blossomed into an everyday player with the Tigers and has led off nearly every game since late April. The defensive versatility and on-base skills figure to keep him in Detroit’s lineup and the stolen bases give him broad appeal for fantasy managers moving forward. He’s unlikely to hit for enough over-the-fence power to become a five-category fantasy stalwart, but there’s enough multi-category goodness to make an impact in shallow mixed leagues.
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