Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickups -
John Axford - RP, Colorado Rockies
As any MLB fantasy owner knows, saves can be the trickiest category to nail down. When a closer situation changes somewhere in the league, the most prudent owners will be on top of it. Rockies closer Adam Ottavino was placed on the disabled list with an elbow injury and reports on Monday suggested that Tommy John surgery could be imminent. Veteran reliever John Axford is tending to closing duties in the meantime and doing well in the role, going three-for-three in save opportunities without surrendering a run. Of course, Axford is no stranger to closing, having led the National League with 46 saves for the Brewers in 2011. If you need saves, here's your chance to grab a closer with a reasonable handle on the job straight off of your fantasy waiver wire.
Trevor Plouffe - 3B, Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota third baseman has enjoyed a bit of a power surge recently is definitely on the list of viable fantasy pickups. Plouffe homered in two consecutive games over the weekend, the second being a grand slam that fueled a five RBI night. After 24 games, Plouffe finds himself sporting a .278 average with five homers and 15 runs batted in. Though his current numbers might be somewhat inflated by his recent hot streak, Plouffe has posted double-digit home run totals the last three seasons, including a career-high 24 in 2012. Still widely available in leagues, owners may consider adding him as 3B depth and to see how long he can swing his bat like this. He is definitely one of the better fantasy pickups around.
Freddy Galvis - SS/3B, Philadelphia Phillies
Galvis took on the unenviable task of replacing 15-year Phillies mainstay Jimmy Rollins at shortstop. So far he's proving more than equal to the task. In 24 games he's batting .341 with a .379 OBP. Toss in a home run and eight runs batted in, and you have a solid start for the 25-year-old. Galvis has not played more than 70 games in a season, so fantasy owners might take a chance that he comes into his own given a full-time opportunity. If you're looking for a batting average boost from a middle infielder, Galvis seems a promising proposition for the time being. Positional flexibility helps his cause, as well as increasing appearances near the top of the lineup.
Scott Feldman - SP, Houston Astros
The Astros are baseball's biggest surprise right now, and more than a few fantasy owners are probably scouring their roster for some hidden gems. One of those might be starting pitcher Scott Feldman. Though the big right-hander has just two wins to date, four of his five starts have been quality. His 4.31 ERA is bloated by a poor outing on April 13 when he allowed 10 hits and seven earned runs in five innings. Otherwise he's been quite reliable, and in his last start he held Seattle to two runs over seven frames. He'll allow hits and won't strike out too many batters, but if you want quality starts and a potential source of wins should the 'Stros keep playing well, Feldman could be a decent option.
