Zack Wheeler (SP) - Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: After crushing the Marlins in his first Major League start of 2018, New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler was tasked with handling a much tougher Nationals lineup on Tuesday. While his overall line (6 IP, 7H, 3ER, 3BB, 2K) does count as a quality start, anyone who started him is likely disappointed. I think there’s plenty to be happy about, though. While the whiffs weren’t there (only eight swinging strikes on 99 pitches), he was very tough for Washington to square up, resulting in a meager 79.9 MPH average exit velocity on balls in play.

It's possible that Jason Vargas' eventual return bumps him from the rotation, though Wheeler could force Matt Harvey onto the chopping block with a string of quality starts. Mets' skipper Mickey Callaway also floated the idea of a six-man rotation this offseason, so that route to relevance does exist. For now, Wheeler lines up for a road start against the Braves on April 22. Another tough test, but his upside is worth holding onto in many leagues in case he puts this soft-contact stuff together with putaway jazz.