AL FAAB Factor: Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups

This is our weekly look at American League free agents. We have two goals for this article:

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.

We've incorporated grids into the FAAB articles, so users can easily see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and how much they should command in a variety of formats.

The grids, which are sortable by column (click on the header), include a very basic "player grade" column. This serves as a reflection of a player's upside on an A-E scale, prioritizing skills and talent above role and playing time outlook. Wyatt Langford would have been an "A" grade player last year – that mark will be reserved for similarly high-impact prospects that could thrive in an everyday role.

As always, if there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask about the player in the comments.

Starting Pitcher

Noah Cameron, Royals: The 25-year-old lefty's made three starts in the majors so far, and all three have been quality starts. In fact, he hasn't allowed more than one run in any of them. That won't last, but Cameron's stuff appears capable of handling big-league hitters. His low 90s fastball isn't special but he's only thrown it about 30 percent of the time so far, while leaning heavily on his changeup and slider and mixing in a curve and cutter. Cameron's command ties it all together, and while neither Cole Ragans nor Seth Lugo are expected to miss much more time, if the rookie keeps dealing, he'll be hard to send back to Triple-A. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Slade Cecconi, Guardians: Cecconi's quickly gone from interesting dart throw to a pitcher Cleveland may need to rely on for the rest of the season with Ben Lively lost to elbow surgery. The former Diamondback has posted a 3.27 ERRA and 14:2 K:BB through his first two starts of the year, pairing a mid-90s fastball with a slider and curve that have both generated massive whiff rates in that brief sample. If his curveball has emerged as a viable third pitch, the 25-year-old right-hander has the command to make that arsenal play up, and the Guardians' track record with developing pitchers offers plenty of reason for optimism that Cecconi will be able to take a big step forward in 2025. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Colton Gordon, Astros: Gordon's got a 10:2 K:BB through his first two MLB starts, but also a 5.59 ERA. The 26-year-old southpaw is essentially a lesser version of Cameron, relying on good command to let his low 90s four-seamer, sweeper and sinker play up, but his margin for error is a lot slimmer than the Royals' prospect. Ronel Blanco's on the shelf with elbow trouble that requires an ominous second opinion though, and Spencer Arrighetti's now not expected back until July. That leaves two spots open in the Houston rotation for the next six weeks or so, and Gordon just has to pitch better than Ryan Gusto to hang onto one. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Ryan Gusto, Astros: The 26-year-old righty lasted 4.1 innings and 79 pitches in his return to the rotation Friday, giving up two solo homers but otherwise holding the Mariners at bay. Gusto's ratios aren't great – 4.58 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 35.1 innings over 12 appearances (six starts) – but his 38:16 K:BB offers some upside if he can improve his control and command. A rotation job's his for the taking if he does, but the Astros also have Brandon Walter waiting at Triple-A if either Gusto or Gordon falter, and with the AL West still very winnable, you never know when the front office might trade for some help too. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Adrian Houser, White Sox: Houser got plugged into the rotation Tuesday after being cut loose from a minor-league deal by the Rangers, and the veteran right-hander proceeded to blank the Mariners over six innings for the ChiSox. He had occasional flashes of usefulness during his tenure with the Brewers to begin his career, but the Mets couldn't get anything out of him last year, and his 2:3 K:BB in Tuesday's start is a big red flag. Houser does line up for a two-step this week, on the road against the Mets and O's, but he's very risky despite his impressive 2025 debut. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Jacob Lopez, Athletics: The Sacramento Exiles finally decided that since they were playing in a Triple-A park, they might as well field a Triple-A lineup. Massive roster changes this week saw a bunch of players called up and handed regular roles, including Lopez, who gets his first real crack at the A's rotation with J.T. Ginn back on the IL. The 27-year-old lefty has looked very good at Las Vegas this season, and he baffled the Phillies on Friday, holding them to one run over seven innings with an 8:1 K:BB. Lopez is yet another soft-tossing southpaw who's stuff plays up a bit due to elite extension, but his low 90s fastball-slider-cutter arsenal seems better suited to swingman or long relief duties than a regular turn in the rotation. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Charlie Morton, Orioles: The 41-year-old has earned another look in the rotation after seeming to work things out in long relief. Over his last three appearances and 9.1 innings, Morton's produced a 1.93 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 12:2 K:BB. The problem is, he had a 9.38 ERA on the season prior to that brief stretch of effectiveness. His 93.9 mph average fastball velocity would be his lowest mark over a full campaign in a decade (it was 93.3 mph over nine starts in 2020), and those three good relief outings didn't exactly come against top-shelf offenses (the Twins, Nats and Halos all rank in the bottom half of the league in wOBA against RHP). Morton's leash figures to be short, but the O's are desperate enough to give him a second chance. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Trevor Rogers, Orioles: One of the reasons Morton might not last long in the rotation is Rogers. The 27-year-old lefty made his season debut in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against Boston and actually looked like a guy worth trading Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby for, blanking the BoSox over 6.1 innings with a 5:0 K:BB. Rogers has rough numbers at Triple-A, but his 15:6 K:BB in 13.1 innings offers some hope that he might be getting back to the pre-injury form he flashed way back in 2021, when he posted a 2.64 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 20.1 percent K%-BB% over 25 starts for Miami. He was only up as the 27th man Saturday and was immediately sent back down, but Baltimore needs all the pitching help it can get and can't afford to ignore how good he looked in his season debut. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Ryan Yarbrough, Yankees: Yarbrough's done a good job of buying himself some job security in May, delivering a 2.57 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 12:4 K:BB in 14 innings over three starts. What fantasy upside the veteran lefty offers comes from the offense supporting him, but Marcus Stroman could get traded the moment he's healthy and Luis Gil hasn't gotten back onto a mound yet, so Yarbrough could stick as the fifth starter for another month or so. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Other two-start options, Mon-Sun (12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $1)

Via RotoWire's Probable Pitchers grid

Taj Bradley, Rays (vs. MIN, at HOU)
Bowden Francis, Blue Jays (at TEX, vs. ATH)
Jack Kochanowicz, Angels (vs. NYY, at CLE)|
Zack Littell, Rays (vs. MIN, at HOU)
Michael Lorenzen, Royals (vs. CIN, vs. DET)
Keider Montero, Tigers (vs. SF, at KC)
JP Sears, Athletics (at HOU, at TOR)
Tomoyuki Sugano, Orioles (vs. STL, vs. CHW)
Gavin Williams, Guardians (vs. LAD, vs. LAA)

Relief Pitcher

Caden Dana, Angels: Dana got called up Saturday to give the bullpen some depth, but that role could be temporary. The 21-year-old righty had a 41:16 K:BB over 38 innings at Triple-A Salt Lake (and a 5.21 ERA, but you take what silver linings you can get in a PCL desert park), while Jack Kochanowicz has had trouble finding the plate lately (4.61 ERA, 22:19 K:BB in his last 27.1 innings) and Kyle Hendricks has been just plain bad (5.93 ERA, six homers allowed in his last 27.1 IP). Dana got crushed in his big-league debut last September, but he has a quality arsenal with a mid-90s fastball, changeup and slider if he can sharpen his command enough. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Chad Green / Yariel Rodriguez, Blue Jays: This is a week to make some spec saves plays in the AL. Jeff Hoffman remains the closer in Toronto, but he's blown three of seven save chances in May with a ungodly 16.71 ERA in seven innings, including four homers allowed. Better relievers have lost their ninth-inning jobs with better numbers. If Hoffman does get shifted to a lower-leverage role, the obvious option to replace him, Yimi Garcia, just landed on the IL with shoulder trouble. Green got a save back on May 8 and racked up 17 in 2024, and the veteran righy has been effective this season with a 3.22 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 20:5 K:BB in 22.1 innings. If the Jays want to try and find a long-term solution though, they might give Rodriguez a look. The 28-year-old Cuban has been thriving in a high-leverage relief role this year, and through 12.2 innings in May he's posted a 0.71 ERA, 0.55 WHIP and 15:2 K:BB, with his slider generating a whiff rate north of 40 percent on the season. Manager John Schneider has generally been the "go with the guy who has closer experience" type, so if a switch is made he'll probably default to Green, but Rodriguez is clearly the best pitcher in the Toronto bullpen right now. Green – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5 / Rodriguez – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Andrew Kittredge, Orioles: Felix Bautista hasn't been scuffling as badly as Hoffman, but he had been tagged for at least one run in four straight appearances prior to a clean inning in a non-save situation during the matinee of Saturday's twin bill against Boston. Seranthony Dominguez ended up getting the save in the nightcap, but he's been downright bad this year with a 6.00 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 20:13 K:BB in 18 innings. Kittredge got the hold in that game, and he's looked sharp in two appearances since coming off the IL for his O's debut. Should Bautista eventually be removed from the ninth until he can reclaim his pre-injury form, Kittredge might be the best option to step into the closer role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jordan Leasure, White Sox: The Chicago closer situation looks like it will remain a committee for now – the team's last four saves have gone to four different relievers, with Steven Wilson collecting the most recent one Friday – but Leasure is still the guy with the best chance of emerging with the job on a full-time basis. His last save came Tuesday, and the 26-year-old righty has a 2.57 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 9:2 K:BB through seven innings in May. His 96 mph fastball is a little too hittable, but Leasure's produced a 47.1 percent whiff rate on his slider, and no one else in this bullpen has the raw stuff to match him. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Cole Winn, Rangers: Luke Jackson hasn't picked up a save since April 25 due to a combination of a sore hand after he got hit by a comebacker a couple weeks ago, and poor performances before that. Shawn Armstrong, his replacement as the Texas closer, has blown one of his three save chances in May and carries an 8.59 ERA over his last eight appearances. Chris Martin is a 38-year-old with a sore shoulder, and Robert Garcia has been effective, but far from dominant, as the team's top left-handed setup man. So who's left? How about Winn? The 2018 first-round pick finally got moved to the bullpen full-time in 2024, and this year he's blossomed in a relief role after mostly ditching his ineffective four-seamer, going 26.2 innings this season without allowing an earned run between Triple-A and the majors. The Rangers have been using him as more of a long reliever, but his mid-90s sinker, slider and cutter play up due to his extension, and the team needs someone to step up and stabilize the back end of the bullpen. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Catcher

Victor Caratini, Astros: As long as Yordan Alvarez's hand is bothering him, Caratini should be a nearly everyday player. The veteran switch hitter is slashing .333/.385/.500 in 52 plate appearances since May 10 with two homers, four runs and four RBI, and if you aren't getting much out of your second catcher spot, you could do a lot worse in the short term. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered

Willie MacIver, Athletics: The A's roster turnover included their backup catcher spot, with MacIver getting his first taste of the majors after he was unable to escape Triple-A in the Rockies' system. The 28-year-old was slashing a silly .393/.472/.557 in 34 games for Las Vegas this year, but he's not going to unseat Shea Langeliers. MacIver could still offer some value in deep formats if he plays a couple times a week, though. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Carlos Narvaez, Red Sox: Narvaez's hot streak has firmly buried Connor Wong on the bench. Through 12 games and 47 plate appearances since May 10, Narvaez is slashing .439/.511/.707 with five doubles, two homers, six RBI and eight runs, numbers he can't possibly maintain. As long as he's starting nearly every day though, he should be rostered in any two-catcher format, and unlike Caratini, his long-term outlook for playing time is a lot rosier. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

Jake Rogers, Tigers: Rogers came off the IL on Tuesday and has started two of the Tigers' five games since then, a clear sign that Dillon Dingler will remain the team's No. 1 catcher. Rogers offers some low-BA power at best, even if his workload does increase. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

First Base

Jac Caglianone, Royals: Kansas City promoted its top prospect to Triple-A Omaha last weekend, and through his first five games in the International League, Caglianone has gone 6-for-21 with three homers and a 1:4 BB:K. The Royals have made DH a revolving door all year, so there's a clear spot for Cags once he's deemed ready, and given his current form that could happen sooner rather than later. It's officially stashing season for the sixth overall pick in the 2024 draft. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $3

Nick Loftin, Royals: The guy who might be keeping Caglianone's spot on the 26-man roster warm is Loftin. The 26-year-old utility player was called up Friday after slashing .295/.451/.468 in 40 games for Omaha with four homers and 12 steals. With Michael Massey continuing to struggle, Loftin could get a look on the infield, either at the keystone or at third base with Maikel Garcia shifting to second, but as yet there's no indication manager Matt Quatraro is contemplating that kind of change. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Second Base

David Hamilton, Red Sox: The loss of Alex Bregman for what could be two months creates a huge hole on the Boston infield, and it's not yet clear how the team will fill it. Hamilton could be part of the solution, but he's never played a game at third base at any level, so he'd be more of the second or third domino in the line. His playing time was already creeping up a bit anyway due to Kristian Campbell's struggles, and over his last 10 games Hamilton is batting .368 (7-for-19) with four steals. That speed remains his fantasy calling card, so long as he sees enough action to use it. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

Jorge Mateo, Orioles: It's a good week to be a speedy utility player in the AL East, I guess, or maybe the O's just saw what the Tigers had going with Javier Baez had decided to give it a try. Mateo's been seeing some work in center field of late, and with Ramon Laureano joining Tyler O'Neill and Colton Cowser on the IL, that usage should only increase. Mateo's also swiped four bags and scored five runs in his last six games while going 5-for-13 at the plate, which doesn't hurt. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Lenyn Sosa, White Sox: It's probably time to stop viewing Sosa as just a temp in shallower formats. The 25-year-old can be streaky, sure, but the hot streaks have far outweighed the cold this season, and through 49 games he's slashing .284/.305/.408 with four homers, 14 runs and 16 RBI. The counting stats have been held back by the lineup around him, but Sosa's absolutely locked in right now, batting .395 (17-for-43) over his last 13 games with four doubles and two homers. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Third Base

CJ Alexander, Athletics: Oh look, another A's call-up. Alexander was claimed off waivers from the Royals last September, and the 28-year-old has shown some pop at Triple-A the last few years, slugging 42 homers in 222 career games at the level with a .264/.330/.502 slash line. The A's do have some playing time opening up at the corner infield spots – Gio Urshela just got placed on the IL, and Nick Kurtz could follow him after picking up a hip flexor injury Saturday – but Alexander might not offer much more than some low-BA power. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Kody Clemens, Twins: The 29-year-old has muscled his way into a near everyday role by batting .406 (13-for-32) over his last 10 games with eight extra-base hits, including three homers. Clemens is purely a platoon guy, but the Twins need one of those until Matt Wallner is ready to return, and Clemens has more defensive flexibility than Wallner. The Twins face nothing but RHP next week, so ride the hot streak while it lasts. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Abraham Toro, Red Sox: Alex Bregman's injury gave the Red Sox an excuse to call up Marcelo Mayer, but someone will need to be the kid's veteran backup, and Nick Sogard isn't exactly an institution at first base either. The fact that Toro homered in both ends of Saturday's twin bill won't hurt his playing time outlook, and since being added to the roster in early May, the 28-year-old switch hitter is batting .265 (9-for-34) with two doubles and three long balls. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Miguel Vargas, White Sox: Like Sosa, Vargas is getting little respect due to the uniform he wears, but that needs to change. Over the last month-plus (27 games), the former Dodger prospect is slashing .307/.372/.545 with six homers, 14 runs and 16 RBI, yet he's still got a roster rate under 20 percent on Yahoo. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Rostered

Shortstop

Logan Davidson, Athletics: Yup, another one. Davidson's a 27-year-old switch-hitting infielder who made his big-league debut Saturday when he struck out as a pinch hitter against the Phillies. Davidson played all four infield positions for Triple-A Las Vegas this season, plus left field, and he slashed .310/.456/.437 with seven steals in eight attempts in 40 games to earn his promotion. He might swipe a bag or two if he gets some playing time. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Marcelo Mayer, Red Sox: While Roman Anthony spins his wheels at Triple-A with a .317/.452/.518 slash line, all his top prospect buddies have already been shipped up to Boston. (OK, Boston's basically due east of Worcester, but I'm not missing an opportunity to make a Dropkick Murphys reference.) Mayer got called up for the second game of Saturday's twin bill to fill in for Alex Bregman at third base, and the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft will get every opportunity to prove he's ready for a full-time gig in the majors. I'm not entirely convinced the 22-year-old will pull it off, as his track record in the minors suggests he's the kind of guy who struggles in his first look at a new level – although to be fair he did buck that trend at Triple-A this year. Mayer's got the tools to be a solid five-category contributor without standing out in any area, and about two months to show what he can do for the Red Sox. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $21

Nick Sogard, Red Sox: With Kristian Campbell's attempts to learn to play first base apparently not going well, Sogard remains the default option at the position for the Red Sox. The veteran utility player is holding his own, batting .314 (11-for-35) since May 13 with three doubles, two RBI and six runs, but he offers no power and only modest speed potential, and you have to figure Boston will find an upgrade somewhere eventually. (No, Romy Gonzalez isn't it.) 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Outfield

Andrew Benintendi, White Sox: Benintendi came off the IL on Friday and slotted back into a starting role, going 2-for-7 with a double and three RBI. The veteran outfielder has played 161 games since the beginning of 2024 between various minor injuries and produced 25 homers and 79 RBI with a .228/.291/.397, and there's little reason to expect anything different the rest of the way in 2025. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Dylan Carlson, Orioles: All the injuries in the Baltimore outfield have created an opening for Carlson, and the former Cardinal top prospect has gone 3-for-11 since returning to the majors last weekend. He's attempted two steals in that time and been caught twice, and that's pretty much been the story of his career so far, as his tools just don't quite add up to anything useful. This might be his last chance for the 26-year-old to establish a new narrative. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Denzel Clarke, Athletics: The biggest name among the A's wave of promotions this week, Clarke was slashing .300/.449/.440 through 29 games for Triple-A Las Vegas with zero homers, but a 7-for-8 performance on the basepaths. The 25-year-old has improved his strikeout rate substantially this season, posting a 22.0 percent K rate after a 29.9 percent rate at Double-A in 2024, and his athleticism does suggest he'll get to some power eventually. The A's jettisoned JJ Bleday to make room for him, so Clarke should get a long look in center field. That said, Colby Thomas is also pushing for a promotion – Clarke may have only gotten the nod instead because Thomas isn't yet on the 40-man roster – and Clarke's 0-for-6 start for his big-league career with five K's isn't encouraging. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Nathan Lukes, Blue Jays: Lukes has been on my short list for the column the last couple weeks and been one of the last cuts, and that's looking like a bad call right now. The 30-year-old has become the regular left fielder for the Jays on the strength of a .283/.387/.472 slash line in May with three homers, 10 runs and 11 RBI in 19 games. He's posted solid numbers at Triple-A before and had a nice September for Toronto last season, but it's still tough to view him as anything more than a fourth outfielder in the long run. As long as he keeps producing though, he'll keep playing. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Parker Meadows, Tigers: Meadows began his rehab assignment this week, getting his feet wet with a couple games at Single-A Lakeland before jumping to Triple-A Toledo. The 25-year-old might need his full 20 days to shake off the rust after missing the first two months of the season due to a nerve issue in his arm, but once he's activated he should take over as the starting center fielder for Detroit, and he offers significant power-speed upside once he's back in form, so it's better to stash him a week early than a week late. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Alejandro Osuna, Rangers: The 22-year-old earned a promotion to Triple-A a couple weeks ago after showing improved plate discipline at Double-A Frisco, and now he's getting the call from Round Rock to Arlington after Joc Pederson suffered a fractured hand Saturday. Osuna offers little power, but his speed and on-base skills might be useful in a strong-side platoon role for the Rangers. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Joshua Palacios, White Sox: Palacios seems to have done just enough the last few weeks to keep his starting job even when the White Sox outfield returned to full strength, slashing .275/.315/.471 over his last 16 games with two homers, five RBI and five runs. Those numbers don't move the needle in shallower formats, but with Andrew Vaughn and Tim Elko both out of the picture for now, Palacios' playing time appears safe. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

Mike Tauchman, White Sox: Tauchman returned from the IL at the same time as Benintendi, and in two games he's gone 2-for-8 with his first homer of the year. The veteran outfielder's .242/.346/.376 career slash line is an accurate reflection of his skills, but the White Sox don't have better options right now. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Lane Thomas, Guardians: Out of action for over a month with a wrist injury, Thomas was activated from the IL on Thursday and has started two of Cleveland's last three games in center field. It's looking increasingly likely that his 2023 breakout with the Nationals was just a mirage, but the 29-year-old should still be good for some steals with the occasional homer. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Rostered

Matt Vierling, Tigers: The 28-year-old was sidelined to begin the year with shoulder trouble, but Vierling made his first start of the season Saturday in center field, going 1-for-4 with two RBI. He'll fill his usual utility role, bouncing between third base and all three outfield spots as needed while supplying solid power numbers. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11