AL FAAB Factor: Gallos Humor for Pitchers

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 free-agent budget you should bid on them.

One size does not fit all, and we could never hope to encompass all league structures, so bids are based on:

• 12-team league (either AL or Mixed, we'll specify)
• 5x5 categories
• $100 FAAB budget

Starting Pitching

Kevin Gausman, Orioles - Gausman is in the minors to get stretched out in his conversion from a reliever back to a starter. After he started exclusively last season with a 3.57 ERA (3.48 FIP), 88 strikeouts and 38 walks over 113.1 innings, it's surprising the team didn't use him as a starter to begin this season. He figures to take Bud Norris' rotation spot, as he has pitched poorly this season with a 9.88 ERA and looked somehow worse, while rehabbing his way back from illness in the minors. Gausman will pitch four innings at Double-A and then get two more outings before being activated, so stash him now. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Chi Chi Gonzalez, Rangers - After two starts, Chi Chi has yet to be scored upon, as pitching 14.2 scoreless innings against the Red Sox and Royals with five hits, seven walks and four strikeouts. Obviously, his scoreless streak will end soon enough and judging by his lack of control he's been lucky to this point. At Triple-A Round Rock he had a 4.15 ERA (3.99 FIP) with 26 strikeouts and 19 walks over 43.1 innings this season. Despite the debut, I wouldn't bid much on him in mixed leagues, as he's still raw and won't get by with this level of control. This week he gets the A's on the road; bid cautiously. Mixed: $2; AL: $6.

Andrew Heaney, Angels - Garrett Richards was destroyed Saturday, as he gave up six earned runs and couldn't get out of the first inning. It might be a blip on the radar or a sign of something more. If it is the latter, expect to see Andrew Heaney get a shot, as he has a 3.73 ERA (2.56 FIP) with 60 strikeouts and 17 walks over 62.2 IP at Triple-A Salt Lake. He's had his own hiccups, but has also shown real dominance, as he had nine strikeouts in his last appearance. Stash him in AL-only formats, as he holds nice upside for later this season. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Mike Montgomery, Mariners - Montgomery allowed one earned run in his MLB debut this week against the Yankees, pitching six innings with four hits, two walks and four strikeouts. Before his promotion, he had a 3.74 ERA (2.88 FIP) with 47 strikeouts and 15 walks over 53 innings at Triple-A Tacoma. A 2008 first-round pick, it has taken Montgomery longer than expected to reach the majors. The team has Hisashi Iwakuma (shoulder) and James Paxton (finger) on the DL, but not too far off from returning, and the team also traded this week for Vidal Nuno, who can start. So Montgomery's time in the majors figures to be brief, though he could always change those plans if he pitches well. This week, he should get the Astros on the road. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Matt Moore, Rays - Moore (elbow) continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery as he pitches in the minors. On a low pitch count, he only went 2.1 innings at High-A Charlotte this week. That number figures to increase as he ramps up his rehab, though the team figures to take it easy with him. Coming back from TJ surgery, watch his control, as he had issues with it before he was injured and it's often the last part to return for pitchers after said surgery. In 2013, he had a 3.29 ERA (4.10 FIP) with 143 strikeouts and 76 walks over 150.1 innings. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Bud Norris, Orioles - Norris returns to the rotation Sunday to face the Indians after going on the DL with an illness. The illness might very well be in his arm, though, as he had a 9.88 ERA (5.43 FIP) before hitting the DL and was shelled in his rehab outings, giving up nine earned runs over 6.2 innings. If he can't get things turned around Sunday or this coming week against the Yankees, he might not last much longer in the rotation, as Kevin Gausman is being stretched out as a starter in the minors. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Ivan Nova, Yankees - Nova (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment Monday, as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. He figures to be on a pitch count, as the team eases him back into pitching against live competition. In 2013, he had a 3.10 ERA (3.62 FIP) with 116 strikeouts and 44 walks over 139.1 innings. If all goes well, we'll see him back by about the All-Star break. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Vidal Nuno, Mariners - Traded from the Diamondbacks this week, Nuno will be the Mariners' long reliever at least to start. But with Hisashi Iwakuma (shoulder) and James Paxton (finger) on the DL, Nuno would join the rotation if rookie Mike Montgomery struggles or if the Mariners opt to return him to Triple-A. Last season between the Yankees and Diamondbacks, he had a 4.29 ERA (4.39 FIP) as a starter with 124 strikeouts and 43 walks over 157.1 innings. He was a long reliever in Arizona, so a conversion to starter shouldn't be difficult. With Montgomery in the rotation, though, the timing doesn't seem right, thus it's best to reserve bidding for now. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Brett Oberholtzer, Astros - In his second start since returning from the DL (finger), Oberholtzer couldn't make it out of the fourth inning against the Blue Jays, as he gave up four runs (two earned) with six hits, three walks and two strikeouts. He has a 3.75 ERA (3.62 FIP) this season with eight strikeouts and seven walks over 12 innings. He needs to pitch deeper into games and show better command or he's not going to last long in the rotation. Last season, he had a 4.39 ERA (3.62 FIP) with 94 strikeouts and 28 walks over 143.2 innings as a starter. This week, he gets Mariners at home. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Relief Pitching

Kevin Jepsen, Rays - Jepsen nailed down back-to-back saves Thursday and Friday, as the Rays have gone to a closer-by-committee it appears. Brad Boxberger has seen his ERA rise from 1.10 to 2.95 in the last two weeks with three saves, but also has two losses and a blown save. Meanwhile, Jake McGee has had one really bad outing, but otherwise been effective, since his return. He figures to see some save chances soon but is likely owned in most leagues. Pick up Jepsen where available, as he's getting save opportunities for now, which is all you can ask for. Mixed: $2; AL: $6.

Carson Smith, Mariners - Smith earned his first career save Saturday night, pitching a clean ninth inning against the Rays with one strikeout. Forget what manager Lloyd McClendon is saying about Rodney or other relievers -- this is Smith's job to run away with. He has a 1.08 ERA (2.36 FIP) with 29 strikeouts and five walks over 25 innings. He doesn't have much experience in the majors, appearing in 35 games, but that hasn't slowed him to this point. Moreover, Fernando Rodney is a complete mess with a 6.94 ERA (5.51 FIP) and shows no signs of turning things around. Until further notice, Smith is the best reliever to own in the Mariners' bullpen. If you're speculating for saves beyond Smith, check on former closer Tom Wilhelmsen, who aside from his recent hiccup has pitched very well with a 2.63 ERA (2.03 FIP), 14 strikeouts and four walks over 13.2 IP. Mixed: $6; AL: $15.

Catcher

Alex Avila, Tigers - Avila (knee) was cleared for baseball activities recently and has taken batting practice. A return date is unclear, but his rehab is trending in the right direction for a return this month. Before he was injured, he hit .200/.342/.317 with two home runs over 74 PA. It'll be interesting to see how the team handles his playing time once he returns, as James McCann has done enough offensively to warrant remaining the starter. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

John Jaso, Rays - Jaso (wrist) and his rehab are coming along slowly, and he's limited to hitting off a tee. This makes him a player worth stashing in AL-only formats, as there is no timetable for his return. When healthy, he has value, as he holds a career .272/.369/.424 batting line against RHP. Keep tabs on his progress. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Dioner Navarro, Blue Jays - Navarro (hamstring) was activated from the disabled list this week and is set to serve as the backup behind Russell Martin. A career .255/.313/.375 hitter, he doesn't hold much value as a backup, though you could certainly do worse for a second catcher in an AL-only format. He hit 25 home runs over the last two seasons, so he has some power. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Jesus Sucre, Mariners - Sucre was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma this week, after the trade of Welington Castillo to the NL. At 27, Sucre holds little fantasy value, as he'll be the backup and likely won't hit for average or power. Over three seasons at Triple-A he hit .281/.316/.344 with two home runs in 302 PA. If you're a Mike Zunino owner, you can rest a bit easier, knowing he's unlikely to lose playing time to Sucre, unlike when Castillo was in town. Mixed: No; AL: $1.

First Base

Kyle Blanks, Rangers - Blanks (back) is set to come off the disabled list as soon as Sunday, but how much he'll play is still yet to be determined. He will most likely not see time at first base, as a healthy Mitch Moreland has become an offensive threat there. Rather, his most likely position will be left field, as the team retools its lineup with Josh Hamilton (hamstring) out. This also means that Delino DeShields Jr. will lose some playing time. Blanks hit .322/.365/.542 with three home runs over 63 PA, before his injury. Mixed: $1; AL: $5.

Ike Davis, A's - Davis (quad) is close to starting a rehab assignment that would lead to his activation by the end of the week potentially. The A's have gotten solid offensive help from Josh Phegley, as Stephen Vogt moves to first and Mark Canha has helped as well, so the team likely will ease him back into things, once healthy. Before he left he hit .282/.348/.427 with two home runs over 115 PA. Mixed: $1; AL: $5.

Jonathan Singleton, Astros - Singleton continues to do his thing at Triple-A Fresno, as his batting line is now up to .271/.381/.573 with 14 home runs over 236 PA. Unfortunately for him, Chris Carter has gotten hot and re-established himself as the offensive force we've seen the last two seasons, meaning Singleton and his investors will need to continue to show some patience. There is little left for him to prove in the minors, so now it's just a matter of when, not if, we'll see Singleton back in the majors. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Justin Smoak, Blue Jays - Edwin Encarnacion's shoulder has been nagging at him for the last two weeks, and this weekend the injury flared up and he was forced to leave Saturday's game. He'll likely need at least one game off, but could need more if the team decides to sit him and let it heal. In the meantime, expect Smoak to cover for him. He has a .263/.356/.434 batting line with three home runs over 87 PA this season. A career .225 hitter, it's doubtful that Smoak has turned things around offensively, but a change of scenery and an improved lineup around him has its benefits. If Encarnacion were to hit the DL, Smoak would have mixed-league value. Mixed: $2; AL: Owned.

Second Base

Hanser Alberto, Rangers - Alberto has gotten off to a quick start as the Rangers' new second baseman with a .344/.344/.438 batting line and one stolen base over 34 PA. At 22, he has almost no power with light speed, so he'll need to continue to hit to keep his roster spot. I expect him to slow down offensively and eventually be replaced by Rougned Odor, who holds more upside, but for now it's Alberto's job. Earlier this season he hit .303/.321/.421 with two home runs and four stolen bases over 157 PA at Triple-A Round Rock. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Ryan Goins, Blue Jays - Devon Travis (shoulder) could be out the remainder of the month, meaning we're likely to see more Goins than perhaps initially expected. He's hitting just .229/.270/.321 with one home run over 146 PA this season and is not the answer offensively. However, the team doesn't have many alternatives, so Goins will need to pick it up or see Munenori Kawasaki eat into his playing time. As is, Goins has little value, even in AL-only formats. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Rougned Odor, Rangers - Odor has hit .349/.438/.687 with five home runs over 98 PA at Triple-A Round Rock and deserves a promotion back to the majors, as the Rangers continue to search for a solid second baseman. He skipped Triple-A on his way to the majors last season but is proving capable of conquering it, in case anyone wondered. At 21, he holds more upside than Hanser Alberto or Adam Rosales, so expect to see him back in the majors soon. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Rob Refsnyder, Yankees -Stephen Drew hit two home runs this week against the Angels, which is nice, but he stills needs to be designated for assignment, as he's hit just .169/.233/.337 this season in 190 PA. When the Yankees do pull the plug on him, expect Refsnyder to get a look, as he's hitting .278/.351/.369 with two home runs over 223 PA at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. At 24, he doesn't have much power, but he can hit for average. His defense needs work, but at some point that can be overlooked when comparing him to Drew, who is dead weight offensively. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Shortstop

Carlos Correa, Astros - Correa is dealing with a sore heel, which has limited his playing time recently. Still, he remains the top offensively prospect still in the minors, and at Triple-A Fresno is just one step away from coming up. He's hitting .266/.336/.447 with three home runs and three stolen bases over 107 PA at Frenso. With the ability to hit for power and average with some speed and nice defense, he should be the total package, once he comes up and settles into the majors. He needs to be owned in all leagues, as the bidding will be fierce, once he's called up. Mixed: $10; AL: $30.

Francisco Lindor, Indians - Nevermind manager Terry Francona's comments that Lindor "is not ready" for a promotion because it's Jose Ramirez who is not ready to play in the major leagues, as he is hitting just .180 with seven extra base hits over 170 PA. Lindor is hitting .269/.342/.393 with two home runs and eight stolen bases over 231 PA at Triple-A Columbus and would be a defensive upgrade, which the pitching staff needs. Offensively, yes, he likely needs more seasoning, but Ramirez is giving them zero offensively, and if he's not going to play elite defense, what use is he? Expect to see Lindor up soon, if he can get his bat going. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Third Base

Joey Gallo, Rangers - To the surprise of most, Gallo was promoted from Double-A Frisco this week to help replace an injured Adrian Beltre (thumb). At Frisco, he hit .314/.425/.636 with nine home runs over 146 PA and struck out in more than a third of his plate appearances. That's nothing new, as he's always had problems with strikeouts and has 12 strikeouts in his first 23 PA, but he also has two home runs and a double, which helps. The power is elite, but as you can tell the strikeouts may be elite too, which is a problem. He needs to be owned everywhere, and the injury to Josh Hamilton may prolong his stay in the majors, but don't be surprised to see him back in the minors in two weeks if he doesn't show an improved eye at the plate and the home runs slow down. Mixed: $10; AL: $30.

Giovanny Urshela, Indians - Lonnie Chisenhall's production continues to stagnate and, he's batting just .208/.240/.347 with four home runs over 185 PA. He's already in a platoon with Mike Aviles, but it's time for the team to sit him and give someone else a shot, and that someone else should be Urshela. He started the season with a back injury that cost him most of April, but since then he's hit .276/.295/.487 with three home runs over 78 PA. He needs to work on his plate discipline and once that improves some or he gets hot at the plate, the team should really considering demoting Chisenhall, in favor of Urshela. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Outfield

Oswaldo Arcia, Twins - Over his hip injury, but not ready offensively to return, Arcia was activated from the DL and optioned to Triple-A Rochester this week. Expect to see him back once he strings together a few hits, as it's unlikely the Twins can go to battle with an outfield of Shane Robinson, Aaron Hicks and Eddie Rosario, none of whom have power. Before the injury, Arcia hit .276/.338/.379 with two home runs over 65 PA. He should be back within a week or so. Mixed: $4; AL: $15.

Byron Buxton, Twins - With the promotion of Joey Gallo this week, it's a good time to mention Buxton, who is a premier prospect at Double-A Chattanooga. I don't expect him up anytime soon, but that was also the case with Gallo, and now he's here. Buxton is hitting .269.329/.481 with 11 triples, six home runs and 19 stolen bases over 240 PA. The speed is certainly there, and defensively he's likely ready for the majors, but he needs more work in the minors after dealing with injuries for much of last season. Still, he should be on the radar of most owners in AL-only formats. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Alejandro De Aza, Red Sox - Traded from the Orioles, after being designated for assignment, De Aza finds himself in a crowded outfield with Shane Victorino (calf) not far from rejoining the team. When that happens, I wouldn't be surprised to see De Aza designated for assignment again, but don't be shocked to see Rusney Castillo sent back to Triple-A Pawtucket either, as he's hit just .222 with no extra-base hits over 46 PA. De Aza has hit .218 this season, but is a career .266 hitter with light power and modest speed. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Ramon Flores, Yankees - Jacoby Ellsbury (knee) is out through the end of the month and as such, Flores continues to see time in left field, as Brett Gardner moves to center. Previously at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he hit .294/.389/.425 with four home runs and one stolen base over 185 PA. In his first seven games he has one double and not much else to speak of. It's a little surprising we haven't seen more from Chris Young, as he has more experience and power. At any rate, unless Flores gets it going offensively soon, expect to see him back at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, once Ellsbury is back, if not sooner. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Mark Trumbo, Mariners - Traded from the Diamondbacks this week, Trumbo figures to make a big splash in AL-only bidding, as he has good power. On the season he's hit .253/.291/.484 with nine home runs over 196 PA. He'll see time at first base, outfield and likely at DH, as the team mixes and matches with injuries and players that need a day off. Trumbo doesn't do much, other than hit for power, so don't expect a nice batting average or any speed. Familiar with the AL West, he should hold plenty of value the rest of the season. Mixed: Owned; AL: $25.

Designated Hitter

Kennys Vargas, Twins - Vargas has spent almost two weeks at Triple-A Rochester since being demoted and has hit .320/.407/.540 with three home runs over 50 PA. At this point, I'm not sure what point the team is trying to make by leaving him there, as he's a DH, so it's not like they should expect his defensive chops to improve enough to stick in the outfield or elsewhere. Before he left, he hit .248/.295/.362 with three home runs over 112 PA, it's not like he was really struggling, though his plate discipline can use some work. Expect to see him up sooner rather than later. Mixed: $1; AL: $6.

Note: Got another player to discuss? Drop a line in the comments.