AL FAAB Factor: Throwing Gaus

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

Danny Duffy, Royals – Duffy (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Friday and is scheduled to throw another one Sunday. He has reported that the pain in his arm is a one on a scale of one to 10, whereas previously it had been a five or six. Though he is eligible to come off the DL on Monday, that does not seem likely at this point. Still, it's encouraging that the pain has subsided and he can get back to pitching. Before he left, he had a 5.87 ERA (4.63 FIP) with 30 strikeouts and 19 walks over 38.1 IP. He'll likely need a rehab start or two before being activated. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Buck Farmer, Tigers – In his season debut, Farmer pitched five innings and allowed seven earned runs, with one strikeout, and one walk against the Angels on the road. It's certainly not the first impression he was looking to make, but it was just one start. Prior to his promotion, Farmer had a 2.98 ERA (2.67 FIP) with 50 strikeouts and 19 walks over 51.1 IP at Triple-A Toledo. The top pitching prospect in the Tigers system, he might only get a few more starts in the majors before Justin Verlander (triceps) is back and the team will have to make a decision. This week he gets the A's at home. Mixed: $1; AL: $5.

Kevin Gausman, Orioles – Gausman (shoulder) will come off the DL and be sent to Triple-A Norfolk, where he'll be stretched out as a starter. At that point, if he's pitching well enough, he could be a candidate to rejoin the Orioles as a part of the rotation. The fact that he's over his shoulder woes is a step in the right direction, so he should be all set to dominate Norfolk like he has in the past. It's too early to say where he slots into the team's rotation, but I doubt Bud Norris will stand in his way this time around. As a starter last season with the Orioles, Gausman had a 3.57 ERA (3.48 FIP) with 88 strikeouts and 38 walks over 113.1 IP. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Alex Gonzalez, Rangers – Chi Chi made his MLB debut Saturday night against the Red Sox and pitched 5.2 innings with two hits, no earned runs, five walks, and two strikeouts. Previously at Triple-A Round Rock, he had a 4.15 ERA (3.99 FIP) with 26 strikeouts and 19 walks over 43.1 IP. Considered one of the better prospects in the Rangers system, he's likely here to stay, though he'll need to show better command that what he had at Round Rock. Still, he's got a bit of a leash, as Ross Detwiler (shoulder) will return to a role in the bullpen. This week Gonzalez should get the Royals on the road. Mixed: $1; AL: $5.

Kendall Graveman, A's – In his two starts, since coming back up from Triple-A Nashville, Graveman has pitched 11.2 innings with three earned runs, 10 strikeouts and four walks. With Drew Pomeranz (shoulder) on a rehab assignment, it's unclear how long Graveman will hang around in the rotation, but he should stick around as long as he remains effective. For now he needs to be owned in all AL-only formats, as pitching in Oakland is a pretty good spot to be in. This week he gets the Tigers and Red Sox on the road. If he passes both of those tests, he should have his rotation spot solidified. Mixed: $2; AL: $6.

Andrew Heaney, Angels – Heaney got knocked around this week at Triple-A Salt Lake, as he gave up seven earned runs over 5.1 innings with two strikeouts and one walk. The top pitching prospect in the Angels system, Heaney has a 3.86 ERA (2.59 FIP) with 51 strikeouts and 13 walks over 56 innings at Salt Lake. There's no spot for him in the Angels rotation right now, but that might change if Matt Shoemaker doesn't curb his appetite for home runs soon. For now, Heaney and his investors will need to remain patient. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Brian Johnson, Red Sox – Now that Eduardo Rodriguez is up, Johnson might be the next starter Boston calls up, and considering how poorly the Red Sox starters have pitched this season, he may not have to wait much longer. On the season at Triple-A Pawtucket, Johnson has a 2.60 ERA (3.00 FIP) with 57 strikeouts and 17 walks over 55.1 IP. He doesn't have the upside that Rodriguez does, but he's close to finished product. In his most recent outing he pitched six perfect innings with nine strikeouts, showing he's ready for a new challenge. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Lance McCullers, Astros – Through three starts, McCullers has a 2.40 ERA (2.40 FIP) with 18 strikeouts and six walks over 15 innings. He has only pitched five innings or more once and clearly needs to work on his efficiency, but so far the results have been promising. At Double-A Corpus Christi he had a 0.62 ERA (2.03 FIP) with 43 strikeouts and 11 walks over 29 innings, and he skipped Triple-A on his way to the majors. He's hit two batters and has one wild pitch, which speaks to his shakiness at times, but it's clear he can miss bats. This week he gets the Orioles at home. Mixed: $3; AL: $12.

Matt Moore, Rays – Moore (elbow), who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, is close to starting a rehab assignment soon. Considering he battled control issues before his injury and control is one of the last things to return to a pitcher coming off TJ surgery, his rehab starts will be worth watching. Once he is ready to return, he shouldn't have a problem finding a spot in the rotation, as Erasmo Ramirez and Alex Colome have been inconsistent all season long. Moore had a 3.29 ERA (4.10 FIP) with 143 strikeouts and 76 walks over 150.1 innings in 2013. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Sean Nolin, A's – Since coming off the DL with a groin injury, Nolin has been getting stretched out at Triple-A Nashville as a starter. He's only made three starts and has pitched just nine innings, but he has given up one earned run with 10 strikeouts and two walks so far. Once his pitch count is up and he's fully stretched out, he'll be a rotation option for the A's. Last season in the Toronto organization, he had a 3.50 ERA (3.71 FIP) with 74 strikeouts and 35 walks over 87.1 IP at Triple-A Buffalo. He remains one of the top pitching prospects in the A's system. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Bud Norris, Orioles – Norris (illness) is recovering from bronchitis and making rehab starts in the minors. His most recent start was at Double-A Bowie, when he gave up four earned runs over five innings. In his previous start at Triple-A Norfolk, he was torched for nine earned runs over just 2.2 innings, but again, he's recovering from being sick. It's unclear if he'll make another rehab start, but judging by his first two, he's not ready to return to the majors. When he does return, possibly later this week, it will likely be at the expense of Mike Wright, despite the fact that Norris has pitched about as poorly as possible this season. He has a 9.88 ERA (5.43 FIP) with 18 strikeouts and 13 walks over 27.1 IP. If the Orioles are wise, they'll move him to the bullpen, where his lack of a third pitch won't hurt him as much and his fastball/slider combination can play up a bit. If he's a starter, you want nothing to do with him until he proves he has turned things around. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Ivan Nova, Yankees –Nova is close to starting a rehab assignment soon as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. Once he's stretched out and looks ready to return, Nova should have zero problem finding a spot in the Yankees rotation, as Chris Capuano has been a disaster and Nathan Eovaldi remains a work in progress. Nova had a 3.10 ERA (3.62 FIP) with 116 strikeouts and 44 walks over 139.1 innings in 2013. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Brett Oberholtzer, Astros – Oberholtzer (finger) will be activated from the 15-day DL on Monday to start against the Orioles at home and should get another start later in the week against the Blue Jays on the road. He's been battling blister issues for the last month and as such only has one start to his name this season. He'll take the rotation spot left by Scott Feldman (knee), who is out for the next six weeks, so Oberholtzer has a bit of a leash. He doesn't have great swing-and-miss stuff, but he has pretty good control, which makes him an option in AL-only formats. Last season with the Astros he had a 4.39 ERA (3.56 FIP) with 94 strikeouts and 28 walks over 143.2 IP. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Red Sox – Rodriguez came up from Triple-A Pawtucket last week to shut out the Rangers for 7.2 innings on the road. He struck out seven walked two, and gave up just three hits in his smashing debut, and the Red Sox had no choice but to keep him up and go to a six-man rotation, though that should end soon with Joe Kelly likely getting the boot. Considered one of the top prospects in the organization, Rodriguez had a 2.98 ERA (2.35 FIP) with 44 strikeouts and seven walks over 48.1 IP at Pawtucket this season. Possibly the best pitcher on the active roster right now, Rodriguez should be here to stay. This week he gets the Twins at home. Mixed: $4; AL: $16.

Mike Wright, Orioles – Through three starts, Wright has a 1.40 ERA (3.92 FIP) with 12 strikeouts and three walks over 19.1 innings. He has shown great control, walking zero batters in two of those starts. There is talk that Bud Norris may rejoin the Orioles rotation soon, perhaps at the expense of Wright, but that would be a mistake, as Norris fits in the bullpen better. Prior to his promotion, Wright had a 2.64 ERA (3.07 ERA) with 30 strikeouts and nine walks over 30.2 IP at Triple-A Norfolk. This week he should get the Astros and Indians on the road unless Norris butts in. Mixed: $2; AL: $8.

Steven Wright, Red Sox – Through three starts, Wright has a 3.71 ERA (4.76 FIP) with 10 strikeouts and three walks over 17 innings. He's a knuckleballer, so it's tough to find fault with his command and really outside of Josh Hamilton, he's pitched pretty well. With the promotion of Eduardo Rodriguez, Wright could be out of a starting gig soon, but if the team does right by him, they'll move Joe Kelly to the bullpen where he belongs. It's tough to say what to expect from Wright going forward, but right now he's an effective member of the Red Sox rotation, which is more than most can say for themselves. This week he gets the Twins at home. Mixed: $2; AL: $8.

Relief Pitching

Roberto Osuna, Blue Jays – Despite giving up two earned runs this week, Osuna is showing he can dominate, as he has a 1.46 ERA (1.98 FIP) with 24 strikeouts and six walks over 24.2 innings. He's likely the best arm in the Blue Jays pen right now, but as long as Brett Cecil has the closer role, Osuna will continue to be used to set him up. If you're speculating for saves, you need to own Osuna, no matter the format. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Carson Smith and Tom Wilhelmsen, Mariners – Fernando Rodney is a mess right now, as he's given up at least one earned run in seven of his last 10 appearances and owns a bloated 7.08 ERA. This week he blew a save, giving up three earned runs, but was credited with a win after the team won the game in the 10th inning. It probably didn't help that he threw 29 pitches in that inning, but at least he got two days off following the game. Meanwhile, Smith has been excellent in a setup role with a 0.86 ERA (2.53 FIP), 24 strikeouts, and five walks over 21 innings. The only knock against him is his lack of experience, as he has just 31 appearances in the majors, but that hasn't affected him yet. As for Wilhelmsen, who has 54 career saves to his name, he's back from the DL after dealing with an elbow injury and has shown no ill effects, with a 1.69 ERA (1.42 FIP), 14 strikeouts, and three walks over 10.2 innings. It wouldn't surprise me to see either Smith or Wilhelmsen in the closer role soon, as it's highly unlikely Rodney holds onto the gig if he keeps on playing with fire like this. Both - Mixed: $2; AL: $8.

Catcher

Welington Castillo, Mariners – Traded from the Cubs to the Mariners, Castillo has only appeared in four games since coming over in the middle of May, but he still figures to have value in AL-only formats, as starter Mike Zunino is hitting below the Mendoza Line. Castillo hasn't gotten much playing time in general this season, but holds a career .251 batting average and has historically hit lefties well (.298 career batting average). The longer Zunino slumps, the more at-bats Castillo is likely to see. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Steve Clevenger, Orioles – Clevenger was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk last week when Ryan Lavarnway was designated for assignment. Clevenger will back up Caleb Joseph for a few games until Matt Wieters (elbow) is activated later this week. Once that happens, Clevenger figures to go back to Norfolk, where he had a .352/.413/.451 batting line with two home runs over 104 plate appearances. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

John Jaso, Rays – Jaso (wrist) remains on the DL, but has begun swinging a bat, and we should soon have a better idea of his timetable for return, as he'll be starting a rehab assignment soon. Until then, he remains a decent player to stash, as he's catcher-eligible, but should be in the lineup most days at DH. For his career, he has a .259/.359/.399 batting line, which is better than most catchers can say. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Josh Phegley, A's – Phegley started three games last week when Stephen Vogt moved over to first base and Mark Canha played left field (and the offense-challenge Sam Fuld hit the bench). Phegley has a .286/.339/.375 batting line with one home run over 62 plate appearances this year. A veteran of the minors, Phegley hit .278/.330/.477 at Triple-A Charlotte over four seasons before coming up and getting traded to the A's in the offseason. Keep an eye on this situation, as Phegley may continue to see at-bats if Fuld is relegated to the bench. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Josmil Pinto, Twins – Pinto is slashing just .252/.329/.400 for Triple-A Rochester this season, but he has continued to show some nice power with five home runs over 173 plate appearances. Meanwhile in the majors, Kurt Suzuki is hitting .230/.277/.356 against right-handers. At some point soon it might make sense to send away Chris Herrmann and see what Pinto can do in the majors again. Last year he hit .219/.315/.391 with seven home runs over 197 PA with the Twins. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

First Base

Ike Davis, A's – Davis (quad) took batting practice this week as he works his way back from injury. Once he starts running, we'll have a better idea of when he'll return. For now, he is a nice player to stash in AL-only formats. Mark Canha, Max Muncy, and now Stephen Vogt have done a pretty good job of filling in for Davis, so don't expect the A's to rush him back. Davis hit .282/.348/.427 with two home runs over 115 plate appearances before getting injured. Mixed: $1; AL: $5.

Jake Elmore, Rays – With James Loney (finger) out 4-6 weeks, Logan Forsythe was slated to become the new Rays everyday first baseman, but that only lasted three games, as now he's back at second base and Elmore will be the team's first baseman, at least for now. Since coming back up from Triple-A Durham, Elmore has gone 5-for-14 with two doubles. At Durham he hit .326/.465/.360 with two stolen bases over 110 plate appearances. He has zero power and limited speed, so don't be surprised if he doesn't last long in the role. It would actually make more sense to allow Forsythe to play first base and see if Nick Franklin can get going at second base, but we're not there yet and Franklin still has just two hits in 24 at-bats. Mixed: $1; AL: $5.

Grant Green, Angels – It might be nothing, but Green was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake last week and started a game at first base when Albert Pujols got a day off. He has now played at first and second base, and last season he played all over the infield (and left field). At Salt Lake he hit .329/.351/.457 with one stolen base over 148 plate appearances. He's a utility player, but perhaps one with a little extra value because of where he can play defensively. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Jesus Montero, Mariners – After starting the month hot, Logan Morrison's bat has cooled to the point that he has just two extra-base hits in the last two weeks. Meanwhile at Triple-A Tacoma, Montero is hitting .303/.333/.454 with six home runs over 198 PA and is showing he may be ready for another promotion. Another option for the Mariners would be to sit down Dustin Ackley and his .177 batting average, move Seth Smith to LF and Nelson Cruz to RF and let Montero DH. Either way, Montero is doing enough in the minors to warrant a speculative add. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Jonathan Singleton, Astros – Singleton had a quiet week, but he still hit a home run, which is typical for him. He's now hitting .264/.368/.586 with 14 home runs over 204 plate appearances. Numbers like that have him knocking on the door for another promotion back to the majors. When he was up last season, he hit .168/.285/.335 with 13 home runs over 362 PA and struck out 37 percent of the time. I'm skeptical he's made significant changes in his approach to where he won't strike out as often the next time up, but even if he has a similar approach, the power should still play. With no clear path to playing time, Singleton and his owners will need to remain patient. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Second Base

Ryan Flaherty, Orioles – Flaherty (groin) was activated from the DL last week and has since started four of five games at second base for the Orioles. It's unclear if he'll remain the starter, as he's not all that talented offensively and the team has options in Everth Cabrera and Steve Pearce. On the season, Flaherty is hitting .244/.358/.467 with two home runs over 53 plate appearances. For now he has value in AL-only formats. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Ryan Goins, Blue Jays – Steve Tolleson got the first crack at second base after Devon Travis (shoulder) hit the DL, but Goins has since come on and started four of the last five games at the keystone. Travis was sore after his rehab appearance with Triple-A Buffalo on Friday and now does not look likely to return Monday as originally planned. The setback should only delay Travis' return slightly, so don't expect Goins to hold much value past this week. On the season he's batting .241/.289/.330 with one home run over 125 plate appearances. Mixed: No; AL: $1.

Rougned Odor, Rangers – With the news that Tommy Field was designated for assignment, it looks increasingly likely that Odor will be back up in the majors soon. It helps that he is hitting .309/.397/.691 with five home runs over 64 plate appearances at Triple-A Round Rock. This comes after he struggled to start the season by hitting just .144 over 103 PA in the majors. The team has used a combination of Adam Rosales and the freshly-called-up Hanser Alberto, but I wouldn't read too much into that, as neither has the upside of Odor. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Rob Refsnyder, Yankees – Stephen Drew has started eight of the last nine games at second base for the Yankees and is hitting just .158/.226/.303 with five home runs over 169 plate appearances. This is after he hit .162/.237/.299 with seven home runs over 300 PA last season between Boston and New York. Only on a one-year contract, Drew needs to be designated for assignment posthaste. Jose Pirela would make some sense as a replacement, but he's hitting just .200 with one extra-base hit and no walks in his 30 at-bats. That leads us to Refsnyder, who is hitting .286/.362/.393 with two home runs and five stolen bases over 188 PA at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Offensively he seems ready, but it's his defense that needs refinement. Perhaps the Yankees can let him learn on the job, as Drew is in an 0-for-26 slump and shows no signs of pulling out of it. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Adam Rosales, Rangers – Now that Tommy Field has been designated for assignment, it looks like Rosales is going to get another shot to be the Rangers' starting second baseman. In the last two weeks, he has perked up offensively with a .261 average, one home run, and one steal over 23 at-bats. Still, he remains a career .225 hitter and not one that is likely to hold the job for long considering his lack of power and speed. Expect Rougned Odor to get called up sooner rather than later and Rosales to go back to his utility role. For now though, he gets a boost in short-term value. Mixed: $1; AL: $3.

Shortstop

Hanser Alberto, Rangers – Called up this week from Triple-A Round Rock when Tommy Field was designated for assignment, Alberto figures to be a short-term answer to the question of who should play second base for the Rangers. He's a shortstop by glove and hit .303/.321/.421 with two home runs and four stolen bases over 157 PA at Round Rock this season. It's in the team's best interest to give Alberto as much playing time as possible to see what he can do and relegate Adam Rosales back to a utility role, but we'll have to see how they play it. As convoluted as the Rangers' second base position seems with Rougned Odor knocking on the door for another audition, don't be surprised if Delino DeShields Jr. inserts himself into this mix as well. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Carlos Correa, Astros– Correa fell into a bit of a slump this week at Triple-A Fresno, but still managed to hit a home run, which should surprise no one. He's now hitting .250/.321/.431 with three home runs and three stolen bases in 81 PA at Fresno. The slump shouldn't lower any bidding on him, as he's the top prospect in the game still in the minors and figures to make an immediate impact when called up. At this point, as long as he doesn't fall apart at Triple-A, I think we'll see him in the majors within the next two weeks. He shouldn't be on the waiver wire of any leagues, no matter the size. Mixed: $10; AL: $30.

Eduardo Escobar, Twins – Danny Santana is broken offensively, as his plate discipline is awful (two walks and 44 strikeouts in 166 PA), his contact rate is down (76 percent to 72 percent this season), and he's not showing any power (zero home runs). If Santana doesn't get going things turned around quickly, it wouldn't be surprising to see Escobar steal playing time away, as he's actually been the better player offensively despite hitting just .246/.271/.349 with two home runs and one stolen base over 134 plate appearances. Again that's not anything special, but Santana is hitting just .230/.248/.311 with four stolen bases. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Francisco Lindor, Indians – Jose Ramirez is in a 2-for-16 slump and is now batting just .187/.260/.246 with one home run and eight stolen bases over 154 plate appearances this season. Lindor meanwhile is hitting .251/.323/.352 with one home run and eight stolen bases over 203 PA at Triple-A Columbus. I know it seems like we go over this almost every week, but as soon as Lindor gets going offensively, I fully expect to see him in the majors and Ramirez in the minors. There is almost nothing else Ramirez can do to give up the job, as his defense is below average too. It's still surprising to me we haven't seen more of Mike Aviles at short, but then again he's been in and out of the lineup as he tends to his sick daughter. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Ketel Marte, Mariners – The early results from the 2015 Chris Taylor-at-shortstop experiment are in and it has been ruled a failure, as he's hitting just .161/.224/.210 with two extra-base hits and two stolen bases over 67 plate appearances. As such, it wouldn't be surprising to see him demoted back to Triple-A Tacoma soon. Brad Miller was a bit of an improvement, but he's in an 0-for-17 slump right now and his batting line is down to .227/.304/.411. Moreover, he's a not a great choice defensively either. Meanwhile, in Triple-A Tacoma, Marte has a .339/.389/.427 batting line with two home runs and 16 stolen bases over 214 PA. This isn't out of nowhere, as he hit .304/.335/.411 with four home runs and 29 stolen bases over 562 PA last season between Double-A Jackson and Triple-A Tacoma. A top prospect within the Mariners farm system, he's the shortstop of the future and now it's just a matter of when - not if - we see him this season, as the options ahead of him are fading quickly. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Jonathan Villar, Astros – Villar has started to get a little bit of extra playing time lately over Marwin Gonzalez, as he's played better offensively. In May, he's hitting .296/.345/.370 after slashing just .133/.235/.133 in April. The discussion of playing time between Villar and Gonzalez will likely be made moot when Carlos Correa gets called up, but we're not there quite yet. For now, Villar looks like a decent short-term option for owners scrounging for shortstop help in AL-only formats, as he's improved his eye and contact rate from a season ago. Mixed: No; AL: $4.

Third Base

Gordon Beckham, White Sox – Beckham started all three games against the Blue Jays last week at third base, as Conor Gillaspie (foot) sat out in the hopes of preventing any issues with his plantar fasciitis due to the turf in Toronto. Beckham then started the first game of a doubleheader Thursday and started again Saturday. Whether it's official or not, Beckham is splitting time with Gillaspie at third and if anything, has taken over as the starter as the White Sox look to preserve Gillaspie's health. If you're comparing stats, Gillaspie is hitting .245/.283/.387 with two home runs over 113 plate appearances while Beckham is hitting .260/.333/.438 with three home runs over 84 PA. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Kyle Kubitza, Angels – David Freese has eight home runs, but he's hitting just .228 this season and while that might be enough to keep his job for now, Kubitza is not that far off. At Triple-A Salt Lake, he's hitting .297/.360/.469 with three home runs and one stolen base over 214 PA. Kubitza is just 24 and doesn't have much power or speed, but he's been solid in the batting average department in the upper minors. If your AL-only league allows you to stash minor leaguers for later this season, Kubitza is a decent name to remember. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Giovanny Urshela, Indians– If you haven't noticed lately, Lonnie Chisenhall is hitting just .184 over the last two weeks and is batting a meager .211 on the season. Meanwhile at Triple-A Columbus, Urshela is hitting .310/.333/.552 with three home runs over 60 PA. He hasn't shown much power in the minors, but he's just 23 and has a .280 batting average over 490 PA at the Triple-A level. If Urshela can keep up his recent hot streak that includes two home runs in the last week, he'll find himself in the majors this summer, as Chisenhall isn't doing much offensively. Mixed: No; AL: $3.

Outfield

Oswaldo Arcia, Twins – Arcia (hip) is currently on a rehab assignment and is likely to be activated sometime early this week. Before he left, he hit .276/.338/.379 with two home runs over 65 plate appearances. He clearly has power, but it's just a matter of if he'll make enough contact to not ruin his batting average. Though it's only 65 PA, the early answer was yes, as his contact rate was up and his strikeout rate was down. Out for almost a month, Arcia should be owned in all AL-only formats and most mixed leagues. Mixed: $4; AL: $15.

Rajai Davis, Tigers – With Victor Martinez (knee) on the DL and J.D. Martinez playing DH, Rajai has started to see more regular playing time. On the season he's hitting .269/.350/.398 with one home run and 12 stolen bases over 124 plate appearances. He's battling Tyler Collins for playing time as well, but Collins offer a similar skill set with none of the experience that Davis has. If you're in need of some cheap speed, check to see if Davis is available in your mixed league. Mixed: $3; AL: Owned.

Ramon Flores, Yankees – With Slade Heathcott (quad) hitting the DL, Flores was brought up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he hit .294/.389/425 with four home runs and one stolen base over 185 plate appearances. He'll play left field and could platoon with Chris Young, though Young hasn't done much of anything at the plate recently and is in the midst of a 2-for-36 slump. As is, expect Flores to get playing time as long as he hits. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

David Lough, Orioles – Entering Saturday, Lough has started two games in a row in LF and now with Adam Jones (ankle) day-to-day, he's likely to see a bit more playing time in the short-term. On the season he's hitting .282/.333/.359 with one home run in 44 plate appearances. A career .269 hitter over 641 PA, he doesn't have much power or speed. With Alejandro De Aza no longer with the team, at-bats should be a little easier to come by, but he'll still battle Steve Pearce and Travis Snider for playing time. Mixed: $1; AL: $4.

Efren Navarro, Angels – Recalled from the minors Saturday, Navarro was hitting .370/.421/.556 with two home runs over 121 PA at Triple-A Salt Lake. He's up for the third time this season and figures to see sporadic playing time between the outfield and first base, where he was Saturday night. The best-case scenario is that the team gives Matt Joyce some time to clear his head - he's hitting just .182 with three home runs - and Navarro gets his playing time in LF. He doesn't have much power or speed, so he'll need to continue to make contact like he did at Salt Lake to earn playing time. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Angels – Traded from the Mets to the Angels this week, Nieuwenhuis will be a utility outfielder with his new club. He's a career .239 hitter, but has only hit .098 this season with three extra-base hits over 44 PA. Unless an injury strikes, don't expect to see him in the lineup much. Mixed: No; AL: $1.

Steve Pearce, Orioles – Pearce hit two home runs this week as he continues to be shuffled in and out of the Orioles lineup. He's still hitting just .194 on the season, but his six home runs have somewhat made up for it. A .203 BABIP is partly to blame, but he's also showing a weaker eye at the plate this season and making less contact. If he can get that part of his game turned around, there might be hope for him yet. The fact that Alejandro De Aza is off the roster can only help his chances of getting into the lineup moving forward. Mixed: $3; AL: Owned.

Carlos Peguero, Red Sox – Traded from the Rangers to the Red Sox last week, Peguero doesn't figure to hold much fantasy value with his new team. On the season he's hitting .181/.310/.403, but he has four home runs over 87 PA. He has plenty of power, but far too much swing and miss in his bat. Unless something happens to Brock Holt, Peguero will serve as a reserve outfielder and someone to give David Ortiz a breather until Shane Victorino (calf) returns. Last season at Triple-A Omaha, Peguero hit .266/.349/.563 with 30 home runs and 11 stolen bases over 418 PA. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Domingo Santana, Astros – Santana is hitting .295/.403/.584 with 10 home runs over 176 plate appearances at Triple-A Fresno. It's unclear how he fits into the team's plans, as the outfield is already crowded at the major league level, but an injury or trade could change that. Last season at Triple-A Oklahoma City he had similar numbers, but not nearly as much power, as he hit .296/.384/.474 with 16 home runs over 513 PA. He needs to work on striking out less, but in the Houston organization, that doesn't seem to be a priority as long as the power is there. For now, stash him in AL-only formats, where possible. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

J.B. Shuck, White Sox – Shuck started five games this week for the Pale Hose, as Avisail Garcia (knee) has needed some time off to rest. With the extra playing time, Shuck was able to steal three bases over two games, which is a bit surprising, considering he has never shown much speed on the basepaths. Garcia was back in the lineup Saturday, so it looks like Shuck will remain a reserve. On the season he's hitting .278/.344/.296 with four stolen bases over 62 PA. Mixed: No; AL: $2.

Preston Tucker, Astros – Who is hitting third for the team with the best record in the AL? It's Preston Tucker. He's hit third for four games in a row and for good reason, as he's hitting .328/.400/.552 with two home runs over 65 plate appearances since being promoted in early May. Before he was called up, he was hitting .320/378/.650 with 10 home runs over 111 PA at Triple-A Fresno. If for some reason he's still available in your mixed league, fix that pronto. Mixed: $5; AL: $20.

Note: If you have anyone else you'd like me to discuss, just drop a line in the comments section.