AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

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 skills and talent on an A-E scale. Luis Robert 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.

AL FAAB | NL FAAB

Starting Pitcher

Paul Blackburn, Athletics: The 27-year-old got plugged into the rotation Wednesday and had a decent outing against the White Sox, good enough at least to keep him around for now with Chris Bassitt sidelined after taking that scary comebacker. The A's do have other options if Blackburn falters -- Daulton Jefferies, and potentially Mike Fiers in a couple weeks -- so his leash could be short, and his track record isn't encouraging. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Nestor Cortes, Yankees: The unsung hero of the Yankees' recent surge, Cortes has solidified his spot in the rotation with a 3.14 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 26:6 K:BB over his last five appearances, all of five innings or more. The southpaw is all deception, barely averaging 90 mph with his fastball but never seeming to use the same windup twice, and right now hitters just don't know what to make of him. He could be a flash in the pan, but he's an exceptionally fun one to root for, and who doesn't need pitching reinforcements at this time of year? 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Reid Detmers, Angels: The 2020 first-round pick seems like he's going to be allowed to sink or swim in the majors down the stretch, and while Detmers did a lot of the former in his first two big-league starts, he's done a better job of keeping his head above water in his last two and even delivered a quality start against the Astros on Aug. 15. He still makes for a better keeper stash than a re-draft asset, but there's plenty of upside here to gamble on if things begin to click for him. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Taylor Hearn, Rangers: Hearn has graduated from tandem duty into a full rotation spot, going five innings in his most recent appearance and putting up a 2.08 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over his last three outings. The 26-year-old has shown some strikeout potential in the past that hasn't yet developed in the majors as he adjust to getting stretched out again, but he's just a dart throw until he begins getting consistent whiffs. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Griffin Jax, Twins: Sunday's postponement sets Jax up for a possible two-step this week (although at Boston and home versus the Brewers is a bit daunting), but he's pitching well enough to be worth a roster spot even without that potential boost. Over his last four starts, the 26-year-old has a 2.82 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, and the retooling Twins figure to leave him in the rotation down the stretch and let him try to prove he should be locked into a spot for 2022. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Daniel Lynch, Royals: Since returning to the majors in late July, Lynch has allowed three runs or fewer in five straight starts, posting a 2.35 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over that stretch. The 24-year-old lefty isn't yet producing strikeout numbers to match his scouting reports, but so long as the run prevention is there, he has value. Like Jax, Lynch sets up for a two-start week, both on the road against Houston and Seattle. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Eli Morgan, Cleveland: Oh hey, another two-start guy pitching well enough to get a write-up anyway. That's convenient. Morgan is at home for both of his, against the Rangers (nice) and the red Sox (eek), and the 25-year-old has come through with quality starts in three of four August outings, posting a 3.52 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 21:7 K:BB in 23 innings over that stretch. He doesn't have the pedigree of Lynch, or arguably even Jax, but he is a young Cleveland right-hander. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

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

Spenser Watkins, Orioles (vs. LAA, vs. TB)

Relief Pitcher

Jake Brentz, Royals: On Tuesday, Brentz became the sixth Kansas City pitcher to record multiple saves this season, notching his second after picking up his first a couple weeks earlier. The rookie seems to be emerging as the top lefty in the Roayls' bullpen, posting a 2.89 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 11:7 K:BB through 9.1 innings in August, and while the walks are scary, he's kept the ball in the yard and not given up a lot of hard contact (.280 SLG off that 96 mph fastball he throws about 60 percent of the time). His role could lead to a couple more saves before the season is over, and in holds leagues he already has solid value with 13 on the season. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Jose Marte, Angels: Picked up from the Giants in the Tony Watson deal, Marte has big-time stuff with a fastball that scrapes triple digits and a good slider, and he looked great in his big-league debut Friday, fanning four batters across two scoreless innings. His short-term value could be low as there's no guarantee he gets high-leverage work down the stretch, but Raisel Iglesias is a free agent in the offseason and the Angels don't have an obvious in-house candidate to replace him as closer. They're the kind of club likely to splash around some money over the winter to sign or trade for an established ninth-inning guy (I mean, that's how they got Iglesias), but if Marte blows people away over the final weeks, the Halos could decide to spend resources elsewhere. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Collin McHugh, Rays: McHugh got his first career save Saturday, but I almost didn't write him up -- this is the Rays, after all, and the odds are good he doesn't get another. The veteran right-hander is also in that limbo where he's long gone in leagues where he has value in his current role, so if he doesn't get consistent ninth-inning work, he's a waste of your dwindling FAAB budget. McHugh has been amazing this season though, so even in the worst-case scenario, he's not going to hurt you -- he just won't help you in the category you were likely targeting when you bid on him. And there's always that slim chance he emerges as the new Diego Castillo. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Paul Sewald / Drew Steckenrider, Mariners: Speaking of Castillo, he flamed out pretty quick in Seattle, blowing three of four save chances before landing on the IL with shoulder trouble. When will teams learn not to trade for Tampa relievers? The closer job has now fallen back to Sewald and Steckenrider, a duo that sounds like the lead characters in a '80s action show about detectives who don't play by the rules or something. ("Sewald and Steckenrider, coming up next after Airwolf.") Sewald has two saves, a win and a hold in his last five appearances while Steckenrider has two saves, two wins and a hold, so there isn't a lot to separate them. Assume an even split of save chances down the stretch. Both -- 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Nick Snyder, Rangers: It's a good week for stashable fireballing relievers making their debuts. Snyder got called up Friday and struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Saturday, hitting triple digits with four of his 12 pitches. Of course, the Rangers were up 10-1, so it wasn't exactly high-leverage work, but with Joe Barlow tending to a blister the closer job in Texas could be wide open once again, at least for the next week or so. Snyder is the kind of pitcher who could get a chance to closer, lock down the role and never look back, and his ascension through the minors this season was stunning -- 2.45 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 47:5 K:BB in only 33 innings across three levels. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Catcher

Dustin Garneau, Tigers: The 34-year-old was kind of a desperation pickup by Detroit when Eric Haase got hurt, but he's been getting regular playing time and might be ahead of Grayson Greiner in the pecking order. Garneau also has a career .202/.287/.335 slash line, and the only time he has any kind of fantasy appeal was when he called Coors Field home, but if you're just as desperate, he's out there. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Second Base

Nicky Lopez, Royals: I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but Lopez has turned into the player everyone thinks Nick Madrigal is going to be eventually. Maybe it's a Nick/Nicky thing. Anyway, in 30 games since the All-Star break, Lopez is batting .308 while going 9-for-9 in steal attempts. Playing for Kansas City has limited his opportunities to cross the plate (only 14 runs in that time) and he's never going to be mistaken for a power hitter, but if batting average and steals are areas where you can make a move, the 26-year-old should not be left to languish on waivers any longer. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Nick Solak, Rangers: What is with all the Nicks this week? Solak got called back up by Texas after slashing .353/.409/.459 over 22 games for Triple-A Round Rock, but hitting minor-league pitching has never been a problem for him. The 26-year-old is up to almost 750 career MLB plate appearances and has a mediocre .252/.323/.377 line to show for it, and this could be his last chance to prove to the Rangers he has a central role in their rebuild. He'll get regular playing time at second base down the stretch, but I don't have a lot of optimism here. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Third Base

Travis Shaw, Red Sox: Shaw is doing this weird thing where he's essentially reliving his career in reverse. He started with Boston in 2015 before moving on to Milwaukee, then after a stint in Toronto last year he's now suited up for the Brewers and now the Red Sox in 2021. That suggests his next stop is Pawtucket, except the team's Triple-A affiliate moved to Worcester over the winter. He hasn't posted useful numbers since 2018 and isn't likely to suddenly perk up now, so I'm just kind of vamping here trying to find things to say. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Shortstop

Nick Gordon, Twins: Nick No. 4 has been up and down all year for the Twins, but the 25-year-old could be up for good this time with September approaching. Gordon has started four straight games heading into Sunday and is the latest temp keeping center field warm until Byron Buxton is back. There's some steals potential here if he gets on base consistently, but so far he hasn't shown he can do that in the bigs. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Kevin Smith, Blue Jays: Smith's prospect status has been all over the map in recent years, but he put together a strong Triple-A campaign this year and turned it into his first big-league callup. The Jays have been mixing and matching at third base in Cavan Biggio's absence, which could offer Smith a path to semi-regular playing time, but the 25-year-old is likely just in Toronto to soak up that clubhouse atmosphere as Biggio should be back soon. Consider Smith a deep-league keeper stash and nothing more. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Outfield

Daz Cameron, Tigers: Activated from the IL on Thursday, Cameron went 0-for-8 with four strikeouts in his first two games back, which sounds about right. The 24-year-old has plenty of athleticism and upside but hasn't shown the plate skills to put it all together, and while the Tigers have nothing to lose by giving him regular playing time down the stretch, odds are good he's just an AL version of Lewis Brinson. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Daniel Johnson, Cleveland: Johnson is getting another chance in Cleveland and seems intent on forcing the club to consider him for a regular role this time, going 4-for-9 with a homer in his first two starts since his latest promotion. Myles Straw isn't budging from center field but neither Oscar Mercado nor Bradley Zimmer seem like big obstacles, so if Johnson stays hot he might just emerge from the pack, and his minor-league profile suggests solid five-category potential in a bargain-bin Michael Brantley sort of way. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Jake Meyers, Astros: Back when Meyers was first called up, I said in this column I liked him more than Chas McCormick, and even picked him up in a deep keeper league. Then he didn't get any playing time and I impatiently dropped him for a different lottery ticket. My bad. Kyle Tucker's COVID stint opened the door for Meyers to see regular playing time and he's made the most of it, starting 10 of the last 12 games (and eight straight) and slashing .333/.375/.639 over that stretch with three homers and 10 RBI. The 25-year-old had a breakout at Triple-A this season, and now he looks like he's having a breakout in the majors. This could be your last chance to grab him at a reasonable salary. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15