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. Wander Franco 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

Chris Archer, Twins: Minnesota was one of the busiest teams in the league after the lockout ended, but signing Archer to round out the rotation didn't generate the buzz bringing in Carlos Correa or even Sonny Gray did. Archer hasn't had a particularly useful season from a fantasy perspective since 2017, but even last year in his truncated return from thoracic outlet surgery he still maintained a good strikeout rate, which is no mean feat. Don't expect too much from him, but he could at least be a streamable option in deep formats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Matt Brash, Mariners: As you look through this initial column for 2022, you'll notice a distinct lack of the biggest-name prospects in the American League. There's a reason for that. Everywhere I looked, guys like Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt, Spencer Torkelson, even Reid Detmers, were already gone in shallow formats. That doesn't mean there won't be available rookies on Opening Day rosters, however. Seattle's rotation is a prime shopping ground, as while swapping Yusei Kikuchi out for Robbie Ray was a big upgrade, there's still a glaring lack of depth when it comes to established arms. The door was wide open for a youngster to win a job this spring, and Brash lived up to his name by kicking it down anyway. He erupted onto the prospect scene last season by posting an 80:23 K:BB through 55 innings at Double-A, using a fastball that brushes triple digits and a plus slider to carve up hitters in the once and future Texas League. That dominance continued this spring, as the 23-year-old righty delivered a 12:2 K:BB through 9.1 Cactus League innings to secure his rotation spot. Given the buzz around him, there could be a lot of early dollars tossed Brash's way, but he also has the upside to be worth every penny. 12-team Mixed: $7; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $15

Sonny Gray, Twins: Acquired a few weeks ago from the Reds in exchange for 2021 first-round pick Chase Petty, Gray immediately slots in as the Twins' ace. During his three seasons in Cincinnati, the right-hander posted a 3.49 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 10.6 K/9, although his numbers declined a bit in 2021 due to back and groin issues. He was also the victim of some atrocious infield defense behind him as well as an unfriendly home ballpark, both of which shouldn't be big factors with his new team. Gray offers a significant rotation upgrade for GMs in AL-only leagues that have already left the draft table, so bid accordingly. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $25

Spencer Howard, Rangers: Once upon a time, Howard was the Phillies' top pitching prospect, but injuries dimmed his status and he got shipped to the Rangers last season in a deal that has a chance to look very, very bad for Philadelphia if he can turn things around. Howard struggled last year for Texas, but he's consistently put up excellent numbers in the minors, and he looked good enough this spring (6:0 K:BB in five innings over two appearances, for what that's worth) to win the No. 5 starter job. When he's in top form his fastball, slider and changeup have all flashed plus, so the real question is whether he can stay healthy enough to put it all together. If you're looking for a bargain upside stash for your staff, or just have a thing for post-hype sleepers, Howard's your man. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Yusei Kikuchi, Blue Jays: The southpaw had to wait until after the lockout to sign somewhere, but Kikuchi found one of the best possible landing spots for his fantasy value in Toronto. While everyone's going to be hoping he becomes the next Robbie Ray, his profile suggests it's more likely he'll be this year's Steven Matz, who got his ratios in check under pitching coach Pete Walker and won 14 games with that juggernaut Jays offense at his back. Kikuchi offers more strikeout upside than Matz, but he had the same maddening inconsistency in Seattle – despite seemingly good raw stuff – that the man he's replacing did with the Mets before joining the Jays. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $11

Jake Odorizzi, Astros: For some reason, despite a nearly guaranteed spot in a contender's Opening Day rotation, Odorizzi has consistently slipped through the cracks at the draft table this preseason. To pick just one example, in the NFBC 12-team mixed RotoWire OC qualifiers, the veteran right-hander has only ended up on two rosters out of 58 leagues so far. By comparison, Cristian Javier, who's starting the year in the bullpen, is on 55 of 58 rosters. Granted, Odorizzi's coming off a couple rough, injury-plagued seasons, but he was cruising through the first half in 2021 before fading late, and as long as Lance McCullers isn't ready to go , Odorizzi should get a regular turn for Houston. Of course, that's assuming he doesn't break down again himself. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Michael Pineda, Tigers: Another late signing, Pineda inked a one-year deal a couple weeks ago to help stabilize Detroit's rotation. Unfortunately, that late signing also delayed him getting a work visa, and his late arrival in camp means he'll probably miss a couple turns in the rotation, with Tyler Alexander set to fill in. Pineda is what he is at this stage of his career. Over the last three seasons with the Twins, the 33-year-old righty posted solid ratios but sub-par strikeout rates, and moving to the Tigers doesn't exactly improve his outlook for wins. Pineda should be a decent streaming option or deep-league rotation filler. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Tyler Wells, Orioles: I will give credit to the O's for recognizing that a rotation arm, even if it's just a middling one, is worth more to them than a closer right now. Wells had some mild saves buzz prior to camp starting, but Baltimore elected to stretch him out instead and he's held up, posting a 7:3 K:BB over 7.2 Grapefruit League innings. The 27-year-old righty delivered a 29.0 percent strikeout rate last year while working exclusively in relief, a number that's likely to drop as a starter, and working more innings and getting more fatigued won't help him keep the ball in the park, but there's a smidge of upside here and hey, if starting doesn't work out, maybe he ends up collecting some saves later in the season anyway. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Relief Pitcher

Matt Bush / Greg Holland / Spencer Patton, Rangers: Texas' bullpen remains a bit of a mess. Joe Barlow was thought to be the favorite for the closer job coming into camp, but apparently manager Chris Woodward doesn't think he'll hold up well under the pressure of that role, or somehow sees a guy with a meh 24.3 percent strikeout rate last year as a fireman. As a result, ninth inning is wide open. Of the three guys listed here, Holland seems marginally more likely to handle closing duties to me – you don't even bother signing a guy like Holland unless it's to collect saves while better pitchers take on high-leverage spots – but Bush did get a look in the closer role with Texas back in 2017, while Patton... actually, I can't think of any particular reason to like Patton for the job. Keep in mind, this list is far from exhaustive. The club does have a couple younger relievers with actual plus stuff who have had trouble staying healthy so far in their careers, like Nick Snyder (touched triple digits with his fastball in 2021, 4:0 K:BB through four spring innings) and Demarcus Evans (already sent down to Triple-A), so none of the pitchers named as possible closers to start the year might even get to double digits in saves. Really, I'm probably stashing Snyder on the cheap in deep formats and passing on this trio if I'm investing anything in this bullpen, but at least out of the gate, these seem like the three guys to chase if you are already scrounging for saves. Bush – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2 / Holland – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3 / Patton – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Hector Neris, Astros: While the pitcher himself doesn't seem concerned, there have been reports Ryan Pressly's velocity is down in camp. As a result, there could be a mad scramble for whoever is seen as the next in line for the Astros, which would be Neris. The former Phillies closer has always had good stuff and strikeout numbers, but his command has prevented him from being an elite relief arm. The ball doesn't always end up going where he wants, and mid-90s fastballs over the heart of the plate can travel a long, long way. If you're invested in Pressly and just want to grab Neris as insurance, I have to point out this looks like a classic FAB trap to me. Neris is by no means a lock for ninth-inning duties if Pressly falters, and guys like Ryne Stanek or Rafael Montero (once he's healthy) could just as easily get the call from Dusty Baker instead. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Hansel Robles, Red Sox: If you're looking to follow a trail of breadcrumbs to some saves, might I suggest Hansel? The 31-year-old had 14 saves last season, including four for the Red Sox late in the year after they picked him up from the Twins while watching Matt Barnes implode, but after not getting any interest as a free agent, Robles had to settle for a minor-league deal to return to Boston. He returned to the same shaky bullpen scenario he left, only it might be even worse in 2022 with Garrett Whitlock getting a shot at starting. If Barnes looks like his August self out of the gate this season instead of his April self, the Red Sox will have to act quickly, and Robles is the most likely candidate to fall into some early save chances. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Tanner Scott and Dillon Tate, Orioles: Stop me if you've heard this one before – there's confusion over who might work the ninth inning for Baltimore. Tyler Wells was thought to be the favorite to close over the winter, but the O's figured they had nothing to lose by trying him out in the rotation instead. That leaves a host of really unappealing late-inning options in his place. Cole Sulser is the most rostered of the group right now (so much that he's not worth listing a bid for in this column) thanks to his 13 saves over the last two years, but I think he's proven to Brandon Hyde's satisfaction he's definitely not the guy. Of the remaining relief arms, Scott has the best stuff, but he has control issues and as a lefty has been stuck in a high-leverage situational role during his career. Tate is a pure dark horse and didn't post great numbers in 2021, but he's got a decent heater and still has a faint whiff of prospect upside thanks to being the fourth overall pick in the 2015 Draft. Scott – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2 / Tate – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Catcher

Kyle Higashioka, Yankees: The Yankees finally soured on the flaws in Gary Sanchez's game and sent him packing in the offseason, getting Ben Rortvedt in the package from the Twins. Unfortunately, while Rortvedt as a left-handed hitter might have handled the larger side of a platoon behind the plate, an oblique strain will delay the start of his season. In his place, Higashioka will start, backed up by recent trade pickup Jose Trevino. Higashioka had a hot start to 2021 before wilting under increased playing time, and he's doing it again (the hot start part, anyway) this spring by cranking five homers in 20 at-bats, good for a ridiculous .450/.476/1.200 slash line. The 31-year-old has flashed some power in the minors, including 20 homers in 70 games at Triple-A in the happy fun ball era of 2019, but he's just not that kind of hitter over the long haul. Still, he could provide some short-term punch to a fantasy lineup, and his .791 OPS against LHP last year suggests he could still have value in a platoon role once Rortvedt is healthy. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $3

Ryan Jeffers, Twins: The Sanchez trade also may have brightened Jeffers' outlook for 2021. Minnesota will likely give Sanchez plenty of work at DH, to take advantage of his thump without having to deal with his poor work behind the plate, but part of the price of adding him was flipping Mitch Garver to the Rangers. That leaves Jeffers atop the depth chart. The 24-year-old had Sanchez-like contact issues in 2021, hitting .199 in the majors and .217 at Triple-A, but his launched 19 homers between the top stops, and his minor-league track record prior to last year suggests the power is legit while the batting average was just bad luck. If Jeffers rebounds to something closer to his .287/.374/.483 line at Double-A in 2019, he'll be a steal. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $7

First Base

Brad Miller, Rangers: The Rangers made sweeping changes to their infield this offseason, but in all the excitement they seem to have forgotten to add a third baseman. To be fair, they were expecting Josh Jung to seize the job, but February shoulder surgery likely put that plan on hold until 2023. As a result, the hot corner will likely be manned by some combination of holdover utility player Andy Ibanez (see below) and imported utility man Miller, who slugged 20 homers last year for the Phillies while playing five different positions. The 32-year-old only hit .227 in 2021 and has a career .239 mark in just under 1,000 career games, so don't expect much help in that category, but Miller should see enough playing time between left field, third base, DH and wherever else the Rangers need him to provide some pop to a deep-league fantasy lineup. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Second Base

Andy Ibanez, Rangers: After a long climb through the minors that saw Ibanez spend multiple seasons at both Double-A and Triple-A, he finally made his big-league debut last year and didn't look out of place, slashing .277/.321/.435 over 76 games. He doesn't have a big offensive ceiling, but the Rangers have a vacancy at third base for the year, and Ibanez should at least help fill it if not claim the starting job outright. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Jed Lowrie, Athletics: After cleaning house yet again this offseason by trading away the Matts, the A's had some at-bats they needed to fill, and Lowrie was as good a bargain-bin option as any. Injuries have mostly been the story of his career, but the 37-year-old has been mostly healthy his last few years with Oakland (the less said about his time with the Mets in between, the better) and he managed 14 homers and a .716 OPS in 2021. The switch hitter will probably split his time between second base and DH and provide some modest value. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Rougned Odor, Orioles: One of the forgotten moves of the wild offseason was Odor signing a one-year contract with Baltimore in November after being cut loose by the Yankees. The 28-year-old still has power, launching 25 homers in 140 games over the last two years, but he's hit above .205 just once since 2016 as his contact issues have wrecked his once-promising future. Still, the O's didn't bring in anyone else to compete for the starting job at second base, so they appear to be willing to live with the strikeouts that come with the long balls. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5 

Tyler Wade, Angels: Speaking of former Yankees who flew under the radar this draft season, Wade is still standing atop the depth chart at second base for the Angels, with Matt Duffy providing the only plausible competition for him. The duo will likely open the year in a platoon, but as the lefty Wade should get the bulk of the playing time. It's his speed that should be drawing more attention, though. Wade swiped a career-high 17 bases last year as predominantly a pinch runner and defensive sub for New York (he only had 144 plate appearances in 103 games), and manager Joe Maddon figures to be aggressive on the basepaths in 2022 with Shohei Ohtani, Brandon Marsh and David Fletcher also capable of making an impact with their legs. Given how desperate most fantasy GMs are for steals, Wade should be on a lot more rosters. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Third Base

Eugenio Suarez, Mariners: Acquired from the Reds in the same salary dump... err, trade that brought Jesse Winker to the M's, Suarez is coming off a couple of shaky final years in Cincinnati that saw him launch 46 homers in 202 games but also slash only .199/.293/.440. Part of the problem for the 30-year-old may have been defensive stress, as the Reds made a disastrous attempt to use him at shortstop in 2021, but he should be a lot more comfortable at third base in Seattle with the reliable J.P. Crawford next to him. Suarez was consistently posting BABIPs above .300 in his career up until 2019, but that year's happy fun ball suckered him into selling out completely for power, and ever since his contact rate has plummeted with diminishing returns. If the Mariners can get him back to his old approach, he could surprise, and if not, he'll be another low-BA power source, which still has some value. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $15

Shortstop

Jeremy Pena, Astros: Part of the reason Houston was willing to let Carlos Correa walk was the development of Pena, who slashed an impressive .287/.346/.598 in 30 games at Triple-A last year despite missing most of the season due to April wrist surgery. The 24-year-old was a third-round pick in 2018 and has turned himself from a glove-first shortstop into a player with some offensive upside, and his potential to make an impact in that most coveted of categories, stolen bases, shouldn't be overlooked – he swiped five bags in six attempts during those 30 games, and recorded 20 steals in 30 attempts in 2019 in A-ball. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $11

Kevin Smith, Athletics: Part of the fairly meager package Oakland got for Matt Chapman, Smith had a roller-coaster minor-league resume in the Toronto system, going from a 2018 breakout to a 2019 collapse back to a breakout in 2021 at Triple-A Buffalo. Even when he was struggling to make contact against Double-A pitching however, the 25-year-old was flashing the power/speed combo fantasy GMs salivate over, and at Buffalo last year he slugged 21 homers with 18 steals in only 94 games. His big-league debut didn't go well, suggesting he could have some growing pains, and the last time the Jays dealt a promising power/speed infield prospect to the A's for a veteran third baseman, he turned into Franklin Barreto. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results, of course, and Smith is his own guy, but the A's may want to resist the temptation to rush him despite the gaping void they now have at the hot corner, and really every other infield position. If he makes the Opening Day roster though, he has the upside to be a very intriguing stash. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Outfield

Seth Brown, Athletics: It's not a ringing endorsement by any means, but Brown is probably the favorite to be Oakland's home run leader for 2022. The 29-year-old had real trouble making contact against big-league pitching last year, but he launched 20 homers in 307 plate appearances and he has two 30-homer campaigns on his minor-league resume, although both came in favorable hitter's parks. Brown could find a home at DH, first base or in an outfield corner on an offensively-starved roster and provide some low-BA pop, but he could also get lost in the shuffle among all the team's other middling options at those spots. This is also one case in which spring stats are worth noting – Brown finally connected on his first Cactus League homer Saturday but has a brutal 1:14 BB:K through 28 at-bats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Kyle Isbel, Royals: The 25-year-old prospect remains in contention for an Opening Day roster spot, and he could well turn out to be an astute stash despite the lack of a clear path to a starting job. Isbel is coming off a solid Triple-A campaign in which he hit 15 homers with 21 steals, and he didn't look out of place in his first taste of the majors either, slashing .276/.337/.434 in 83 plate appearances. The Royals have some moving parts in their lineup, principally Whit Merrifield, and while the latter is ticketed to start the year in right field, it wouldn't take much to shift him back to second base, whether that's another Adalberto Mondesi injury or major regression at the plate from Nicky Lopez. Michael Taylor also isn't a huge obstacle in center field, and if Isbel proves he can provide more offense with comparable defense to Taylor, Kansas City has nothing to lose by handing him the job. If you do pick up Isbel, be prepared to be patient. There's no worse feeling for a fantasy GM than picking up a sleeper, cutting him a couple weeks later, then watching him blow up on someone else's roster. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Steven Kwan, Guardians: Kwan is one of those prospects where no one really knows what to expect from him in the majors. A fifth-round pick in 2018 out of Oregon State, he's bucked the trend of contact-heavy college hitters re-tooling their swings for more power in the pros, and instead has doubled down on putting the ball in play if it's in the strike zone. The result last year was a .311/.398/.505 slash line in his first look at Triple-A pitching after a dizzying .342/.416/.544 line at Double-A. Over 341 plate appearances at those two levels, Kwan struck out only 31 times against 36 walks. He naturally doesn't offer a lot of power or speed, but he's not a total zero in either area – 12 of his 15 career homers as a pro came last year – and at 24 years old he could grow into more pop. Prospects with this kind of profile have been disappointments in recent years (Nick Madrigal comes to mind) but Kwan has the tools to be the exception, and more importantly the Cleveland outfield is wide open for someone to claim a job, with only Myles Straw really locked into a starting role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Chas McCormick, Astros: It's still not entirely clear what the Astros plan to do in center field, but Jake Meyers' shoulder injury at least simplifies things for Opening Day. McCormick will probably get first crack at the job, and if he isn't up for it, Jose Siri would be next in line. McCormick's final line in his big-league debut last year was just OK, but his contact and strikeout rates were a radical departure from his minor-league performances, so he's got an extremely wide range of possible outcomes in 2022. He might continue to focus on trying to hit for power, revert to a more contact and speed-driven approach, or put it all together, with the potential for success or failure on each track. I wouldn't be surprised by anything from an eventual 20/15 campaign to back in Triple-A by May. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Cristian Pache, Athletics: Picked up in the Matt Olson deal, Pache is a candidate to win multiple Gold Gloves in his career, which is good news for Oakland's pitching staff (or at least whatever's left of it after the A's are done trading away pieces to chase their next rebuild). His bat is still a long way from making a positive contribution, however. The 23-year-old has started to develop a little power, but his speed in the field hasn't translated to the basepaths, and he's got a sub-50 percent success rate on steals across all levels since 2018 (24-for-50). He also struggles to make consistent contact, and Pache could get eaten alive by big-league pitching if he's pushed into a starting job too soon. With Ramon Laureano suspended through April though, the temptation will be there to let Pache go chase down flyballs and consider whatever offense he provides a bonus. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

AJ Pollock, White Sox: The White Sox held out for something useful in exchange for Craig Kimbrel, and finally got it in Pollock when the Dodgers decided to settle any potential bullpen controversies when it came to replacing Kenley Jansen. Pollock has never been able to stay healthy enough to repeat that tantalizing breakout season he had in Arizona in 2015, but he can still hit when he's in the lineup, and much like the Dodgers, the White Sox have enough corner outfield to give the 34-year-old regular rest. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $21

Victor Reyes, Tigers: Riley Greene was one of the elite prospects who seemed headed for an Opening Day roster spot thanks to his big spring, but a fractured foot this week ended that dream. That puts Reyes back into the starting lineup. The 2018 Rule 5 pick (what, you thought Akil Baddoo was the only one?) is plenty athletic, but he's now 27 years old and his tools don't seem likely to turn into anything more than modest production. Reyes is one of the better fourth outfielders in the league, but he's a little stretched as a starter. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Jose Siri, Astros: The 26-year-old made his major-league debut in 2021 and racked up some intriguing numbers, batting .304 with four homers and three steals in 49 plate appearances. His 1:17 BB:K was more than a little alarming though, and Siri may not be ready for a full-time role just yet. The strikeouts have been a pattern throughout his minor-league career, but so have the flashes of power and speed, and he may be Houston's best defensive option in center field. A late arrival to camp won't help him win an Opening Day starting role, but Siri could gradually bump McCormick aside if he can make enough contact to let his athleticism shine. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Raimel Tapia, Blue Jays: The 28-year-old finally started to make his speed work for him in 2021, swiping a career-high 20 bases, but his reward was to get traded away from Coors Field. Home/road splits for former Rockies can be somewhat deceiving, but it's hard to ignore that Tapia has a .319 batting average at Coors but a .243 mark everywhere else in his career. Toronto isn't the worst place to hit though, and the team probably isn't too worried about him being a key piece of the offense. Tapia is a Blue Jay so he can supply good outfield defense when a starter needs a day off, and get used as a pinch runner. That's not a role that will have a lot of fantasy value, but he might fit on deep-league rosters that need some help in runs and steals, and Tapia is another George Springer injury away from being the regular No. 9 hitter in one of the league's best attacks. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $2

Jesse Winker, Mariners: Winker had trouble staying healthy once again in 2021, but that was about the only thing that went wrong for him. He set new careers in homers, RBI and runs while hitting .305 with a .950 OPS, also a career high. It really sinks in how dominant he was for stretches last year when you look at his splits. Winker posted those numbers despite stumbling to a .176/.288/.284 line against left-handed pitching in over 100 plate appearances, but that got balanced out by a stunning .346/.428/.642 line against righties. Now a Mariner after Cincinnati dumped salary in the offseason, Winker joins a roster that should have options to platoon for him if necessary, whether it's Julio Rodriguez or a healthy Kyle Lewis, but ideally for Seattle he'll just become good enough against lefties to take that idea off the table. If you're worried about the switch in home parks, don't be – Winker has posted an OPS over .900 both home and away in each of the last two seasons. Pay for his likely production over 100 or so games, and if he stays healthy enough for another 40, he might just win your league for you. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $33