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. Julio Rodriguez 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

Matt Manning / Tarik Skubal, Tigers: This is one of the weirder weeks I can recall since I started doing this column, as there really aren't any starting pitchers available in the American League who are a) pitching at least decently well and b) available in enough leagues to be worth writing up. There were only a few SPs last week too – call it an unintended side effect of all the early pitching promotions. As a result, stashing an injured pitcher ahead of their impending return has more appeal than it might under more normal circumstances. Manning's been out since mid-April after a comebacker broke his foot, but he worked his way up to 59 pitches in his last rehab start Friday and was showing impressive velocity, topping out at 96 mph. If he stays on schedule, he could b e back in Detroit's rotation May 26. Skubal's been out all year while recovering from flexor tendon surgery he underwent last August, but the southpaw has been outstanding on his rehab stint, posting a 12:0 K:BB through eight scoreless innings. In terms of pitch count he's behind Manning, but if he gets stretched out enough in his next start Wednesday he could also jump into the Tigers rotation the following week. Based on their big-league track records Skubal's got more upside, which is reflected in their recommended bids, but he could also need a little more time to get back up to speed, and if he makes his season debut May 27 he could get stuck with a Coors Field start that weekend. You may not want to be in a big rush to activate him. Manning – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4 / Skubal – 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Gavin Williams, Guardians: Since we're talking stashes, the top pitching prospect left in the AL who has yet to make his big-league debut looks a little closer to getting the call now that Triston McKenzie's return has been derailed. Williams has seen his numbers at Triple-A tail off a little lately – he's got a 3.96 ERA over his last five starts, albeit with a sharp 31:10 K:BB through 25 innings – but if McKenzie ends up missing significant time again, the 23-year-old's debut could come shortly after the Guardians digest that diagnosis. Cal Quantrill doesn't seem to have begun throwing again as best I can tell, and Zach Plesac got booted off the 40-man roster (and inexplicably not picked up by another team), so Cleveland's options for filling that rotation hole are limited. Williams – 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)

Kutter Crawford, Red Sox (at MIN, at CHW)
Michael Lorenzen, Tigers (vs. KC, vs. MIN)
Jordan Lyles, Royals (at DET, at TB)
Daniel Lynch, Royals (at DET, at TB)
Luis Medina, Athletics (at CLE, at TOR)
Reese Olson, Tigers (vs. KC, vs. MIN)

Relief Pitcher

Sam Bachman / Chris Devenski / Jose Soriano / Jacob Webb, Angels: Carlos Estevez has yet to blow a save in 2023, so why am I plumbing the depths of the Angels' bullpen? Well, Estevez has also posted a 7:7 K:BB over his last seven innings, and if his control continues to erode, things could go south for him in a hurry. My preseason prediction that Ben Joyce would end up leading the Halos in saves hit a small snag when landed on the IL due to numb fingers and elbow trouble (huh, who could have predicted routinely throwing a ball over 100 mph might be tough on your arm?), so if Estevez does spit the bit as closer, it's an open competition to replace him. Bachman was a first-round pick in 2021 and got his first career save Friday, but his control might not be any better than Estevez's. Webb got his first save Thursday, bailing out Estevez after he's walked three straight batters to open the ninth, but he's got a 4:6 K:BB in his last 6.1 innings. I'm beginning to sense a pattern in this bullpen. Devenski's salvaged his career after flaming out in Houston a few years ago, but he's more setup man than closer and blew the save Saturday. Soriano's averaging 97.5 mph with his fastball and had looked great since being recalled at the beginning of the month, but he was also part of Saturday's late-inning meltdown against the Royals. The big-picture takeaway here is that the Angels have the makings of a truly dominant high-leverage group, but somebody needs to emerge from the pack and start finding the plate with consistency before this group will be mentioned in the same breath as, say, those Kansas City relief crews from a decade ago. Bachman – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3 / Devenski – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2 / Soriano – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3 / Webb – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Griffin Jax, Twins: Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli really, really doesn't want to use Jhoan Duran as a traditional closer. He would rather deploy him as a fireman in the highest leverage spots regardless of what inning it is, and really, I have no argument against that plan from a baseball strategy perspective (from an "You're killing me, Rocco! I've got keeper shares in this guy!" perspective, however...). It does leave open the question of who works the ninth if Duran gets the call earlier in the game, though. Jorge Lopez was supposed to be that guy, but he's fallen apart over the last month or so. Emilio Pagan has closing experience, but Baldelli hasn't even trusted him for a hold yet this season, much less a save. Instead it looks like Jax will be Duran's caddy for now, which makes sense considering it's been nearly a month since the right-hander gave up a run. Jax has a 12:0 K:BB through 10.2 innings during that hot streak, and he was rewarded with his first save of the year Wednesday. Duran should still get the majority of the chances, but it might end up being more like a 3:1 split rather than the 90-plus percent of the opportunities somebody like Emmanuel Clase sees. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Sam Long, Athletics: And then there's the Oakland bullpen, a flickering dumpster fire in the middle of the Swamp of Sadness the entire franchise has become. Just when it looked like Trevor May might have finally solidified the closer spot, Long goes out last weekend and records saves in back-to-back games. May has since grabbed a save himself, but he's also walked six batters in his last three appearances. As a lefty, Long could get stuck in more of a situational role, but the A's really can't afford to be too picky. The guy with the 1.93 ERA since the beginning of May should have a high-leverage role, because it's not like anyone else is getting the job done. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Catcher

Sam Huff, Rangers: The 25-year-old's latest promotion gives the Rangers three "catching" options, by which I mean they have Jonah Heim and two guys who should probably mostly DH. Huff was putting up solid numbers at Triple-A Round Rock, but he still strikes out too much to be a reliable fantasy asset. He might run into a homer or two if he gets some playing time, though. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Bo Naylor, Guardians: Let's try this again. Naylor got a brief taste of the majors as the 27th man for a doubleheader nearly a month ago, and I foolishly believed the Guardians might keep him around because they couldn't possibly think a combined OPS around .500 was acceptable from their catchers. (It's currently .501, over 60 points below the next-worst team.) Since the 23-year-old got sent back down to Triple-A, he's posted an .819 OPS with more walks than strikeouts; Mike Zunino managed a .520 mark before getting DFA'd, while Cam Gallagher cobbled together a laughable .460 OPS. Naylor's by no means guaranteed to be an instant success, but he hit 21 homers with 20 steals last year in 118 games between Double-A and Triple-A, which isn't the kind of upside you'll find in many other backstops. Especially in deeper formats where you've been getting Cleveland-like production from your catchers, splurging on Naylor makes a great deal of sense. 12-team Mixed: $11; 15-team Mixed: $21; 12-team AL: $45

Second Base

Aledmys Diaz, Athletics: More infield shuffling in Oakland now leaves Diaz as the top option at shortstop, and the veteran utility player is batting a respectable .273 (9-for-33) in June, albeit with minimal counting-stat production. He qualifies almost everywhere, so as long as he's getting playing time and making some kind of contribution, he's worth a roster spot in deeper formats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Donovan Solano, Twins: Solano has become an everyday player for Minnesota this month, mainly at first base, and he's supplied a .313/.431/.521 slash line in 15 games with two homers, eight runs and eight RBI. He'll keep getting starts as long as he keeps hitting, and especially in OBP leagues his newfound patience is hard to look past – his 10.9 percent walk rate isn't just a career high, it's more than four points better than his 2022 performance in that category. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Michael Stefanic, Angels: The Halos' infield is a triage unit again, with Zach Neto and Gio Urshela on the IL and Anthony Rendon his usual brittle self. Stefanic got called up Friday and got a start at second base Saturday, going 2-for-4 with a double. He's posted PCL-inflated batting averages the last few years at Salt Lake, but the 27-year-old doesn't actually offer much fantasy upside. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Samad Taylor, Royals: Called up from Omaha on Friday, Taylor's got a minor-league profile that represents a real danger to your remaining FAAB budget. He swiped 34 bases on 40 attempts in only 62 games this season at Triple-A with a .301/.407/.460 slash line, and given how little the Royals have gotten out of Michael Massey, Nicky Lopez and their other options at the keystone, you'd think there would be a clear path to an audition in a starting role for Taylor. Nope. In his first two days on the big-league roster, manager Matt Quatraro gave Taylor just one start in left field despite the fact Massey has been out due to a finger injury. Apparently, the skipper would rather stick with Lopez and Matt Duffy at second base than give the kid a chance. There is an opening for a utility player on the roster with Maikel Garcia having taken over the starting gig at third base, so a modest bid on Taylor's upside is justifiable, but don't break the bank chasing those steals. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Third Base

Pablo Reyes, Red Sox: With Enrique Hernandez no longer a viable defensive shortstop, someone has to play the position, and Reyes is the choice du jour. The 29-year-old has started four of the last five games and collected five hits in his last three starts, and he's shown some modest power and speed in the minors, so maybe the consistent playing time will turn into something. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Ramon Urias, Orioles: A logjam on the Baltimore infield has kept Jordan Westburg in the minors all year, and Urias has been a big part of the problem by playing juuust well enough to keep a consistent role. The 29-year-old has done better than just well enough the last couple weeks though, batting .364 (12-for-33) while starting eight of the last 10 games as he bounces between the infield corners and DH depending on who's healthy and what the matchup is. His role in Baltimore as a utility player is probably safe, but if the front office does finally make a trade to clear room, Urias might also be a more attractive trade commodity than, say, Jorge Mateo. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Shortstop

Joey Ortiz, Orioles: Speaking of that logjam, Ortiz got called back up Wednesday and has gone 0-for-5 while seeing action in two games. The 24-year-old is simply in the wrong organization – he's a solid enough shortstop prospect, but he doesn't have anything close to the ceiling of Gunnar Henderson or Westburg, and barring a rash of injuries he'll be stuck in a bench role when in the majors. If you're fishing for a shortstop this week who might take over a starting job, you'd be better off taking a shot at Miami's Jacob Amaya, even if Ortiz is the more talented player in a vacuum. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Oswald Peraza, Yankees: The Yankees are adamant that Anthony Volpe isn't going to get sent down, and I'll take them at their word despite the 22-year-old's feeble .163/.218/.325 slash line over his last 25 games. Over that same period though, Peraza's been slashing .283/.362/.652 at Triple-A with 10 homers and five steals in 21 games, and New York continues to stare up at the Rays and Orioles in the AL East. Something's got to give, right? Stashing Peraza ahead of a switch could pay off handsomely in the second half of 2023, even if Volpe is still the long-term answer at short. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Andrew Velazquez, Angels: Like Stefanic, Velazquez is up to provide reinforcements for a banged-up Angels infield, but unlike his teammate he has a skill the translates into fantasy value as Velazquez swiped 17 bags in 18 attempts in the majors last year despite a .540 OPS. He's been at it again since his promotion, going 3-for-3 on the basepaths while starting three straight games at shortstop. He doesn't offer much else, but if you need a steals boost he could be useful for a week or two. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Outfield

Dairon Blanco, Royals: Blanco isn't a prospect by any means, but the 30-year-old was slashing .347/.444/.451 for Triple-A Omaha with 47 steals in 53 attempts to earn a promotion Monday, and he started four straight games before getting a breather. Kansas City has gotten very little out of its outfielders this season, and Blanco can handle center field, so it's possible he turns into a bargain bin Esteury Ruiz for the remainder of the year. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Matt Vierling, Tigers: The 26-year-old came off the IL like he was shot out of a cannon, going 9-for-21 (.429) in his first six games back with three homers, and even if Riley Greene and Akil Baddoo make it back into the lineup this week, Vierling should get all the playing time he can handle in the Detroit outfield. The mild sleeper appeal he held after the offseason trade from Philly is still there so long as he can stay healthy. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Designated Hitter

Yainer Diaz, Astros: I wrote up Diaz last week and suggested he might get 3-4 starts a week with Yordan Alvarez out. Instead he's started five of the last six games – one at catcher, one at first base and three at DH – and slugged a couple homers among his four hits during that stretch. The 24-year-old has a better hit tool than that though, and he could become a real asset as a catcher-eligible player – and the likely heir apparent to Martin Maldonado behind the plate. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11