AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

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 role on an A-E scale. Rafael Devers would have been an "A" grade player last year -- that mark will be reserved for similar high-impact prospects stepping into 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

Jorge Lopez, Royals: Lopez's near-perfect game Saturday may have seemed to come out of nowhere, but once upon a time he was one of the top prospects in the Brewers' system, making his big-league at 22 in 2015. A brutal half-season at Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2016 ruined his confidence though, exacerbating his control issues and causing the organization to sour on him. Sent south in the Mike Moustakas deal, Lopez has now put together two strong starts in a row and might finally be ready to handle a regular spot in the Show. He may only have mid-rotation upside, but given the current state of the Royals' rotation, that could make him their ace next year. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Ian Kennedy, Royals: Speaking of erstwhile Royals aces, Kennedy will make his first start in nearly two months Sunday after recovering from an oblique strain. He was having a bad 2018 before his injury, on the heels of a bad 2017, but his strikeout potential and a relatively soft schedule ahead of him (at MIN, vs MIN, at DET, vs CLE) could allow him to finish up the campaign on a high note. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Yohander Mendez, Rangers: Mendez has looked marginally better since rejoining the rotation in September, allowing just two earned runs over 10 innings, albeit with a 5:4 K:BB. The 23-year-old doesn't have much fantasy upside given his lack of dominant stuff, and he's taking a pitch-to-contact approach in his latest big-league stint, but the Rangers will give him every chance to establish himself as a rotation piece for 2019. The fact that his next start comes in San Diego does give him some streaming appeal as well. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Adrian Sampson, Rangers: Sampson will replace Bartolo Colon in the Texas rotation for the final weeks of the season, making Big Sexy fans across the globe very sad. There's no guarantee the 26-year-old will pitch any better than his 45-year-old teammate, though, as his numbers at Triple-A Round Rock this year (3.77 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 6.1 K/9) don't exactly scream future star. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Relief Pitcher

Ty Buttrey, Angels: Buttrey got his first career save Friday, but it likely won't be his last one. He's averaged 96.3 mph with his fastball since his debut, and Blake Parker isn't exactly an elite closing option for the Angels. The club may well decide to start working Buttrey into the ninth-inning mix down the stretch with an eye towards handing him the job on a full-time basis in 2019. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Jake Faria, Rays: Faria rejoined the staff Wednesday, working in a long-relief role and giving the Rays three fairly meh innings. It remains to be seen whether the 25-year-old will get moved into the actual rotation or not, but either way he's probably Tampa's third-best pitcher right now, although the upside gap between Faria and the Blake Snell/Tyler Glasnow duo is pretty substantial. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Tim Hill, Royals: Shockingly, Wily Peralta has been a little erratic since taking over as the Royals' closer, and as a result Hill got his second save of the year Monday. Peralta got the team's next opportunity Saturday and locked it down, but if he stumbles again, Hill seems like the next man up. If every save is precious for you, he might be worth rostering in deep formats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

David Paulino, Blue Jays: The 24-year-old is an intriguing stash candidate in keeper and dynasty leagues now that he's been called up. The former Astro had something of a lost 2017 due to a suspension and bone spur in his elbow, but over three partial campaigns at Triple-A he's got a strong 56:20 K:BB over 46 innings, and Paulino struck out two batters in his first inning as a Blue Jay. His lack of recent work (just 71 total innings over the last two seasons) could make it tough for him to handle a rotation spot for all of 2019, but the organization could also be looking at him as a potential late-inning reliever in an effort to keep him healthy, and it's not like the team has any better closing options right now. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Catcher

Welington Castillo, White Sox: Let's try this again. Castillo returned from his suspension a couple of weeks ago only to immediately be placed on the DL with shoulder trouble, but he's healthy now and has started four of the last five games heading into Sunday. Omar Narvaez could in theory maintain a significant role behind the plate, but Castillo's the best offensive option the White Sox have at catcher, and he's still under contract next year. 12-team Mixed: $6; 15-team Mixed: $15; 12-team AL: $35

Nick Ciuffo, Rays: Ciuffo got promoted Monday and has taken over Michael Perez's workload as the left-handed hitter among the Rays' catching crew. The playing time will give him value, at least until Perez gets healthy, but Ciuffo's never shown much offensive upside in the minors, managing a .262/.301/.380 slash line in 60 Triple-A games this year. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Chance Sisco, Orioles: Sisco is back with the O's and doing pretty much what he did before his demotion, going 0-for-8 over the last week. He may still be the future at catcher for Baltimore, but his present-day value is minimal. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Reese McGuire, Blue Jays: A first-round pick of the Pirates in 2013, McGuire's bat has never caught up to his glove, and in the long run he projects as a backup catcher in the majors. The Jays will give him a look as Danny Jansen's caddy in September. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Joe Hudson, Angels: The 27-year-old minor-league veteran will get his first taste of the majors in September, but it'll be a very small taste as the Angels' No. 3 backstop. Hudson's .311/.380/.478 line at Triple-A Salt Lake this year might make him look like a sleeper, but it's probably a small-sample mirage. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

First Base

Rowdy Tellez, Blue Jays: Tellez's prospect status has plummeted over the last couple of seasons, but he's been doing his best to rehabilitate it since his promotion, going 8-for-14 with a homer and six doubles through his first four games in the majors. Toronto has nothing to lose by giving him a long look over the final weeks, even at the expense of Justin Smoak and Kendrys Morales' playing time, but the 23-year-old's .245/.316/.376 in nearly 1,000 Triple-A plate appearances suggests he could go from red hot to freezing cold in a heartbeat. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Daniel Vogelbach, Mariners: Vogelbach is back in Seattle yet again, but he isn't even healthy enough to handle a regular role should one open up for him, as a hamstring injury has him limited to pinch-hitting duties. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Second Base

David Fletcher, Angels: Fletcher is currently filling the "good but not quite good enough" spot on a lot of mixed-league waiver wires, slashing .279/.319/.360 since the beginning of August with 13 RBI and 20 runs in 34 games. He's at least started to run a little, with two of his three steals in the big leagues coming in September, so he could be worth adding if every stolen base counts and you have a hole to fill at a middle infield spot. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Owned

Brandon Phillips, Red Sox: The veteran has already made himself a minor folk hero in New England, swatting a game-winning homer Wednesday in his first (and so far only) game for the Red Sox. Phillips would likely need an Ian Kinsler injury to see significant playing time over the final weeks, though. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Gordon Beckham, Mariners: Well, he's still on the 40-man roster, so why not. Beckham's (at best) fourth on Seattle's depth chart at second base, though. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Gregorio Petit, Twins: The 33-year-old journeyman will give the Twins some extra infield depth for the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Adam Rosales, Cleveland: The 35-year-old journeyman will give Cleveland some extra infield depth for the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: $; 15-team Mixed: $; 12-team AL: $

Third Base

J.D. Davis, Astros: Tyler White's ascension to a starting role gives Davis a role model, but the 25-year-old will likely just be a bench bat for the Astros down the stretch, and it's hard to see him earning a significant role in 2019 either. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Hanser Alberto, Rangers: The 25-year-old will give the Rangers some extra infield depth for the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Corban Joseph, Orioles: Caleb's younger brother will give the O's some extra infield depth for the final weeks.12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Shortstop

Aledmys Diaz, Blue Jays: The former Cardinal has settled in as Toronto's starting third baseman, slashing .278/.315/.513 with six homers and two steals in 34 games since the beginning of August, and he'll likely have dual 3B/SS eligibility in most formats for 2019. The return of Yangervis Solarte could cut into his playing time, but Diaz should still have solid value over the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Owned

Yangervis Solarte, Blue Jays: Out since Aug. 11, Solarte is expected to return to his super-utility role around the Jays infield as soon as Sunday. His .233/.287/.397 slash line on the year isn't impressive, but he's capable of supplying some power with 17 homers (one shy of last year's career high) in 111 games, and his 2B/SS/3B eligibility gives him added utility in formats with daily transactions where you're scrambling for every counting stat. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Andrew Velazquez, Rays: The 24-year-old switch hitter will give the Rays some extra infield depth for the final weeks, but he could potentially provide a little value as a pinch runner after swiping 29 bags in 32 attempts over 117 games for Triple-A Durham this year. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Richard Urena, Blue Jays: The 22-year-old will give the Jays some extra infield depth for the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Outfield

Stephen Piscotty, Athletics: Piscotty is on fire to close out the campaign, slashing .305/.350/.621 over his last 25 games with seven homers and 21 RBI. His next home run will be his career-high 23rd, and if he's still available in a shallower league he could provide your with a nice power boost. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $13; 12-team AL: Owned

Christin Stewart, Tigers: Detroit's No. 5 fantasy prospect will join the big-league roster for the first time Sunday and should get regular at-bats down the stretch, either in left field or at DH. Stewart's likely to be a batting-average risk in the majors, but he did hit 23 homers in 122 games for Triple-A Toledo this season after slugging 28 last year for Double-A Erie. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $13

Willie Calhoun, Rangers: Calhoun got called back up Monday but has seen only one at-bat since, and he seems like he'll be stuck on the bench for September, because why would a rebuilding club want to give a 23-year-old playing time over someone like Shin-Soo Choo or Adrian Beltre. Calhoun remains a bat-first prospect, but he does still have some value as a keeper or dynasty stash. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Joey Rickard, Orioles: Rickard has started six straight games for the O's, getting a hit in all six and slashing .375/.400/.542 with a homer and two steals. That playing time has largely come at the expense of Adam Jones, so Rickard's job is hardly safe, but Baltimore would be smart to see if the 27-year-old has any chance of being more than a fourth outfielder next year. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Victor Reyes, Tigers: Something seems to have clicked for the Rule 5 pick. Reyes is 9-for-16 to begin September and has a respectable .279/.300/.397 slash line over his last 23 games, and he's earned regular playing time in the outfield for the Tigers as a result. He doesn't offer much upside in counting stats, although he does have nine steals in 87 games on the year, but consistent at-bats have value in deeper leagues. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Jabari Blash, Angels: The 29-year-old will give the Angels some extra outfield depth for the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Brandon Barnes, Cleveland: The 32-year-old will give Cleveland some extra outfield depth for the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Ryan Cordell, White Sox: The 26-year-old will give the White Sox some extra outfield depth for the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jonathan Davis, Blue Jays: The 26-year-old will give the Jays some extra outfield depth for the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1>

Michael Hermosillo, Angels: The 23-year-old will give the Angels some extra outfield depth for the final weeks, but he's got enough power/speed upside to be a possible deep-league stash in keeper and dynasty formats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Dwight Smith, Blue Jays: The 25-year-old will give the Jays some extra outfield depth for the final weeks. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1