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 role on an A-E scale. Shohei Ohtani would have been an "A" grade player last year – that mark will be reserved for similarly 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.

AL FAAB | NL FAAB

Starting Pitcher

Tyler Alexander, Tigers: The soft-tossing lefty earned a promotion from the bullpen after a jaw-dropping relief performance last Sunday in which 10 of the 11 outs he recorded were strikeouts. The last guy to fan double-digit batters in a relief appearance wound up in the Hall of Fame, but that's probably not going to be Alexander's career path. Despite his lack of velocity – the 26-year-old barely averages 90 mph with his fastball – he posted a 9.9 K/9 for Triple-A Toledo last season, thanks largely to the addition of a cutter to his arsenal, so it's possible he's able to stay effective this time around in the majors. It's also possible, maybe even likely, he gives up too much hard contact as he has in the past and gets bounced out of the rotation after a couple turns. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Chase Anderson, Blue Jays: An oblique issue put Anderson on the IL to begin the season, but he joined the rotation Saturday and came through with three decent innings. Picked up from Milwaukee in the offseason, the 32-year-old has a history of not going very deep into games, and Toronto has a wealth of young long relievers (Anthony Kay, Ryan Borucki, Thomas Hatch etc.) they want to get long looks at, so outings shorter than five innings are likely to be the rule and not the exception. That puts a very firm ceiling on Anderson's fantasy value. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Brandon Bielak, Astros: Houston was not supposed to be one of the teams hurting for pitching depth, but they currently have eight guys on the IL, plus a ninth (Joe Smith) who opted out of the season. As a result, rotation spots have opened up for players like Bielak, an unheralded 24-year-old who made it to Triple-A in 2019 but had trouble keeping the ball in the park at Round Rock. Bielak's 0.87 ERA and 1.16 WHIP through his first 10.1 MLB innings look promising, but his 7:6 K:BB is a big red flag. Still, with the Astros offense supporting him, he has two wins in three appearances, so there's potential value here even if his ratios take a hard tumble. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Randy Dobnak, Twins: Dobnak came from out of nowhere to post strong numbers in a small sample during his big-league debut in 2019, and he's been even better so far in 2020 through three starts. The Twins have had enough attrition on their staff to keep him around, but even when players like Homer Bailey get healthy, it could be hard to get Dobnak out of the rotation, and his win probability is high every time he takes the mound with this offense behind him. He won't give you big strikeout numbers, but Dobnak should be solid roster filler even in shallower formats. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Owned

Brad Keller, Royals: The 25-year-old right-hander had a very successful season debut Thursday, fanning seven Cubs over five scoreless innings for the win. The K's are unusual for Keller, who has a 6.5 K/9 for his career, but he can give you some solid innings. He's best used as a streaming option, however – Kauffman Stadium masks his gopher-ball tendencies, especially when he's facing a team like the Tigers. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Jake Odorizzi, Twins: Odorizzi's probably rostered already, but in shallow leagues with shallow benches another GM may have had to drop him before he was ready to come off the IL. The right-hander returned to the rotation Saturday though, and coming off a career year in 2019, he should be a fantasy staff staple once he gets fully stretched out. 12-team Mixed: $12; 15-team Mixed: $25; 12-team AL: Owned

Patrick Sandoval, Angels: The southpaw rejoined the rotation Saturday and looked very good against the Rangers, although a lot of opposition pitchers have looked good in their new ballpark this year. Sandoval had some hype back in the spring thanks to his solid strikeout rates in the minors, but it remains to be seen whether he can replicate that success in the majors – or whether he'll be one of those guys with strikeouts but shaky ratios due to walks and homers. Still, he should be in the rotation for good this time with Shohei Ohtani shut down from pitching. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Devin Smeltzer, Twins: Smeltzer is a pure throwback, a finesse lefty who sits in the high 80s with his fastball and tries to get by on guile and a deceptive delivery. He's in the rotation for now, but as soon as Rich Hill gets healthy, the 24-year-old should get bumped back to the bullpen. What upside Smeltzer has comes from the team around him and the weak opposition in the Central divisions he'll get to face. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Julio Teheran, Angels: Teheran made his Angels debut Wednesday with 2.2 adequate innings after he missed the start of the season due to COVID-19. It could be another start or two before he's fully stretched out and back up to speed, but the veteran right-hander should be able to bring some stability to the team's rotation after making at least 30 starts for seven straight seasons with Atlanta. 12-team Mixed: $11; 15-team Mixed: $21; 12-team AL: Owned

Relief Pitcher

Ty Buttrey, Angels: Another week, another couple of bullpens in turmoil. In Anaheim, Hansel Robles is out and Buttrey, who's been the designated Closer of the Future for a while now, appears to be in. It could be a temporary assignment though – while Buttrey did convert his first save chance after Robles was deposed, he's given up runs in three of his five appearances on the season, and despite an average fastball velocity north of 96 mph, he only has a 1:3 K:BB in 6.1 innings. If Buttrey also falters, it's not clear who the next man up would be – Keynan Middleton, Felix Pena, and lefty Ryan Buchter could all end up in the mix. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $23

Miguel Castro, Orioles: O's manager Brandon Hyde refuses to get tied down to one guy in the ninth inning. Last year, Mychal Givens was yanked in and out of the closer role. This season, Givens has barely gotten a sniff of the ninth, and just as it looked like Cole Sulser might be the guy, Sulser works the eighth inning on Saturday ahead of Castro. Castro's gotten looks as a closer before but never stuck – even when he was a rookie with the Jays in 2015, he was in a spring competition with Roberto Osuna for the job – so there's little reason to think he'll suddenly become a dominant save machine now. Still, in a season during which every save probably matters, he could get a few more. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Luis Cessa / Jonathan Loaisiga, Yankees: While the Yankees don't necessarily have injury concerns in their rotation, James Paxton and J.A. Happ are both off to dreadful starts – the former has had a serious velocity drop, while the latter has walked more than a batter an inning. If the team decides to make a switch... well, Clarke Schmidt probably gets the call then, but of guys currently on the big-league roster, Loaisiga and Cessa are the ones most worthy of a stash. Loaisiga got the spot start during Wednesday's doubleheader and has a 10:4 K:BB through 8.1 innings, while Cessa has worked two clean relief appearances since coming off the COVID-19 IL this week. Cessa – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1 / Loaisiga – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Carl Edwards, Mariners: Seattle appears OK with using a true committee in the ninth inning, so it's unlikely any M's reliever becomes a big source of saves. Edwards got the job done Wednesday though and has been dialed in of late, posting a 6:0 K:BB over four straight scoreless appearances. His velocity is still down a couple mph from his peak with the Cubs a few years ago, but he appears to have at least put his rough 2019 behind him. Edwards is a better pickup in leagues that use the saves plus holds category, but even in standard 5x5, he should at least supply solid ratios even if his saves are erratic. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Nick Margevicius, Mariners: With the Mariners determined to maintain a six-man rotation, in part to protect young arms like Justus Sheffield and Justin Dunn, they needed a replacement starter when Kendall Graveman predictably got hurt. Margevicius was the next man up, and he gave the club 3.1 scoreless innings at home against the Rockies on Saturday. The lefty's velocity has been up in a long relief role, but that still only got him to a 91 mph average fastball, so expectations should be kept very low here if he does get an extended audition in the rotation. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Evan Marshall, White Sox: With Aaron Bummer on the shelf, Marshall is now the first choice setup man in Chicago, and should anything happen to Alex Colome he'd probably get the first look in the ninth inning. Marshall doesn't have elite stuff, but a 0.00 ERA, 10:3 K:BB and three holds in seven innings over seven appearances is a healthy start to the season. The White Sox do have a clutch of high-octane young arms they may want to give some high-leverage opportunities to, however – Zack Burdi, Ian Hamilton, and Codi Heuer could all work their way ahead of Marshall and Steve Cishek (who's been a disaster so far) in the pecking order as the year progresses. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Rafael Montero, Rangers: An elbow issue kept Montero on the shelf to begin the season, but when he got healthy the closer role was ready and waiting for him thanks to Jose Leclerc's own shoulder woes. Montero wasted no time locking down the job – activated from the IL on Friday, he grabbed saves Friday and Saturday before manager Chris Woodward officially named him his ninth-inning guy. After an impressive comeback in 2019, the 29-year-old has the stuff to thrive and will command a lot of attention in FAAB this week, so if you need saves be prepared to blow your budget. 12-team Mixed: $35; 15-team Mixed: $45; 12-team AL: $55

Ryan Pressly, Astros: With Roberto Osuna probably headed for Tommy John surgery, Pressly is the last man standing (well, more or less) among the Astros' high-leverage relief crew. The 31-year-old has dealt with a sore elbow of his own this year though, and Pressly's 2020 numbers have been well below the standard he'd set for himself the last two years. He'll still get a chance to handle closing duties, but if he falters or breaks down too, Houston could be scrambling for an alternative – Josh James, recently booted from the rotation, might be the next most likely candidate. 12-team Mixed: $21; 15-team Mixed: $33; 12-team AL: $45

Blake Taylor, Astros: Or, maybe it'll be Taylor's turn. The 24-year-old lefty posted strong numbers in relief at Triple-A last year but wasn't considered much of a prospect. All he's done in his big-league debut this year, though, is post a 0.00 ERA and 10:3 K:BB over his first 8.2 innings. Taylor is getting high-leverage looks, recording a win and a hold, and while he doesn't have top-shelf raw stuff, the Astros don't have the luxury of being finicky right now. His best chance at consistent fantasy value might come if the team is forced to use a ninth-inning committee. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Catcher

Erik Kratz, Yankees: With Kyle Higashioka landing on the IL, Kratz will back up Gary Sanchez for the time being. The veteran backstop might run into the occasional homer, but that's about the extent of his fantasy upside. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Max Stassi, Angels: The Angels have been facing plenty of southpaw to start the year, and as a result Stassi has been getting plenty of playing time and absolutely crushing the ball, slamming four homers in only 31 plate appearances. His fantasy value is very schedule-dependent, but in leagues with daily moves or DFS-based formats, Stassi is well worth a roster spot if you don't have a premium everyday guy like J.T. Realmuto or... well, just Realmuto really, behind the plate. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Owned

Second Base

Thairo Estrada, Yankees: The 24-year-old yoyo'ed between the big-league roster and the alternate training site this week, but with Giancarlo Stanton shockingly headed to the IL, Estrada is back in the Bronx. He's got a bit of speed but no clear path to playing time, so barring further injuries to the Yankees' starting lineup, he's just roster filler for now. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Third Base

Todd Frazier, Rangers: Frazier appears to have settled in as the Rangers' starting first baseman. Over the last nine games, he's hitting a dynamic .382 (13-for-34) with two homers and five RBI plus five doubles. The 34-year-old has little competition for playing time, and while he's very streaky and will cool down at some point, the consistent at-bats alone are enough to make him worth rostering if he's available. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: Owned

Shortstop

Danny Mendick, White Sox: With both starting middle infielders hurt for the White Sox, Mendick has been pushed into a bigger role than expected. The 26-year-old has started five straight games and six of the last seven while hitting .350 (7-for-20) although he has only two runs to show for it on his counting stat ledger. Mendick has flashed a little speed in the minors, so there is a bit of upside here while he's seeing this kind of playing time, he'll be bumped right back to the bench once Tim Anderson gets healthy. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Myles Straw, Astros: George Springer's wrist injury has opened up playing time in center field for Straw, and the 25-year-old has started three of the last four games, although he's only gone 1-for-12. On the year, he already has three steals on three attempts in eight games, so if Springer's injury proves to be more serious than the team thinks it is, Straw could make the kind of fantasy impact Jon Berti did in 2019 for the Marlins. For now though, he's just a stash. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Anderson Tejeda, Rangers: The 22-year-old was added to the roster while Rougned Odor was a little banged up, and Tejeda made a splash in his big-league debut with a homer and three RBI. He's not a premium prospect, but Tejeda did slug 19 homers in 121 games at High-A two years ago, and if he were to get regular playing time he might be able to do a credible impression of Odor's usual production. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Outfield

Jo Adell, Angels: RotoWire's No. 5 overall fantasy prospect made his big-league debut Tuesday, but a quad bruise has limited his playing time over his first week in the Show. The Angels didn't bring him up to sit, though – once he's healthy, Adell will start, with Justin Upton and Brian Goodwin platooning in the other corner outfield spot. The 21-year-old has the athleticism and tools to be at least a four-category stud once he matures, with only his batting average being a question mark, but as a rookie he may not be ready to make a huge impact. Given his upside, Adell will be in high demand, but in re-draft formats this may be a case where the Winner's Curse bites the team that gets him hard. 12-team Mixed: $21; 15-team Mixed: $33; 12-team AL: $4

Delino DeShields, Cleveland: DeShields has started three straight games since being activated from the IL, and he's making an early case to become the regular leadoff hitter by going 3-for-8 with four walks. He doesn't yet have a steal, but if he keeps getting on base, the SBs will come. The tricky part is figuring out whether his starting job will last – Oscar Mercado's early-season slump has been a big factor here, and if Mercado's bat wakes up, it's hard to imagine DeShields consistently getting the nod over him. The speed is tempting, but his career track record is decidedly less so. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Nomar Mazara, White Sox: Mazara made his White Sox debut Monday after missing the beginning of the year with a foot injury, and the outfielder has slowly been rounding into form, hitting .250 (3-for-12) without a homer or RBI. The 25-year-old never lived up to his prospect hype in Texas, and while a fresh start with a new club could be just what he needs, chances are Mazara isn't suddenly going to develop 30-HR power in Chicago. He's a useful bat, but nothing more. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $13

Mike Tauchman, Yankees: Stanton's latest injury opens up more playing time for Tauchman, but the 29-year-old had already carved out a regular spot for himself in the lineup, starting the last six games and going 6-for-20 (.300) with three doubles. His real impact has come on the basepaths this season, though – after swiping six bags in six attempts over 87 games last year, Tauchman's got four steals in four attempts through 11 games to begin 2020. His high baseball IQ allows him to pick his spots, and while the slugging Yankees aren't built to play small ball, as long as he remains successful, he'll probably have the green light. Hitting lower in the order, rather than in front of Aaron Judge, is probably an asset in this case. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Owned