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

Brayan Bello, Red Sox: Helpful mnemonic here – Bello's name isn't pronounced the same as that of A History of Violence star Maria Bello. Instead, it rhymes with that Harry Belafonte song from Beetlejuice. The 23-year-old righty made his debut Wednesday but didn't exactly take the league by storm, walking three batters in four innings against Tampa Bay. Bello mixes a plus fastball with a nasty changeup and a slider, but while his upside is definitely exciting, he probably doesn't have the control or command yet to be a reliable fantasy option, as the slider in particular needs work. In dynasty and keeper formats, he's worth an aggressive bid with an eye on a possible 2023 breakout, but redraft GMs will have to decide how big a gamble they want to make on Bello clicking ahead of schedule. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $21

Kutter Crawford, Red Sox: Boston's rotation is basically Nick Pivetta and a bunch of rookies at the moment, but Crawford is the one pitching like he intends to stick around. Over his last four big-league appearances (three starts and a long relief outing), the 26-year-old right-hander has a 2.33 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 24:7 K:BB through 19.1 innings. He doesn't have ace-level raw stuff and has had some trouble keeping the ball in the yard, even at Triple-A, but Crawford's fastball has ticked up this season and averaged 95.1 mph, and he mixes in four other pitches including a curveball that has generated a lot of weak contact so far. The overall profile is still probably that of a reliever in the long run, but the Red Sox will give him ample opportunity to prove that impression wrong while they wait for their more experienced arms to get healthy. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Reid Detmers, Angels: The 23-year-old southpaw was a hot commodity back in the spring given his strikeout upside, and while he did no-hit the Rays back in May, overall Detmers' first exposure to the majors didn't go so well. He got demoted in late June but made only one start for Salt Lake before getting called back up. On the one hand, I have to wonder why the Angels bothered sending him down if they thought his issues were that easy to solve? On the other hand, what the heck do I know – he struck out 14 batters in six innings against Tacoma during his brief demotion, then fired six scoreless innings with seven Ks in his return against the O's. The upside has never been in question for Detmers, only when he'd start to realize it, and if the wake-up call had its desired effect, he could be in line for a big second half. 12-team Mixed: $7; 15-team Mixed: $15; 12-team AL: $25

Domingo German, Yankees: With the All-Star break approaching, you're going to see a lot of players wrapping up long-term IL stints and making their returns or season debuts over the next couple weeks. German's the one whose value is the toughest to judge, simply because until recently, the Yankees didn't seem to have a spot in their rotation for him. The right-hander appears just about ready for activation whether there's room for him or not – in three rehab outings in the upper minors, he's posted a 0.79 ERA, 0.44 WHIP and 10:0 K:BB through 11.1 innings. German's dazzling 2019 campaign is still fresh enough to make him intriguing, but he's pitched fewer than 100 innings in the majors since, so it's tough to assume he'll be reliable. However, Nestor Cortes' Moustache Magic appears to be fading at the right time for German, as the lefty has only one quality start in his last six outings with a 5.34 ERA. The Yankees' massive lead in the AL East also gives them some latitude to experiment and begin to ease up on the workloads of guys like Gerrit Cole, which could lead to a six-man rotation or something similar after the break. While it's not completely clear what role German will have when he gets activated, there are enough paths to the rotation to make him worth stashing now. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $5

Spencer Howard, Rangers: It wasn't all that long ago Howard was considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball as he tore through the Phillies' system. They gave up on him last year though, and while the Rangers haven't, it's fair to wonder how many chances he'll get. The 25-year-old righty had compiled a 2.53 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 39:12 K:BB through 32 innings at Round Rock since the beginning of June, but in his return to the Texas rotation Tuesday, he had the same old struggles. He lines up for a two-start week, and it's a good one with home outings against the A's and M's, but it'll take nerves of steel to have a guy with a double-digit ERA in your lineup to potentially get torched twice. I'd view Howard as more of a long-term stash, in case he finally figures it out in the majors, rather than a pitcher you'll want accumulating stats before he proves himself. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jordan Lyles, Orioles: This year has forced a radical re-evaluation of the fantasy utility of Baltimore pitchers, and at least some of the improvement is due to the changes made to Camden Yards. Lyles is the poster boy for this – the veteran righty has a 5.89 ERA on the road this season, and a 2.72 mark at home, with the main difference being the fact that he has yet to allow a Camden homer in 2022. There's no way that will last for a pitcher with a career 1.33 HR/9, but as long as Lyles keeps taking advantage of the new dimensions, he's worth a roster spot. He's also on a nice roll heading into a two-step this week, delivering quality starts in three of his last four outings, but keep in mind his two trips to the mound this week both come on the road against the Cubs and Rays. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered

Chris Sale, Red Sox: I'm not going to bother listing bids here, since in almost all formats Sale is long gone and already on somebody's bench (likely since you drafted), but just in case an impatient GM cut him loose a month ago or something, the southpaw's about to make his season debut. As long as he doesn't injure himself throwing a tantrum in the clubhouse, he could be a big difference-maker in the second half, and worth emptying your wallet for. Sure, he hasn't pitched like a true ace since about 2018, but his numbers last year were at least solid, and he's only 33. There could still be an elite campaign or two left in his arm.

Spenser Watkins, Orioles: Seriously, the O's are getting incredible mileage out of a no-name rotation right now. Watkins was a 30th-round pick of the Tigers in 2014 and didn't make the majors until last year, but the 29-year-old has reeled off two straight quality starts and has a 1.02 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB through 17.2 innings since his return to the big leagues in late June. The lack of strikeouts makes him tough to roster in some formats, but he's the kind of guy you can get cheap and ride while he's hot. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Josh Winder, Twins: Winder has run hot and cold in the majors this season when he's been given a chance, but he's running pretty hot right now, giving up two earned runs in 11 innings over his last two starts. The 25-year-old seems to be in the Twins' long-term plans, as otherwise there's no good explanation for why they continue to baby him and seem to be prioritizing keeping his workload in check rather than having him help maintain their lead in the AL Central. With five other starters on the IL right now though, including Bailey Ober and Chris Archer, Winder's spot is secure in the short term. He lines up for a two-step this week with the Brewers and White Sox coming to town, so he's got the FAB trifecta of streaming appeal, rest-of-season utility as a bench stash and keeper upside. 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)

Beau Brieske, Tigers (at KC, at CLE)
Josh Fleming, Rays (vs. BOS, vs. BAL)
Brad Keller, Royals (vs. DET, at TOR)
Daniel Lynch, Royals (vs. DET, at TOR)
Adrian Martinez, Athletics (at TEX, at HOU)
Glenn Otto, Rangers (vs. OAK, vs. SEA)

Relief Pitcher

Felix Bautista, Orioles: Jorge Lopez showed some cracks early this month, getting scored upon in three straight appearances, but he's since rebounded and collected saves in his last three games. All that does is improve his trade value though. If Lopez does get moved out of Baltimore's closer role one way or another, Bautista remains the most likely candidate to step in. The 27-year-old right-hander has incredibly given up earned runs in only one of his last 22 appearances, a stretch that dates back to May 18, and he's posted a 0.92 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 26:6 K:BB through 19.2 innings over that stretch thanks to a fastball that's averaged 98.7 mph this season. It's always risky to stash a Potential Closer, but if you've got a bench spot to churn and need saves, Bautista's as good a gamble as any right now. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Matt Brash, Mariners: Speaking of Closers of the Future, that's the label Brash carries right now after his rotation stint in the majors to begin the season didn't work out. I'm not fully convinced Seattle has given up on the idea of him being a starter in the long run, and Scott Servais seems pretty committed to his multi-headed high-leverage relief hydra (wait, this is Seattle... maybe a kraken is the better metaphor) that spreads saves around, but Brash has the talent to force his way into that mix. In his first relief appearance since his promotion, he struck out two Saturday in a perfect seventh inning got the win, with Andres Munoz and Diego Castillo following behind the rookie. Maybe next time out, that order gets shuffled around and Brash gets the ninth. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Matt Bush / Brett Martin / Dennis Santana, Rangers: Joe Barlow can't catch a break. The guy gets denied the closer role to begin the season because Reasons, pitches well for two months after regaining it, then blows two saves in a row and immediately gets yanked again. The real lesson here is not to invest too heavily in any Texas closer as long as Chris Woodward is in charge, but in the meantime, somebody in this bullpen is going to get saves, and somebody in your league is going to bid too much chasing them. Santana was thought to be the leader for the job when Barlow was deposed, but he doesn't get many strikeouts despite his good ratios, and instead it's been Martin picking up the last two saves for the Rangers. A lefty-righty combo could be what's happening here, but Martin's two saves didn't come when the opposition had a slew of left-handed hitters due up. Even if there is some kind of platoon or committee, there's no guarantee Santana will be the other half of it, as Bush could get another look once he comes off the IL. He's not worth a bid for roster reasons as he's not even on the 40-man right now, but in deep formats keep an eye on Jesus Tinoco too. He's seen a big velocity bump this year and is dealing in a tough environment at Triple-A Round Rock, including going 8-for-8 on save chances. If he gets promoted again (he was up briefly earlier this season as a COVID-19 replacement), he might get a shot. Bush – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1 / Martin – 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11 / Santana – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Max Castillo, Blue Jays: Toronto's rotation has got a lot of holes in it, even before you consider whatever's going on with Jose Berrios. Castillo's gotten some recent buzz as a potential fill-in, and it's easy to see why given his outstanding minor-league numbers, including a 0.66 ERA and 29:10 K:BB through 27.1 innings for Triple-A Buffalo. The 23-year-old Venezuelan righty has looked nearly as good in the majors in long relief, relying mainly on a killer changeup as a contrast to his 93.7 mph fastball while mixing in an occasional slider. If he does get a chance to start, the slider will need to be something more than a show-me pitch, but the Jays don't have a lot to lose right now. Might as well see what Castillo can do. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Catcher

Austin Hedges, Guardians: Hedges is a dangerous player – not to opposing pitchers, but to your fantasy prospects. He hasn't hit above .178 in a season since 2018 and doesn't have plus power to compensate, but his defensive skills and reputation are such that he gets a lot of playing time. Still, if you're punting BA anyway, those ABs eventually turn into counting stats. Now that he's back off the IL, he's worth a look if you need help behind the plate and have the kind of roster build that can handle his weaknesses as a hitter. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

First Base

Miguel Sano, Twins: Sano's inching closer to a return to the Minnesota lineup, and despite slugging 30 homers last year, his stock has fallen far enough that he could be available in shallower formats. The 29-year-old is probably never going to get his K rate below 30 percent, but if you can accommodate the batting average drain, he's still got that plus-plus power. Stash him now and look for a return on investment after the break. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $7

Second Base

Jonathan Aranda, Rays: Aranda's back in the majors, but his path to playing time looks a little clearer this time with Wander Franco back on the injured list and Vidal Brujan kicked back to Triple-A. Taylor Walls and Isaac Paredes will probably see the plurality of starts in the middle infield for now, but Tampa Bay isn't exactly known for trotting out the exactly same lineup every day. Aranda's been raking at Durham, slashing .332/.404/.545 in 73 games with 13 homers and 20 doubles, and while he's far from the highest-profile prospect the Rays have called up this year, there's legit upside here. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Kody Clemens, Tigers: Rogers' kid got called up in late May but hasn't really done enough, or seen enough consistent playing time, to be worth rostering even in deep formats. That might be changing. Clemens has started four of the last eight games for Detroit, and over his last nine contests dating back to June 25, he's slugged three homers in 24 plate appearances. It's not much, but combined with his position flex (he's played at least five games already at second base, third base and left field, with first base about to join the club), it's enough to make him worth a bench spot in only leagues. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jeter Downs, Red Sox: Downs was a top-20 prospect on our site as recently as last May and still in the top 100 last August, but his stock has cratered since, and his numbers at Triple-A this season haven't helped matters. Still, he's athletic and back in the majors, and the 23-year-old wouldn't be the first prospect to suddenly figure things out in the big leagues after being left for dead by fantasy GMs. He's just a deep dynasty stash, though – don't expect any kind of useful production in the short term. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Michael Stefanic, Angels: Stefanic is an unheralded 26-year-old who posted some big numbers in a PCL desert park last year, slashing .334/.408/.505 through 104 games for Salt Lake with 16 homers. He wasn't able to replicate those power numbers in 2022, but a 25:12 BB:K in 46 games was phenomenal, and with few of the Halos' other middle infield options doing much of anything at the plate, Stefanic gets his shot. A 5-for-16 start to his big-league career isn't bad, but the best-case scenario here is probably something like David Fletcher without the speed or a bargain bin Luis Arraez, which isn't great. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Ramon Urias, Orioles: Urias has started four of six games since coming off the IL and seen action in all six, so it doesn't look like his role has changed at all from early in the season. The 28-year-old has a bit of power but no real upside, so you're just getting playing time and position flex here. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Third Base

Nolan Jones, Guardians: While his situation isn't as dire as Downs', Jones is another faded prospect getting his first chance in the majors. The 24-year-old was comfortably in the mix as a top-50 asset early last year before a rough 2021 sunk his stock. Jones turned things around a bit this season in his second look at Triple-A, improving his strikeout rate a bit while maintaining a strong walk rate, but the power he was expected to develop still hasn't really shown up – until his promotion. In two games for Cleveland, he's gone 4-for-7 with a double and a homer, and really, it won't take much for him to lock down a starting job in an outfield corner given the competition. If you like feeling smart by scooping up post-hype sleepers, Jones has the upside to make to feel like a genius, but he could also flame out quickly and be back in Columbus before August. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Jose Miranda, Twins: Miranda's started to figure things out. Over his last 13 games, he's slashing .308/.341/.615 with three homers and 11 RBI while working his way into consistent playing time between first base and third base. It's tough to get excited about his outlook in redraft however, as Sano will be cutting into those ABs soon enough, and when Trevor Larnach return in August, he'll bump Alex Kirilloff back into that 1B mix too. View Miranda as either a short-term plug-in, or a long-term keeper/dynasty asset, but if you're just looking for rest-of-season production, you might have better options. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Shortstop

Elvis Andrus, Athletics: The 33-year-old is having another hot flash... err, streak, slashing .302/.388/.605 over his last 14 games with three homers and 11 RBI. Andrus is no longer a reliable stolen base threat, but it's hard to wrap my head around the idea he might be becoming a power hitter later in his career, even if that's a perfectly normal progression for athletic middle infielders. As long as he's raising his game in response to Nick Allen threatening his starting gig, and you're only looking for short-term production, it doesn't really matter how sustainable this is. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

Luis Rengifo, Angels: Rengifo's basically the last man standing at shortstop for the Angels, but he hasn't just won the job by default. The 25-year-old has hit safely in nine straight games and 14 of the last 15, slashing .339/.351/.554 over that latter stretch with three homers and two steals. A 1:12 BB:K is a strong hint that his numbers will continue to be a roller coaster the rest of the way, but Rengifo's the guy the team wants to seize the job, so it would take a pretty huge slump for Andrew Velazquez or someone else to get a chance to take the job away from him. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

Outfield

Aaron Hicks, Yankees: Hicks has burned enough GMs over the years that he's on plenty of waiver wires right now, but he's hitting .423 (11-for-26) over his last nine games with homers in three of his last four. Scoop him up if you need short-term production, but have your exit strategy ready when the inevitable slump follows. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered

Gavin Sheets, White Sox: Sheets has been locked in ever since returning to the White Sox, but with Eloy Jimenez due back I wanted to see what kind of playing time he would get before recommending him in shallower formats. Well, Sheets has started two of three games with Jimenez in the lineup, and it looks like he'll get a chance to hold down the strong side of a platoon in right field. It's easy to see why – in 16 games since getting called back up in late June, the 26-year-old is slashing .320/.393/.540 with five doubles, two homers and a sharp 17.9 percent strikeout rate that's right in line with the numbers he was posting in his best minor-league seasons. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11