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

Dane Dunning, Rangers: Everything's coming up Milhouse... err, I mean Dunning this week. The right-hander has stepped into the Texas rotation and allowed two runs with an 8:2 K:BB through his last two outings and 11 innings, and now he lines up for a potentially juicy two-step with home starts against Atlanta and Colorado. Dunning doesn't have the strikeout upside to be an appealing long-term option in shallower mixed formats, but he's a step up from the two-start riff-raff listed below. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $3

James Kaprielian, Athletics: Kaprielian was sent down to Triple-A in late April after a truly brutal start to 2023, and while he didn't spend much time in Las Vegas, he may have figured something out as he returned to the Oakland rotation Saturday and delivered seven strong innings against the Rangers. The 29-year-old still has an ERA that looks like somebody's ATM code, but a few years and a few injuries ago, he was considered something of a prospect. He'll probably destroy your ratios if you dare roster him, and he pitches for a team that will make sure he rarely shows up in the win column even if he has a good outing, but at least he has some theoretical upside, which is more than you can say for some desperation dart throws. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Daniel Lynch, Royals: Speaking of desperation dart throws... Lynch was a first-round pick in 2018 but is part of a lost generation of Kansas City pitching prospects. Royals fans may want to avert their eyes from this list, but here are all the arms the team has used first-round picks on since 2014 – Brandon Finnegan, Foster Griffin, Ashe Russell, Nolan Watson, Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar, Lynch, Asa Lacy, Frank Mozzicato. That's uhh, yikes. Lynch isn't officially a bust yet, but he posted an ERA north of 5.00 in each of his first two cracks at the majors and began this season on the IL due to a rotator cuff strain. He's been looking decent on his rehab assignment and got stretched out to five innings and 73 pitches in his last outing for Triple-A Omaha on Friday, so he should be joining the big-league rotation this week. Can new pitching coach Brian Sweeney fix him? Probably not, but it won't cost much to find out. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

James Paxton, Red Sox: The veteran lefty looked good Friday in his first big-league start in over two years, fanning nine Cardinals in five innings, and Paxton still has enough of a name that he could attract some big bids on the strength of that performance. I remain skeptical that he will stay either effective or healthy for more than maybe a couple weeks, but if you can get him cheap enough, that's fine. If one of your competitors wants to devote a big chunk of their remaining budget to a 34-year-old who has thrown all of 21.2 big-league innings over the prior three seasons, I suggest you heed Napoleon's advice. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $5

Chase Silseth, Angels: Just as Jose Suarez seemed to be turning things around and tightening his hold on a rotation spot, he got hurt, opening the door for Silseth to step in. The 22-year-old righty stumbled in his last appearance May 7, but his overall numbers since his promotion have been solid, and he'll be well-rested for his first big-league start of the year Tuesday against the Orioles. Silseth's been outstanding in the high minors the last two years, but he'll probably need to sharpen his command to consistently turn his deep arsenal of solid pitches into positive results. The upside is there, but he's probably still a better keeper or dynasty option than a redraft asset. 12-team Mixed: No; 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)

Jhony Brito, Yankees (at TOR, at CIN)
Yonny Chirinos, Rays (at NYM, vs. MIL)
Brad Keller, Royals (at SD, at CHW)
Dean Kremer, Orioles (vs. LAA, at TOR)

Relief Pitcher

Jalen Beeks, Rays: Tampa Bay's rotation is crumbling, and there aren't any obvious reinforcements on the horizon. Tyler Glasnow isn't ready to return, and Taj Bradley has mysteriously fallen apart back at Triple-A since getting his first taste of big-league success. I hate to say it, but it wouldn't surprise me if the kid is trying to pitch through some kind of injury. If the Rays do end up needing to stitch together another Frankenstarter from openers, long relievers and spare parts, Beeks could end up benefitting and taking over a consistent bulk pitcher role. Aside from one disaster against the White Sox on April 30 he's been reasonably effective lately, and he's been stretched out a bit even when while as an opener. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Taylor Clarke, Royals: No matter how bad the Royals' rotation seems to be, the team can always seem to churn out useful new relievers. Clarke may be rising to that level. Over his last nine appearances and 11.1 innings, the 30-year-old righty has a 2.38 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 15:4 K:BB, and his run of success has coincided with the addition of a sweeper to his arsenal to complement his harder slider and mid-90s four-seamer. If Kansas City starts dealing away assets, both Scott Barlow and Aroldis Chapman will likely be available, which might leave Clarke batting Josh Staumont – who has lost over two mph off his fastball since 2020 – for a vacant closer spot. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Chris Devenski, Angels: Back in the middle of the last decade, Devenski was a rubber-armed bullpen stalwart for the Astros, posting big strikeout totals and stellar ratios while handling a big workload. It didn't last of course, and after a couple seasons of heavy usage his effectiveness declined before the injuries began to hit. The right-hander is still only 32 though, and he seems to have reinvented himself by refining his changeup to help compensate for a fastball that still has decent velocity, but not as much life as it used to. Setup jobs in the Angels' bullpen are wide open behind closer Carlos Estevez, and Ryan Tepera just got DFA'ed. If Devenski keeps getting whiffs with his changeup, he could reach double-digit holds for the first time since 2018. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Kendall Graveman, White Sox: Reynaldo Lopez has pitched himself out of the ninth inning for the White Sox, and while Liam Hendriks is way ahead of schedule in his recovery, his return to the closer role might still be measured in weeks not days based on the latest reporting. That leaves a window for someone in this bullpen to get some saves, and Graveman appears to be the guy for now. He's recorded saves in back-to-back appearances and has yet to give up a run in May, although he also closed out April by being scored upon in three straight games. If you need to plug a short-term hole in your staff, and would rather hunt for saves than wins and Ks while you do it, Gravemen could be one of the best options available. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $5

Wandy Peralta, Yankees: Speaking of bullpens in turmoil... somehow, Peralta has gotten saves for manager Aaron Boone in back-to-back games, and in both cases Clay Holmes pitched earlier in the game, while Michael King and Ian Hamilton were both deployed earlier in Friday's win as well. It's hard to imagine Peralta really moving the needle in the category by the end of the season, but as the top lefty in the Yankees' bullpen, it's not out of the question he winds up with a total in the mid-high single digits. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Trevor Stephan, Guardians: Emmanuel Clase has 13 saves already, but he's also blown four chances – matching his total from all of 2022 – and his strikeouts have cratered as his fastball has declined to a mere 98.1 mph average. He doesn't appear to be in much danger of losing the closer gig just yet, but if that does happen down the road, James Karinchak doesn't seem to be the answer. The job might instead fall to Stephan, who collected his second save of the year Saturday. Stephan doesn't have elite strikeout upside and his fastball has also declined a couple ticks in 2023, and his 1.62 ERA is more than a little lucky (his LOB rate is a ridiculous 101.1 percent, which kind of highlights the flaw in that metric.) If you do stash him, do it for the saves potential. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL:$4 

Catcher

Sam Huff, Rangers: Since being called up early this week, Huff has seen all his action at DH, which is probably for the best. The 25-year-old's power has never been in much question, but contact issues and sketchy defense have kept him at Triple-A most of the last few seasons. That's not likely to change any time soon, but in deep formats he could have value if he can run into a homer or two. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Matt Thaiss, Angels: The Halos keep losing catchers, and Thaiss is basically the last man standing, but his fantasy value isn't just fueled by volume. The 28-year-old's stick is good enough that the organization has tried to find ways to shift him out from behind the plate, and since he started seeing regular playing time in mid-April, Thaiss is batting .390 (16-for-41) with a homer, seven RBI, nine runs and a 7:8 BB:K over 18 games. He certainly isn't an ideal option defensively, but the Angels don't exactly have alternatives right now. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Rostered

First Base

Nick Pratto, Royals: Pratto continues to rake. He's got five multi-hit performances through 12 games in May, batting .342 (13-for-38) with two homers, 11 RBI and a thoroughly respectable 22.2 percent strikeout rate. If the latter number especially remains palatable, the 24-year-old might just shake that Quad-A label yet. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

Second Base

Jose Caballero, Mariners: The 26-year-old is getting his first taste of the majors this season and is holding his own, batting .279 (12-for-43) through 17 games. Caballero doesn't offer any power but he is 3-for-3 in steal attempts after going 5-for-6 at Triple-A prior to his promotion. With Kolten Wong still struggling at the plate, there's more than just the short side of a platoon available at the keystone for Caballero. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Andy Ibanez, Tigers: Ibanez has provided a jolt to the Detroit offense since his promotion in late April, and over his last 10 games he's batting .387 (12-for-31) with four doubles and a homer while striking out only once. He's shoved Nick Maton aside at third base in the process, although that wasn't too hard with Maton batting .115 in May. Neither guy is a long-term solution at the hot corner, but Ibanez's contact skills give him a better chance of sticking around in a utility role after his bat cools down. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Michael Massey, Royals: Is someone finally stepping up to claim the starting job at second base for Kansas City? The position was a wasteland in April, but since the calendar flipped to May, Massey is batting .379 (11-for-29) with two doubles, two homers, a steal, six runs and six RBI. Considering the quality of the offense around him, that's pretty impressive production. The 25-year-old tore up the high minors in 2022 to put himself on some 2023 sleeper lists, and it may simply have taken him a bit longer to wake up than expected. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Third Base

Pablo Reyes, Red Sox: Reyes is a 29-year-old utility player who has flashed some decent, but not remarkable, power-speed numbers in the minors, but he's never shown much in the majors over the nearly full season's worth of games he's compiled since making his debut in 2018. Boston's desperate for warm bodies on the infield though, so after being picked up over the weekend he figures to get a shot at semi-regular duty at second base and shortstop, backing up unproven rookie Enmanuel Valdez and the defensively challenged Enrique Hernandez. It's hard to get too excited about a guy who couldn't crack Oakland's roster, but in deep AL-only formats, playing time remains the coin of the realm. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Shortstop

Kyle Farmer, Twins: Activated from the IL on Wednesday, Farmer immediately took over the starting job at third base and bumped Jose Miranda back to Triple-A. Farmer's has hits in four straight games since his return, and he showed a bit of power the last two years in Cincy, but Target Field is no Great American Ball Park for right-handed hitters. The 32-year-old best fits as a utility player, but the playing time gives him some extra upside as a compiler in a respectable offense if he can keep his starting spot. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Joey Ortiz, Orioles: Called back up Sunday, Ortiz doesn't seem to have anything left to prove at Triple-A after racking up a .320/.377/.529 slash line for Norfolk in 52 games with seven homers and seven steals over the last two seasons, but it's not immediately clear where he might play on a crowded Baltimore roster. His best shot might actually come at shortstop, which sounds really weird if you haven't looked at Jorge Mateo's recent numbers. The veteran infielder is batting .105 (4-for-38) in May with a 30.0 percent strikeout rate as his early-season heater evaporates, and while Ortiz won't push him aside right away, he could take over if Mateo's slump deepens. The 24-year-old is just a stash in redraft, but he's an intriguing one. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Outfield

Kevin Kiermaier, Blue Jays: Look, I know we're all waiting for the inevitable with Kiermaier and nobody wants to get caught with him on their roster when the music stops, but he's hitting too well and playing too much right now to be on so many waiver wires. Dude is batting .394 (13-for-33) in May with five doubles, a homer, three steals, six RBI and 10 runs. I can almost guarantee you that's better than whoever is holding down the final spot on your bench right now, and maybe the final two or three guys. Just bite the bullet already. I mean, it's not like playing for Toronto has ever produced a career year for a veteran hitter... 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Trevor Larnach, Twins: The 26-year-old's exile to Triple-A barely lasted a week, as he got called back up when Max Kepler hit the IL. Larnach didn't sulk after the demotion either, going 7-for-14 with two doubles and two homers in four games for St. Paul while striking out only once. Contact issues are what cost him his spot on the 26-man roster in the first place, so the latter is encouraging, but he whiffed twice in three at-bats in his first game back with Minnesota, so don't get your hopes up. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Mickey Moniak, Angels: Moniak showed little flickers last year of finally realizing his potential as a first overall pick (in a 2016 draft that, in retrospect, was just one of those years. Nobody from the first round has done squat yet, while Pete Alonso, Bo Bichette and Bryan Reynolds all went in the second round), and he's doing it again this season, taking full advantage of the favorable hitting conditions in the PCL to slash .308/.355/.585 with eight homers in 33 games for Salt Lake. He would be far better served in another organization when it comes to playing time – I mean, he would be the Nationals' best outfielder the moment he stepped on the field – but Taylor Ward's sluggish start to the campaign might give Moniak an opportunity in left field. Then again, Ward's hitting .300 (12-for-40) so far in May so he may already have figured it out. Either way, Moniak's a cheap stab at some upside right now, nothing more. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Drew Waters, Royals: Waters is inching closer to making his season debut, finally starting a rehab assignment Tuesday and going, err, 1-for-18 with five strikeouts through his first four games with Triple-A Omaha. OK, so there's some rust. The 24-year-old still has a wide-open path to the starting center field job with Kyle Isbel out for another month or more and Jackie Bradley and Nate Eaton being, well, Jackie Bradley and Nate Eaton. Waters hit 12 homers with 18 steals in only 80 Triple-A games last year, and while he'll probably be a batting average liability, there's still upside here worth stashing. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4