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

Ronel Blanco, Astros: Blanco appears to have supplanted Brandon Bielak as Houston's fifth starter, which probably says more about Bielak's inability to provide consistent innings than it does Blanco's performance. Over four starts in June, the latter has a 4.70 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 21:11 K:BB in 23 innings, numbers that offer some value in deep formats, but Blanco's served up seven homers during that stretch and could be a ticking time bomb for your ratios. Barring a trade though, the Astros don't seem to have any better options for the back of their rotation. Buyer beware. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Jhony Brito, Yankees: After a brutal run for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre that saw the 25-year-old righty serve up six homers in 20.1 innings to fuel a 7.08 ERA, Brito returned to the majors Wednesday and naturally blanked the Mariners over 5.2 frames. He's got limited upside, but until one of Nestor Cortes or Carlos Rodon is ready to be activated from the IL, Brito figures to round out the Yankees rotation while the team plays on 13 straight days leading up to the All-Star break. That sets him up for a enticing two-step this week too, with road starts in Oakland and St. Louis. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $2

James Kaprielian, Athletics: After an 0-6 start to the season that featured a nightmarish 8.12 ERA, business has picked up for Kaprielian in June. The right-hander has gone 2-0 in four starts with a thoroughly respectable 3.47 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 19:9 K:BB through 23.1 innings. The wins can't be counted on in Oakland, but the 29-year-old has the talent to deliver useful ratios if he can stay healthy. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Kenta Maeda, Twins: The veteran right-hander returned from the injured list Friday and took advantage of a favorable matchup by blanking the Tigers over five innings with an 8:2 K:BB. Maeda's 6.86 ERA on the season is scary, but 10 of the 16 runs he's coughed up came in the start in which his triceps started barking. Toss that one out, and he boasts a 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 20:3 K:BB in 18 innings. Minnesota may well manage the 35-year-old's workload in the second half given his injury history and the fact that he missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but Maeda still seems more than capable of going on a tear, even if the last time he put together that kind of sustained success was during the pandemic year of 2020. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Matt Manning, Tigers: Manning appears set to return to the rotation Tuesday after recovering from a foot injury, but before you jump on a two-start week for the right-hander consider that the second outing would come in Coors Field. The 25-year-old was a first-round pick in 2016 and showed flashes of taking a big step forward in 2022, but he hasn't yet shown the strikeout upside in the majors he'd need to be a really intriguing fantasy asset. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Tarik Skubal, Tigers: Manning will beat Skubal back to the big-league rotation, with the southpaw set for at least one more rehab start as he works his way back from elbow trouble. Skubal's been mostly brilliant on his rehab stint though, posting a 16:1 K:BB in 10.2 innings, and he has more upside than Manning from a fantasy perspective. He probably won't be activated until the first week of July, but if you have to choose one Tiger or the other to bolster your rotation over the final three months, go with Skubal. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Gavin Williams, Guardians: The awesome thing about the prospect pool is that it always replenishes. No matter how many top young talents get called up, there's always more waiting in the wings. Williams is the latest potential future ace to make his 2023 debut, and the 23-year-old righty looked like he belonged for the most part Wednesday, even if his final line against the A's was a bit disappointing given the quality of the opposition. Williams boasts a fastball that has touched triple digits in the past and his slider, curve and changeup have all made strides since Cleveland popped him 23rd overall in 2021, and his promotion doesn't feel like a short-term thing. Cal Quantrill is just beginning a rehab assignment, and both Tanner Bibee (5.04 ERA, 1.60 WHIP) and Logan Allen (5.68 ERA, 1.74 WHIP) have stumbled in June. If Williams strings together a few quality outings, he should be in the rotation to stay, and with a two-start period this week (at KC and at the Cubs), the Guardians should find out quickly whether he's ready. 12-team Mixed: $11; 15-team Mixed: $21; 12-team AL: $35

Other two-start options, Mon-Sun (12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $1)

Jaime Barria, Angels (vs. CHW, vs. ARI)
Paul Blackburn, Athletics (vs. NYY, vs. CHW)
Cole Irvin, Orioles (vs. CIN, vs. MIN)

Relief Pitcher

Tommy Kahnle, Yankees: Clay Holmes has regained the closer role more or less, but manager Aaron Boone is using him more like a fireman at times, which is going to open up the occasional save chance for someone else. Kahnle's been lights out since coming off the IL, beginning his season with 10 straight scoreless appearances and posting a 10:1 K:BB over 9.2 innings. He's got a save and three holds in those 10 games, and with Michael King having been scored upon in five of his last six outings, the door is open for someone else to become the top right-handed setup man for the Yankees. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Chris Murphy, Red Sox: Boston's got four healthy starters right now... wait, no, three and a half, as one of them's James Paxton. Rather than give someone like Nick Pivetta another look in the rotation, the Red Sox are going to Rays it up and try to use a lefty in a consistent bulk relief role to see if they can produce their own Ryan Yarbrough or Josh Fleming. Murphy's the guy getting the assignment, and while his Triple-A numbers this season are frankly terrifying, he's fired eight scoreless innings over three appearances since making his big-league debut earlier this month with an 11:1 K:BB. As with all primary pitchers, his chances of a win are enhanced as he won't need to last a full five innings to quality for one, and he lines up for some superficially favorable matchups – three straight home games, one against the Marlins this week and then a two-step against the Rangers and A's. If you chase that Oakland outing though, be aware that Texas and Miami both sit in the top five in wRC+ against LHP on the season. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Brendan White, Tigers: Detroit's high-leverage crew could be facing some churn in the coming weeks – Alex Lange still holds the closer role but has a 12.27 ERA in June, while trades could send setup men like Jose Cisnero to contenders. White's made a compelling case for a bigger role since he made his big-league debut a couple weeks ago, posting a 2.45 ERA and 13:0 K:BB through 7.1 innings. The 24-year-old righty doesn't have a hold yet much less a save, but this is the Tigers we're talking about. White mainly features a mid-90s fastball, a slider and a sweeper he uses against righties, and while the sample size is teeny tiny, all three pitches have whiff rates of 33.3 percent or above in the majors. If you're in the kind of league where it makes sense to stash relievers, White could pay off in a big way in the second half. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

First Base

Brandon Belt, Blue Jays: Belt returned from the IL this week and started three straight games at DH with the Jays facing a run of right-handed pitching, hitting third in all three. That's a pretty juicy spot in a star-studded lineup for a guy with a .796 OPS on the season, but Belt's capable of doing damage with it if he can stay healthy. His platoon role limits his appeal in shallow formats, but the veteran slugger should be rostered in deeper league or ones with daily moves. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Second Base

Vidal Brujan, Rays: Could Brujan finally be getting a chance in Tampa? With Brandon Lowe out of action, Brujan's started three straight games at second base, going 4-for-11 with a double and two steals. It's worth noting that Wander Franco was benched for two of those games, so Taylor Walls was covering shortstop, but Walls is also slashing .155/.259/.211 in June. Brujan doesn't have Walls' glove, but if he offers more offense, he could carve out a consistent role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

David Fletcher, Angels: With three infielders on the IL and one of them (Gio Urshela) done for the year, the Halos got a bit desperate for help this week. Not only did they call up a retread like Fletcher, they traded for a couple veterans who couldn't get consistent at-bats on their old squads. The 29-year-old had an inflated slash line at Salt Lake and got in on the action during Saturday's ridiculous Coors Field rout, but he doesn't really offer much at sea level other than the possibility of semi-consistent playing time and some position flex. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Andy Ibanez, Tigers: Ibanez is basically the new Zach McKinstry, getting hot at the right time to take over a starting gig for the Tigers. Over his last 12 games, Ibanez has hit a cool .400 (16-for-40) with four doubles, a triple and two homers. McKinstry's .160/.192/.240 slash line in June is a cautionary tale -- don't assume this is a new normal -- but Ibanez could be useful while he's locked in. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Tony Kemp, Athletics: It's been the 31-year-old's turn to get hot and regain a starting job for an A's roster that seems to have revolving doors all over the lineup. Kemp's batting .400 (10-for-25) over his last nine games with eight runs scored, albeit with just a solo homer and a steal to round out his production. He won't supply any useful power, so if you want to try the end of this wave, it's best to view him exclusively as a three-category asset (BA/R/SB) at best. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

Third Base

Eduardo Escobar, Angels: The 34-year-old essentially takes the place of Urshela on the Angels' roster after getting bumped aside on the Mets by prospect Brett Baty earlier this year. New York's footing almost the entire bill on his 2023 salary, so LA has no investment here if he doesn't work out, but Escobar was showing signs of life at the plate, batting .313 (10-for-32) in sporadic playing time over the last month. Given Urshela's usage and the Halos' injury situation, he could see more consistent action in his new uniform, so he might just find a rhythm and regain the form that saw him launch 48 homers over the prior two years. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Mike Moustakas, Angels: The other veteran infielder the team added in trades this week, Moustakas takes the roster spot of Jared Walsh, who has wandered into the desert (well, Salt Lake, anyway) to try and find himself. Moose wasn't doing much for the Rockies this season and was even hitting better on the road than at Coors Field, which I suppose could be interpreted as a good sign for his Angels tenure, but Brandon Drury figures to see most of the playing time at first base unless he slumps badly. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Shortstop

David Hamilton, Red Sox: Boston's search for a shortstop has led them to a guy who was an eighth-round pick of the Brewers in 2019 before being sent east in the Hunter Renfroe trade a couple offseasons ago. Hamilton has done his best Lewis Hamilton (no relation, I don't think) impression on the basepaths in the Red Sox system, stealing an incredible 98 bags on 111 attempts in 170 games over the last two years between Double-A and Triple-A, but his .255/.342/.433 slash line doesn't suggest the 25-year-old will be more than a bench player at best in the bigs. Still, the plus speed is legit, and since his promotion Wednesday he has more stolen bases for Boston (two) than base hits (one). That's not the most glowing recommendation for a fantasy pickup, but if you're specifically targeting steals, there's a real chance Hamilton could move the needle in that category if his glove is good enough to hang onto the starting job at short. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Outfield

Conner Capel. Athletics: Ramon Laureano landed on the injured list this weekend with a fractured ego after some absolutely bone-headed defensive plays... (puts hand to ear) I'm now being told the injury is officially to his hand, but I stand by my reporting. Anyway, that opens up a starting-ish spot for Capel, who was slashing .308/.392/.446 in June for Triple-A Las Vegas. The 26-year-old won't see much action against lefties and offers only modest power-speed upside, but Laureano is a candidate to get moved even after he's back, so if Capel can prove himself this time around, he should be up for good. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Aaron Hicks, Orioles: As far as I'm concerned, Brandon Hyde has already won Manager of the Year. It's not just that the O's are playing well, it's that he continues to juggle a roster that would probably need 11 starting spots to get everyone the playing time they deserve. With Cedric Mullins off the IL, Hicks' usefulness to the team would seem to be at an end, but instead the skipper has said he'll keep using him (and Ryan O'Hearn, for that matter) as long as he's productive. Hicks has slowed down a bit but is still slashing .306/.403/.581 in 20 games for Baltimore, and with Ryan Mountcastle out there should be at-bats available for him in the OF/DH mix. Plus, getting value out of him makes the Yankees look bad, which has to count for something. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Billy McKinney, Yankees: Of course, the Evil Empire has already moved on and found new veteran retreads to rehabilitate. McKinney was a first-round pick of the A's way back in 2013 but never clicked in the majors until now, making his big-league debut with the Yankees in 2018 and bouncing through five other organizations before winding up back in the Bronx. This time around, he's hit safely in 14 of his first 15 games with the team while slugging four homers, producing a 1.006 OPS that has allowed him to more than adequately fill the Aaron Judge-shaped hole in the lineup. McKinney had a career .664 OPS in 768 PAs coming into this season, so this run could fizzle out at any moment, but the 28-year-old has a swing tailor made for the short porch at Yankee Stadium, and between him and Jake Bauers, I like McKinney's odds of stick around a little better. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $13

Drew Waters, Royals: Waters started the season on the IL and it took him a while to shake off the rust after his activation – not a big surprise given his career-long contact issues – but the 24-year-old might finally be heating up, stringing together three straight two-hit games coming into Sunday with a couple homers and a steal. Waters' power-speed combo has always been intriguing, and he's capable of racking up some big numbers when he's locked into a hot streak, but a cold spell with a 35 percent strikeout rate is always around the corner, so don't get too attached. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5