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 upside on an A-E scale, prioritizing skills and talent above role and playing time outlook. Gunnar Henderson 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

Shane Baz, Rays: Tampa Bay is two games under .500 coming into Sunday, but the cavalry is coming. Baz began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham this weekend, and while Saturday's start didn't go so well, but he built up to 39 pitches in his first game action since July 2022. The 24-year-old righty had top-shelf stuff before Tommy John surgery, but durability has always been an issue for Baz, and he's never thrown more than 92 innings in a season. The Rays won't rush his rehab and will need to monitor his workload when he does return, but the innings he does end up providing the team could be valuable ones from a fantasy perspective. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Taj Bradley, Rays: I had an aggressive bid on Bradley last week and was worried I'd aimed too high, but looking at his numbers through two Triple-A rehab starts (one run allowed, 15:3 K:BB in 11 innings), I think I had it about right. The right-hander is the kind of player you should be targeting aggressively if he's available. If the Rays decide he's ready, Bradley could slot into the rotation Wednesday against the White Sox, which happens to be the spot currently occupied by Aaron Civale and his 6.14 ERA. (To be fair, Civale's 4.31 FIP is a little more palatable, and his 24.5 percent K rate is a career high, so maybe he just gets an extra couple days rest rather than getting bumped to the bullpen.) Holding Bradley back until the weekend to take Tyler Alexander's spot would mean he faces the Yankees instead. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Mike Clevinger, White Sox: The White Sox elected not to keep Clevinger on turn before his promotion and instead gave Brad Keller a spot start Friday, which was a choice. Clevinger now figures to make his season debut early this week in Tampa Bay, which then sets him up for a two-step and a home start against his former Cleveland club. Clevinger is a shell of his peak self, but he did give the White Sox respectable ratios over 24 starts in 2023 despite a mediocre 20.0 percent strikeout rate. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Cole Irvin, Orioles: Even with Kyle Bradish and John Means back, Irvin has refused to give up his rotation spot, putting together a 20.2 innings scoreless streak and winning three straight starts. Grayson Rodriguez's shoulder issue should buy him some extra time to prove this isn't just a fluke, but Irvin's 16.1 percent strikeout rate suggests very strongly that it is. If you pick up the southpaw now, do it knowing you may have very well already missed his best stretch of the season. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Jack Leiter, Rangers: Leiter looked great in his big-league debut April 18 against the Tigers... for about an inning, and then things went south in a hurry. The 24-year-old righty didn't sulk when sent back down to Triple-A though, and over his last two starts for Round Rock he's posted a 12:5 K:BB in 11 innings while giving up just two runs. Leiter lines up to take Nathan Eovaldi's rotation spot this week for a start in Oakland, and he should get a little more run if he doesn't fall on his face again. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Alek Manoah, Blue Jays: It seems like forever ago, but it only 2022 when Manoah was one of the most impressive young pitchers in the league, finishing third in Cy Young voting and looking like a foundation piece for Toronto's rotation. Everything fell apart for the right-hander last season though, and the fact that the organization still hasn't offered a clear explanation as to why is worrying, to say the least. There have been vague suggestions of arm trouble, but from the outside, Manoah's issues seems far more mental than physical. The Jays have brought him along slowly to begin the season and he's had mixed results, but his fourth rehab start at Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday was his best – one run allowed and a 12:2 K:BB through six innings. Manoah will rejoin the big-league rotation Sunday, and even if he doesn't look great, Toronto doesn't exactly have many alternatives to fill that spot. Most of y'all will have the benefit of seeing how he looks before submitting bids, which could make these recs look silly, one way or the other. His upside is enticing, but the downside is an abyss. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

John Means, Orioles: The veteran lefty was brilliant in his season debut Saturday, giving up three hits over seven scoreless innings against the Red with an 8:0 K:BB. Means is usually viewed as more of a solid mid-rotation arm than one with real upside, but that might not be accurate – while he won't get consistent Ks, he had a 1.05 WHIP in 377 MLB innings from 2019-2022, 12th in the league over that stretch among pitchers with at least 300 innings and ahead of guys like Zack Wheeler and Spencer Strider. 12-team Mixed: $7; 15-team Mixed: $15; 12-team AL: $25

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

Tyler Alexander, Rays (vs. CHW, vs. NYY)
Tyler Anderson, Angels (at PIT, vs. KC)
Luis Gil, Yankees (vs. HOU, at TB)
Andrew Heaney, Rangers (at OAK, at COL)
Patrick Sandoval, Angels (at PIT, vs. KC)
Michael Soroka, White Sox (at TB, vs. CLE)
Alex Wood, Athletics (vs. TEX, at SEA)
Simeon Woods Richardson, Twins (vs. SEA, at TOR)

Relief Pitcher

Yennier Cano / Danny Coulombe, Orioles: It's been a roller coaster week for the O's bullpen. Craig Kimbrel blew a second straight save last Sunday, and it was announced after the game he was having back trouble. There were big last-minute bids on Cano as a result, but Coulombe wound up getting the save Monday, and Kimbrel's absence then seemed like it would be a short one. Sure enough, the veteran closer came back Friday and got the save... then tried to pitch Saturday and got only one out before getting the hook, with Cano cleaning up his mess for the save. So what does it all mean? Kimbrel doesn't seem completely cooked, but Baltimore may have to think twice about using him on back-to-back days, and if his back acts up again, an IL stint is likely. Cano is still the next man up, which makes him worth rostering, but he might cede chances to Coulombe against lefty-heavy lineups. Cano – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5 / Coulombe – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Lucas Erceg, Athletics: Mason Miller has been absolutely dominant so far – over his last nine appearances, he's fired 9.1 scoreless innings and allowed only one hit with a 21:1 K:BB – but the A's are still making sure then don't work him too hard. Erceg has been the beneficiary, nabbing two saves in the last week when the club wanted to give Miller a breather. Those might end up being his only two saves of the season, but Erceg's been pitching pretty well himself with a 1.93 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 20:6 K:BB through 14 innings. He's also got a win and seven holds in his 14 appearances, so his value is soaring in S+H formats, but even in deeper standard 5x5 or leagues that only count saves, Erceg should be rostered. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Alex Lange, Tigers: Detroit's bullpen hierarchy also might not be as settled as it seemed. Jason Foley's started to stumble, blowing his first save of the year Friday and getting tagged for two runs twice in his last four appearances. Meanwhile, Lange has turned things around, posting a 0.00 ERA over his last nine appearances with a 12:5 K:BB, although in one of those he did somehow get tagged for five unearned runs despite giving up zero hits (how, you ask? Two walks, one 12th-inning phantom runner, one misplayed sac bunt and one Zach McKinstry error.) Lange got his second save of the season Wednesday, and he might be pushing his way back into the ninth-inning picture. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Jordan Leasure, White Sox: Hmm, maybe Michael Kopech isn't locked in as the Chicago closer after all. Kopech hasn't recorded a save since April 9, and White Sox manager Pedro Grifol seems to be deploying him as more of a relief ace/highest-leverage option. Since his last save, Deivi Garcia and Tanner Banks have each collected one, but Leasure – who got his first career save last Sunday before blowing a chance Tuesday – seems like the guy most likely to horn in on the ninth. The 25-year-old righty is still learning to turn his stuff into results, but he's averaging 96.0 mph with his fastball, and it gets on batters even faster thanks to his 90th percentile extension. He's still just a deep-league stash, but his upside is apparent. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Catcher

Ben Rortvedt, Rays: Tampa booted the struggling Rene Pinto down to Triple-A on Friday, and while it's not yet clear whether that's intended to simply be a reset or a more permanent move, for now Rortvedt figures to work on the strong side of a catching platoon with Alex Jackson. Rortvedt might even see a bigger share of the workload than that, although the Rays have kept him away from LHP so far and he only has six plate appearances against them in 2024. The 26-year-old has been raking against righties though, slashing .365/.441/.423 in 59 PAs, and while he won't keep up that batting average, he's got a career .249/.337/.436 line with 17 homers in 105 Triple-A games. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Alex Jackson, Rays: A first-round pick of Seattle's way back in 2014, Jackson's contact issues have kept his power from playing in games consistently, and he has a brutal .138/.237/.222 in the majors over 190 plate appearances with a 48.9 percent strikeout rate. (That includes four Ks in four ABs since getting called up Friday.) He seems to have solved Triple-A though, slugging seven homers in 22 games for Durham prior to his promotion with a .282/.344/.612 slash line, so the Rays will give him a chance, at least in a short-side platoon role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jose Trevino, Yankees: Trevino's defense is what keeps him in the lineup on a semi-regular basis, but he's making an impact with his bat too. Over his last 14 games, the 31-year-old is batting .385 (15-for-39) with two homers and 10 RBI. Austin Wells is also batting .212 (7-for-33) over that stretch, which helps. Wells is the higher-upside option, but until he gets hot, Trevino will hang onto a timeshare role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

First Base

Garrett Cooper, Red Sox: As expected, Cooper has taken over the starting role at first base for Boston while Triston Cases is sidelined. The 33-year-old former Marlin was slashing .270/.341/.432 for the Cubs prior to his acquisition, numbers that are right in line with his career performance, and Cooper did slug a career-high 17 homers last season between Miami and San Diego. He doesn't have tremendous upside, but he should provide the Red Sox with a solid bat. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Dominic Smith, Red Sox: Cooper's backup will be Smith, the one-time Met prospect who never panned out after teasing a breakout in the pandemic season. Smith has a .248/.313/.406 slash line in nearly 2,000 plate appearances since 2021, and should he somehow work his way into consistent playing time, you shouldn't expect much more than that. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Second Base

Michael Massey, Royals: Massey's on fire at the moment, hitting safely in seven straight games while batting .400 (10-for-25) with two doubles, two homers and seven RBI. The 26-year-old has had something of a stop-start beginning to his big-league tenure, but his minor-league numbers still point to him being a potentially strong contributor if he can stay healthy. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

Wenceel Perez, Tigers: The 24-year-old has taken advantage of Parker Meadows' struggles to stake a claim to the starting job in center field. Perez has three multi-hit performances in the last six games, slugging three homers with a 3:3 BB:K during that stretch, and the surge has pushed his slash line up to .302/.383/.566 through 60 plate appearances since his promotion. It's a small sample, but Perez has shown signs of development the last couple years, and he could be putting it all together. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Josh Rojas, Mariners: While he remains in a strong-side platoon role, Rojas has been destroying RHP this season, slashing .354/.440/.569 with three homers over 75 PAs in that split. His track record doesn't really suggest he'll keep that up, but he's got some power and speed and his role seems secure. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

Third Base

Junior Caminero, Rays: Tampa Bay's rotation is about to get reinforcements, but the lineup should get bolstered too, even beyond injured players like Josh Lowe returning. Caminero should probably be up already, in fact – he's hit safely in 14 of 16 Triple-A games to begin the season, and over his last 10 contests he's slashing an absurd .387/.425/.811 with four doubles, four homers and a 15.0 percent K rate. The Rays work at their own pace when it comes to prospects, and Caminero is only 20 years old, but the quad issue that cost him a couple weeks in early April is well behind him. It's time. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

J.D. Davis, Athletics: Oakland seem to be stockpiling corner infielders, and while I'm sure there's a Moneyball joke in there somewhere, I can't be bothered digging it out. Davis returned from the IL on Friday and has started two straight games at first base, going 2-for-7 and scoring a run. Both starts were against LHP though, so it's not clear where he stands yet against righties, as Tyler Nevin, Brett Harris and Abraham Toro are all in the 1B/3B mix, and the red-hot Brent Rooker is locking down the DH spot. Davis is the most likely candidate from that group to get flipped at some point, but whether that means the A's will want to showcase him or prioritize giving less established options playing time is still fuzzy. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Brett Harris, Athletics: The 25-year-old for rewarded for a hot start at Triple-A Las Vegas with his first promotion to the majors, and in his second career MLB start, Harris launched two homers. He's not much of a prospect and doesn't profile to have a lot of power – even in hitter-friendly Vegas, he's managed only seven homers in 63 games over the last two years – but he'll get a look as a short-side platoon option at third base. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Bryan Ramos, White Sox: The White Sox didn't want to push Ramos to the majors this quickly, but with injuries mounting at the hot corner, they were running out of options. The 22-year-old had a nightmarish start to the season at Double-A Birmingham, but he'd found a groove and hit safely in eight straight games prior to his promotion, going 11-for-33 with two homers and two steals. Ramos has flashed both power and speed, but Chicago will cycle some of their scrubby infield players through third base while easing the prospect into things. If he starts to click, Ramos may not give the job back even when Yoan Moncada gets healthy, but chances are good he'll be overmatched in his first look at big-league pitching. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Abraham Toro, Athletics: Toro's been on fire of late, putting together an eight-game hitting streak with four straight multi-hit efforts and batting a cool .500 (12-for-24) during that stretch with four doubles and a homer. The 27-year-old is the A's preferred option at second base at the moment, but he's also seen action at first base and third base and should go back to being a super-utility player once Zack Gelof returns. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Shortstop

Vaughn Grissom, Red Sox: Grissom made his Boston debut Friday, going 0-for-3 before getting Saturday off as he ramps back up. The 23-year-old injured his hamstring in spring training and then had his rehab delayed by an illness, but now that's in the lineup, he should be the everyday second baseman. Grissom's minor-league numbers in the Atlanta system were outstanding, and over 599 PAs in the high minors he boasts a .336/.419/.498 slash line with 11 homers, 22 steals and a 14.9 percent strikeout rate, including his performance during his rehab stint this year. If he's available, he needs to be scooped up, because a breakout 2024 campaign seems very plausible. 12-team Mixed: $11; 15-team Mixed: $21; 12-team AL: $33

Brayan Rocchio, Guardians: The 23-year-old is still looking for his first big-league homer, but Rocchio's speed, patience and contact skills are beginning to show up. Over his last eight games, he's swiped four bases, and while his .250 batting average (6-for-24) isn't impressive, it comes with a .379 OBP. He's hit ninth in every game but one this season, but with Steven Kwan picking up a hamstring injury Saturday, a spot at the top of the order could open up in the short term. If you missed out on Brice Turang, Rocchio might be the Great Value equivalent. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

Outfield

Willie Calhoun, Angels: With Miguel Sano now joining Mike Trout on the IL, Calhoun is the next reclamation project for the Angels. The 29-year-old slugged 21 homers with an .847 OPS back in 2019, and has done little since, slashing .225/.292/.352 over 603 big-league PAs between 2020 and 2023. He wasn't doing much at Triple-A Salt Lake either, but since getting called up Calhoun's gone 4-for-8 with two doubles. His best defensive position is DH, but fortunately the Halos need one of those, so he could get a long look against RHP. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Willi Castro, Twins: It's Big Willi(e) Style this week out in the wild, wild west. (Well, the Twins are in the AL Central now, but I'm not letting that get in the way of a good Will Smith reference.) Castro's been gettin' jiggy with it as Minnesota's jack of all trades, starting every day while bouncing between third base, shortstop, left field and center field. He's also swinging a noisy cricket at the plate, hitting safely in 10 straight games with a .465/.477/.767 slash line three steals, 10 runs, eight RBI and nine extra-base hits (six doubles, two triples and a homer). Castro's still only 27, and it's possible that the step forward he took in 2023 was just the beginning. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Rostered

Sam Haggerty, Mariners: Haggerty's started three games since getting called up Monday, all against LHP, and it looks like he'll handle a short-side platoon role in left field for now. He's gone 0-for-8 but does have a steal, and based on his track record, that's likely where most of his modest fantasy value will come from. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Kyle Isbel, Royals: Isbel's found a groove at the plate as KC's starting center fielder, batting .286 (10-for-35) since April 22 with two homers, five RBI and eight runs. The 27-year-old is locked into the ninth spot in the order, which limits the ceiling on his counting stats, but with Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt hitting one and two, Isbel will keep crossing the plate if he keeps getting on base. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Joey Loperfido, Astros: Houston really had nothing to lose by swapping Loperfido in for Jose Abreu, and so far the younger player hasn't flopped, going 4-for-13 in his first four big-league games. All four hits have been singles, and he's got a 1:5 BB:K, but his power's legit – 13 homers in 25 Triple-A games prior to his promotion was no fluke. Loperfido's contact issues will likely make him a batting average risk, but he's capable of going on a big power tear once he settles in. 12-team Mixed: $8; 15-team Mixed: $15; 12-team AL: $25

Mickey Moniak, Angels: With Mike Trout lost for a while to knee surgery, Moniak has started four straight games in center field, all against right-handed pitching, and he's gone 3-for-13 with a homer and four RBI. He's also struck out four times, and it just doesn't seem like the 25-year-old will ever be a consistent contributor, but at least he should see consistent playing time for the next couple months. Kevin Pillar will likely spell Moniak against lefties, though. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Brent Rooker, Athletics: Since returning from a rib injury April 19, all Rooker has done is slash .267/.389/.711 over 14 games with six homers and 15 RBI. (While on my bench in the Staff Keeper League, of course. Grr.) The 29-year-old showed last year that while he's streaky and a general liability in batting average, he can carry a lineup while he's hot, and he's scorching at the moment. Have an exit strategy if you do add him, though. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered