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

Jonathan Cannon, White Sox: Depending on how he pitches Sunday in Detroit, Cannon could be a very popular FAAB target this week. Since rejoining the big-league staff at the beginning of June, the 23-year-old righty has allowed only one run in 18.2 innings over two starts and a long relief appearances with a 15:2 K:BB. Mike Clevinger's rehab starts are lined up with Cannon's spot in the rotation, but it's hard to imagine the White Sox bumping the youngster if he continues to pitch well. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Zach Plesac, Angels: Plesac was plugged into Jose Soriano's rotation spot and gave the Halos a quality start Monday against Brewers before predictably stumbling against the Dodgers on Saturday. The 29-year-old righty was posting tolerable ratios as recently as 2022 with the Guardians, but he was dreadful last year and lacks the strikeout upside to be a worthwhile fantasy gamble in shallower formats. It's unclear how long Soriano might be out, but Plesac shouldn't be viewed as anything more than short-term option. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Yariel Rodriguez, Blue Jays: The 27-year-old right-hander returned from the IL on Friday for his first start since late April, but Rodriguez's control deserted him in the second inning against the Guardians and he wound up posting some ugly numbers. While he has flashed his talent in his first MLB campaign and could be a solid piece of the pitching puzzle for Toronto down the road, he hasn't lasted more than four innings in an outing yet, which makes him tough to roster if you're chasing wins or quality starts. He's only in the rotation out of dire necessity as it is, so if the Jays start dealing and pick up a major-league ready arm or two, Rodriguez could move back to long relief. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Chase Silseth, Angels: The Angels are desperate for healthy bodies in the rotation, so even though Silseth's last rehab start Friday was pretty rough (five earned runs in 4.2 innings), the fact that he got stretched out to 92 pitches might be all that matters. Health and command are both question marks for the 24-year-old righty, but he's got upside if things begin to click for him. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Michael Wacha, Royals: The veteran right-hander came off the IL on Saturday and was sharp over five innings against the Rangers, but the Royals' offense came up empty against Jon Gray and the Texas bullpen, and Wacha wasn't rewarded for his efforts. He was dealing before a comebacker broke his foot too, and over his last six starts he's got a 2.55 ERA. 0.96 WHIP and 30:11 K:BB in 35.1 innings. He's one of the guys benefiting from the deader ball this year – his 0.86 HR/9 would be his lowest mark in a decade if he can keep it up, and his 8.2 percent HR/FB rate would be his best mark since that metric started being tracked in 2016. 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)

Griffin Canning, Angels (vs. OAK, vs. DET)
Chris Flexen, White Sox (vs. LAD, vs. COL)
Luis Medina, Athletics (at LAA, at ARI)
Casey Mize, Tigers (vs. PHI, at LAA)

Relief Pitcher

Keegan Akin, Orioles: Akin has been a strong long relief option for the O's this season, and since stumbling at the end of May he's posted a 1.88 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB through 14.1 innings in June. The 29-year-old lefty only has two wins on the year, but given the potency of Baltimore's offense, he's the kind of guy who could vulture a few in the blink of an eye. In deep formats, you need pitchers like Akin on your bench to give you a viable alternative when you have matchups you want to avoid in your rotation. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

John Brebbia, White Sox: I wrote up Brebbia last week and then cleverly didn't grab any shares of him, only for him to pick up a save Tuesday. Michael Kopech is still the closer for the ChiSox, but he's got a 6.75 ERA in June and has blown both his save chances – in fact, he hasn't recorded a save since May 15. Even if he doesn't get dealt at the deadline, Kopech could be shifted out of the ninth inning in an effort to get him going. Brebbia's certainly pitching well enough to get a look in the closer role. Through 9.2 innings this month, the 34-year-old right-hander has a 1.86 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 15:1 K:BB. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Rostered

Chad Green / Nate Pearson, Blue Jays: The Jays bullpen is a mess. Jordan Romano is on the IL and had his throwing program shut down this weekend due to elbow soreness. Yimi Garcia is also on the shelf with elbow trouble, and while an MRI didn't show any structural damage, he probably won't be rushed back either. That leaves Green as the likely next man up in the ninth, and since returning from his own IL stint in late May he's reeled off a 1.13 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 6:2 K:BB through eight innings, picking up four holds along the way. Green doesn't have a save during that stretch though, and it's possible he'll be kept in a high-leverage role while others work the ninth. In that scenario, Pearson – who got the save last Sunday – might sneak in a few more. He's never been able to harness his high-octane stuff consistently, but he's posted a 3.38 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 12:2 K:BB through eight innings in June. Green – 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11 / Pearson – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Tommy Kahnle / Luke Weaver, Yankees: A heavy workload seems to be catching up to Clay Holmes. He's been tagged for multiple runs in three straight appearances, and over his last 10 games he's managed just a 4:2 K:BB in nine innings. While I wouldn't say his closer job is exactly in jeopardy, if he's trying to pitch through a sore arm or something, now's the time to stash the next man up. The problem is, it's not clear who that might be – heck, a replacement closer might not be on the roster right now, should the Yankees need one, as they're one of the prime candidates to go out and trade for someone like Tanner Scott. Of their current healthy relievers though, Kahnle and Weaver seem like the best bets to fall into some saves. Kahnle has been scored upon just twice in 12 appearances since making his season debut in late May, although seven walks in 9.1 innings isn't exactly encouraging, and his 93.9 mph average fastball is down significantly. Weaver started the season in long relief but has been shifted into more of a high-leverage role of late and has a 1.69 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 8:3 K:BB in 10.2 innings since May 31 with a win and three holds. Stop me if you've heard this one before: the former starter has seen his stuff play up in shorter stints, and looks far more effective as a reliever. If you're just looking for a solid depth arm rather than a saves dart throw, Weaver is the better option. Kahnle – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1 / Weaver – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Zack Kelly, Red Sox: Kelly got looks in 2022 and 2023, but this seems to be the season he locks down a prime spot in the Boston bullpen. The 29-year-old has been dominant in June, posting a 1.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP and 13:3 K:BB through nine innings with two wins and two holds, and while his 96.1 mph fastball has been solid, it's his sweeper (44.3 percent whiff rate) that's been baffling hitters in particular. The Red Sox are still in the thick of the wild-card race in the AL, but if they fade and Kenley Jansen and/or Chris Martin gets traded, Kelly should move into a high-leverage role and maybe even see some ninth-inning action. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

David Robertson, Rangers: When he's on, Robertson can still be one of the most effective relievers in the game, and right now he's on with a capital O. The 39-year-old righty has a 12:0 K:BB over his last 4.2 innings – yes, 12 of his last 14 outs have been strikeouts. Kirby Yates has yet to blow a save this year, but his injury history suggests he could break down at any time, so stashing the clear next man up for the Rangers is probably a good idea. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Chris Stratton, Royals: James McArthur still seems to be holding onto the closer job for Kansas City, but it's definitely not a firm grip – over his last 10 appearances, he's stumbled to a 6.00 ERA and 1.67 WHIP with a distressing 3:4 K:BB. He's also got only one save (and one blown save) during that stretch, so Stratton's save Thursday can't be dismissed as a fluke. The veteran righty has a 1.04 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 7:4 K:BB through 8.2 innings in June, and while that isn't the kind of dominance you'd like to see in a high-leverage arm, it's not like the Royals are getting big K numbers from any of their late-inning relievers right now. A switch at closer wouldn't be a big surprise. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Catcher

Ben Rice, Yankees: It's been a while since the Yankees had a Kevin Maas come along out of nowhere and dump a bunch of souvenirs in the right-field short porch, but Rice has a golden opportunity to become a folk hero for the Bronx Bombers. The 25-year-old started the season at Double-A, but after slugging 12 homers in 49 games for Somerset, he got bumped up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and slashed .333/.440/.619 in 11 games before Anthony Rizzo's wrist injury opened up a spot for Rice's big-league debut. While he's just 3-for-14 to begin his MLB tenure, he hasn't looked overmatched and has a 3:2 BB:K. The Yankees do have some other options at first base, including trading for one, but DJ LeMahieu's been terrible since he came off the IL. Rice's catcher eligibility in most formats is the icing on the cake – if he starts slugging like he did in the minors while playing every day at first base, or even just on the strong side of a platoon, he could make a huge fantasy impact. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Ben Rortvedt, Rays: Rortvedt has settled into a strong-side platoon role for the Rays and has found a groove in June, slashing .316/.366/.553 through 41 plate appearances in June with two homers and nine RBI. Alex Jackson is no real threat to his playing time and Rene Pinto is still flailing away at Triple-A (34.5 percent strikeout rate in June), so Rortvedt's spot seems secure even if he cools down at the plate. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Cesar Salazar, Astros: With Victor Caratini on the shelf, Salazar is up again to provide some catching depth for Houston. Yainer Diaz has been playing through a sore finger on his right hand and was DHing regularly until Caratini got hurt, so there could be some playing time available for Salazar. He's got some upside as a hitter too, slashing .274/.387/.458 in 48 games this year for Triple-A Sugar Land with six homers. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Second Base

Brandon Drury, Angels: Out since early May, Drury came off the IL this week and lasted all of two games before picking up a bug that's kept him out of the lineup. (That sentence pretty much sums up the Angels' season, if not their decade.) Drury's been a consistent power source the last two years, so it's tough to imagine he's fallen off a cliff at age 31, but he's also in the last year of his contract so if he does heat up, he'll be trade bait and may not have a starting job waiting for him elsewhere. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Michael Massey, Royals: Massey's missed about a month with back trouble, but he looks on track to rejoin the Royals this week. The 26-year-old has only played 29 games this season in the majors between injuries, but he's teased a breakout campaign when he's been healthy, slashing .294/.306/.529 with six homers and 23 RBI. If he got dropped, scoop him up now. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Jorge Polanco, Mariners: Polanco's also been sidelined for about a month, but unlike Massey he was having a miserable year before straining his hamstring, slashing .195/.293/.302 in 46 contests. The 30-year-old is better than that, but in his absence Ryan Bliss hasn't looked out of place. I've actually held off writing up Bliss the last couple weeks, assuming he was headed back to the minors when Polanco returned, but the M's have found a way to keep Ty France and Tyler Locklear on the roster at the same time. Barring a trade though, Polanco's got the safer spot and playing time, and he should pick up the pace at the plate if he can stay healthy. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Third Base

Armando Alvarez, Athletics: Alvarez has all the hallmarks of a Quad-A player, but he got called up for his big-league debut this week after slashing .311/.401/.528 in 47 games for Triple-A Las Vegas with eight homers. The 29-year-old was bouncing between second base and third base with Vegas, so he makes sense as a player to plug into Abraham Toro's role with the latter on the IL, but Alvarez likely won't see his playing time, nor his production. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Tyler Nevin, Athletics: Oakland's also giving Nevin another look after he slashed .296/.365/.667 in 14 games for Vegas with four homers and 17 RBI, but it shouldn't have been a surprise that he could handle Triple-A pitching. The 27-year-old has started three of five games since his latest promotion, going 2-for-12 with a double, but there's little reason to expect anything more from him. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Oswald Peraza, Yankees: Injuries to Anthony Rizzo and Giarcarlo Stanton prompted Peraza's promotion Sunday, but the 24-year-old wasn't exactly setting the world on fire at Triple-A, slashing .182/.308/.242 in June with a 29.5 percent strikeout rate. He'll provide some infield depth, but Peraza's probably behind even Jahmai Jones in the pecking order for playing time. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Gio Urshela, Tigers: I jinxed Jace Jung last week by recommending him as a stash – he's now on the IL with a wrist issue. Or maybe the Jung brothers are just fragile. Either way, Urshela's job as the starting third baseman for Detroit is safe for now, although he's done little to deserve to lose it. Over his last 12 games he's slashing .295/.354/.318, and while his lack of power or speed gives him little utility in shallow formats, he's still a handy guy to have on your bench when injuries hit your roster. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

Shortstop

Brooks Lee, Twins: I nearly wrote Lee up last week, but he'd just come off the IL for Triple-A St. Paul and had no clear path to a big-league job at shortstop with Carlos Correa on a roll. Well, Lee's now getting reps at second base and has hit safely in 11 of the last 12 games for St. Paul, slashing .370/.414/.667 with four doubles, four homers and 14 RBI over that stretch. It seems only a matter of time before the 23-year-old is Correa's double-play partner rather than his replacement, and the 2022 first-round pick could be ready to make an immediate impact in the majors. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Angel Martinez, Guardians: Martinez likely won't be up in the majors long – he's filling in for Gabriel Arias while the latter's on the family medical emergency list – but those in AL-only keeper leagues might want to take the opportunity to stash him. The 22-year-old has flashed some power and speed in the majors, slugging 14 homers with 11 steals in 136 games between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus last season, but his plate discipline looks like it's taken a massive leap forward. A 47:119 BB:K in 2023 has become an 11:9 BB:K in 17 games for Columbus this season. It's a small sample, sure, but an incredibly encouraging one. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Outfield

Will Brennan, Guardians: Brennan's been on fire in June, slashing .340/.400/.560 through 55 plate appearances, but his strong-side platoon role limits his fantasy utility in shallower formats. He should still be rostered though – like other lefty hitters like Ryan O'Hearn or Luke Raley, when his team's schedule lines up in his favor, Brennan can make an impact for you during a transaction period, whether that's a week or a half-week. If you can make daily moves and sit him against southpaws, so much the better. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered

Lawrence Butler, Athletics: After posting a 14.1 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A in June, Butler got called back up to the majors and promptly whiffed six times in his first 15 plate appearances. Apparently, improved plate discipline is one of those things that stays in Vegas. Oakland has little to lose by giving the athletic 23-year-old every opportunity to claim a starting job, but Butler remains a very risky play until he shows he can make more consistent contact. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Oswaldo Cabrera, Yankees: New York's spate of injuries, as well as DJ LeMahieu's slump, have allowed Cabrera to start the last three games, and he's gone 2-for-9 with two RBI and three runs. Hitting ninth isn't the worst thing for your runs potential when you have Juan Soto and Aaron Judge batting second and third, and the 25-year-old has shown flashes of power and speed – in exactly 700 career MLB plate appearances, Cabrera has 16 homers and 13 steals. If he gets consistent playing time, he could prove to be useful. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Joey Loperfido, Astros: Houston still seems to believe Loperfido can be a reliable defender in the outfield – they were even playing him in center at Triple-A prior to his most recent promotion – but the team's gaping hole at first base figures to come calling sooner or later. If Loperfido hits, though, the Astros will make sure he's got a spot somewhere. He hadn't gotten back into form with Sugar Land, hitting zero homers in his last 14 Triple-A games with a .246/.313/.328 slash line, but he's proven his power potential already. The only question is whether he can get to it in the majors, or whether the front office will have to look outside the organization for the power bat it needs. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Manuel Margot, Twins: Margot's been pushing his way into regular playing time with a hot streak that has seen him slash .294/.400/.500 over his last 12 games with a homer, a steal, five RBI and nine runs. The 29-year-old is hitting leadoff against lefties, and with Max Kepler sidelined, Margot could see more starts against righties as well. He's a better fit for a platoon role – since 2022 he has a .786 OPS against LHP, and a .637 OPS against RHP – but extra counting stats will make up for a loss of efficiency. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered