AL FAAB Factor: Fantasy Baseball 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. Wyatt Langford 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

Sean Burke, White Sox: The 25-year-old righty is on a nice little roll, posting a 2.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 15:8 K:BB over his last three starts and 16.1 innings. Burke's 2025 has been a mixed bag so far. His fastball velocity is down a bit from the end of last year, but it's still been a plus pitch thanks in part to his 90th percentile extension. His slider, however, isn't getting as much movement and has regressed in a big way, leaving him without a second pitch that can generate consistent whiffs. Burke's got a very favorable two-step, facing the Royals (29th in wRC+ against RHP) in Kansas City and then taking on the Marlins (23rd in wRC+ against RHP) at Guaranteed Rate Field next weekend – hey, it's the White Sox, nothing is guaranteed – so he could stretch his run of effectiveness for another week. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Hunter Dobbins, Red Sox: With Walker Buehler becoming the latest Boston starter to get shut down, Dobbins was called back up to plug the rotation hole. The 25-year-old righty has been adequate in the majors this season with a 3.78 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 13:4 K:BB through 16.2 innings, and he's lasted at least five innings in all three of his starts so far, which is nice. His stuff has some intrigue, too. Dobbins has a five-pitch mix highlighted by a slider, sweeper and curve that have all generated good whiff rates in a small sample so far, although his mid-90s fastball might be a little too hittable. Buehler and Richard Fitts are both expected back in the next few weeks, with Kutter Crawford potentially not far behind them, so Dobbins' window for fantasy utility is probably narrow. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Logan Evans, Mariners: Evans looked pretty good in his big-league debut last Sunday, although facing the Marlins can have that effect. (Just ask Gunnar Hoglund.) Evans will make his second start Sunday against the Rangers, who may not provide much stiffer competition (27th in wRC+ against RHP), so unless you have an early deadline you'll be able to get a better read on him before bidding. Evans looked like a breakout prospect early last season at Double-A, but he lost momentum after a summer shift to the bullpen to manage his innings. George Kirby and Logan Gilbert should both be back before the end of the month, so Evans' hold on a rotation spot is likely temporary, but if he keeps pitching well he could leapfrog Emerson Hancock as the M's preferred sixth man. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Kyle Gibson, Orioles: I guess Gibson needed one more rehab start after all. Added to the O's rotation Tuesday, the veteran righty got absolutely rocked by the Yankees, serving up five homers in only 3.2 innings. That kind of performance has been par for the course for Baltimore hurlers this year, but it won't do anything to juice the bidding on Gibson, which might end up being for the best. If he continues to pitch poorly, the team may have a choice to make when Trevor Rogers gets healthy, but the lefty's been struggling on his rehab assignment so far, which might give Gibson a bit more job security. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Lucas Giolito, Red Sox: Giolito's first MLB outing since 2023 went pretty well Wednesday. The right-hander flashed decent velocity and delivered a quality start with a 7:2 K:BB in six innings against the Blue Jays. The Red Sox need some stability in their rotation, and while Giolito's track record since 2022 makes him an unlikely candidate to provide it, stranger things have happened than a career revival from a guy who was a first-round pick in his draft class and has both an All-Star Game appearance and a no-hitter on his resume. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Gunnar Hoglund, Athletics: I wrote up Hoglund last week as a potential call-up, and he made me look very smart Friday against Miami when he did get promoted, although again, it was the Marlins. A first-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2021, and a guy who had been in the conversation to potentially go 1.1 before needing Tommy John surgery, Hoglund was shipped west as the centerpiece of the package the A's got for Matt Chapman. His minor-league numbers were mostly unimpressive his first two years after the surgery, but he had a solid showing at Double-A last season before taking another step forward this year. A 2.43 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 30:7 K:BB in 29.2 Triple-A innings would be intriguing in the International League, but in the PCL and with Las Vegas as his home park, it's stunning. Hoglund doesn't have premium velocity, but good extension helps his stuff play up a bit, and his changeup looks like a plus pitch while he mixes in three other secondary offerings. The fact that he's been able to thrive in tough environments (the Double-A Texas League is no picnic for pitchers either) bodes well for his chances of holding up at Sutter Health Park, and the 25-year-old righty will be given every chance to lock himself into a rotation spot ahead of guys like Osvaldo Bido or J.T. Ginn. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Eric Lauer, Blue Jays: Signed to a minor-league deal this winter after a rough final season in Milwaukee, Lauer was added to the rotation Wednesday and didn't completely flop against Boston. The veteran southpaw had been a reliable swingman/sixth starter type the two years prior for the Brewers however (3.47 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.9 K/9 in 277.1 innings), and the Blue Jays desperately need someone to handle exactly that kind of role. That desperation led them to sign Jose Urena and Spencer Turnbull this week, both of whom could eventually push Lauer for his spot, but for now the No. 5 starter job appears to be his. He gets a good two-step this week as well with two road starts against the Angels (29th in wRC+ against LHP, and now without Mike Trout) and the Mariners (seventh in wRC+ against LHP, but T-Mobile Park can forgive some mistakes). 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Lance McCullers, Astros: McCullers will finally get back on a major-league mound Sunday against the White Sox, as cushy a spot as you could ask for. It's been a long time coming – his last regular-season start for Houston came Oct. 1, 2022, when he held the Phillies to one run over six innings. Once projected be an ace, McCullers has made more than 22 starts in a season only once in his career, and while his strikeout numbers have always jumped off the page, there's no way of knowing how much of that plus stuff he has left until he's back on the bump. His performance during this year's rehab stint was encouraging, at least – 2.84 ERA and 16:6 K:BB in 12.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. The 31-year-old right-hander might be the ultimate wild-card in a pitching pool that has been lacking in big breakouts so far in 2025. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Allan Winans, Yankees: Clarke Schmidt getting bumped from his start Saturday made me look at the options the Yankees have if they need rotation reinforcements, and that led me to Winans. The 29-year-old righty has been nothing short of brilliant for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre so far, allowing zero runs over four outings (three starts) and 14 innings with a 24:5 K:BB – including a performance on April 23 that saw him fan 10 of the first 11 batters he faced. Schmidt is expected to take the mound early this week, but even if he's OK, Carlos Carrasco has been mostly awful as the fifth starter. Winans is worth stashing just for the chance of working with the AL's highest-scoring offense at his back. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

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

Via RotoWire's Probable Pitchers grid

Tyler Anderson, Angels (vs. TOR, vs. BAL)
Ronel Blanco, Astros (at MIL, vs. CIN)
Jackson Jobe, Tigers (at COL, vs. TEX)
Luis L. Ortiz, Guardians (at WAS, vs. PHI)
Cade Povich, Orioles (at MIN, at LAA)
Luis Severino, Athletics (vs. SEA, vs. NYY)
Shane Smith, White Sox (at KC, vs. MIA)

Relief Pitcher

Matt Brash, Mariners: After completing his recovery from May 2023 Tommy John surgery, Brash rejoined the Seattle bullpen this weekend and entered a tie game in the seventh inning Saturday, striking out one in a scoreless frame. His velocity wasn't all the way back – he topped out at 96.5 mph with his sinker – but the right-hander still figured to be a part of the M's setup crew before long. Andres Munoz has arguably been the best closer in baseball through six weeks, so Brash doesn't have a clear path to saves, but he'll still have value as a high-K reliever if he can regain his pre-injury form. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Beau Brieske, Tigers: Brieske also returned from injury to pitch Saturday, giving up a hit before recording the final out of the sixth inning against the Halos. The right-hander was viewed as a potential closing candidate coming into the season, but he struggled in high-leverage spots before hitting the IL with an ankle issue. Brieske's behind Tommy Kahnle and Will Vest in the saves pecking order for Detroit, but the bullpen is unsettled enough that a good stretch could put him back in the ninth-inning mix. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jose Urena, Blue Jays: When the 33-year-old right-hander makes his first appearances for Toronto, the Jays will be his eighth MLB club in the last seven seasons. Urena's been mostly awful during that time, but his stuff is just tantalizing enough to keep buying him chances, and he did give the Rangers decent numbers in 2024. The Jays need pitching depth – they're basically one injury away from disaster in a rotation that features three guys in their 30s who have seen very heavy workloads in recent years – so if Urena can be merely adequate, he should see steady usage, and provide bulk Ks in a long relief/swingman role while stumbling into the occasional win. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Catcher

Tucker Barnhart, Rangers: With Kyle Higashioka on the shelf, Barnhart was added to the roster to back up Jonah Heim., giving the Rangers a rare two-switch hitter catching tandem. Barnhart doesn't have Heim's upside at the plate, but his career .241/.318/.351 is pretty decent as far as journeyman decent catchers go. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Bo Naylor, Guardians: Speaking of backstops on a roll at the plate, Naylor's gone yard in three straight starts, although he hasn't had a multi-hit performance since April 18. His batting average on the season remains grim, but his average exit velocity and barrel rate have both ticked up to respectable levels in 2025, and he's shaved over 10 points off his strikeout rate, dropping it to a career-best 21.2 percent. The signs are there that the 25-year-old could be about to click, and in leagues where he's been cut loose in frustration, the window for grabbing him cheap could be closing. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Connor Wong, Red Sox: Wong came off the IL and immediately started two straight games this weekend, so Boston seems to have few worries about his broken finger. He still has to prove that last season's career-best numbers weren't just a fluke, but the 28-year-old will be given every opportunity to do so. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

First Base

Blaine Crim, Rangers: With Jake Burger jettisoned to Triple-A and Corey Seager off the IL, super-utility player Josh Smith might be calling first base home for a while. He'll need a platoon partner though, a job Crim might be able to fill quite capably. The 27-year-old seemed to have stalled out as a Quad-A player the last couple years, but he had a blistering start to 2025 at Round Rock with a .313/.365/.565 slash line and seven homers in 28 games. If he proves to be a lefty-masher, he'll have value in deep AL-only formats and those with daily moves. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Second Base

Zack Gelof, Athletics: After undergoing surgery on a hamate bone in his wrist in March, Gelof began a rehab assignment Tuesday, which could put him on track to join the A's late this week or early next. Strikeouts ate Gelof up last year, but memories of his impressive 2023 big-league debut still linger, and no one's really seized the second-base job for the A's in his absence. At worst, the 25-year-old should provide some speed and a bit of power if you can stomach the batting-average risk. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Romy Gonzalez, Red Sox: In the long term, some interesting dominoes could fall as a result of Triston Casas' season-ending knee injury (see Roman Anthony below), but for now Boston will roll with Gonzalez and Abraham Toro splitting reps at first base. It may not be a strict platoon – Toro is a switch hitter, but Gonzalez (a righty) has been swinging a solid bat in a bench role, slashing .319/.373/.447 through 51 plate appearances with six doubles and a couple steals. Gonzalez hasn't shown much power in the majors, although he did have a 20-20 season in only 78 games at Double-A in 2021 in the White Sox's system, but he could swipe some bags with a decent batting average with consistent playing time. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Leo Rivas, Mariners: Who cursed the keystone in Seattle? Ryan Bliss started the year as the starting second baseman, looked good, then suffered a bicep tear that will keep him sidelined past the All-Star break. Dylan Moore took over, looked good, then hurt his hip. That's handed the starting gig to Rivas, who has, you guessed it, looked good. Over his last nine games, Rivas is batting an absurd .480 (12-for-25) with five walks, three steals, three RBI and eight runs. Moore isn't expected to be out for long, but Rivas' performance may encourage the M's to shift the veteran back into his usual super-utility role and see whether Rivas can keep it up. At the very least, the 27-year-old's prowess on the basepaths seems legit – he went 51-for-61 on SB attempts at Double-A in 2023. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Samad Taylor, Mariners: Taylor earned his promotion with a .321/.389/.560 slash line through 24 games at Triple-A Tacoma, adding five homers and six steals to his impressive start to the campaign. The 26-year-old has been used exclusively in the outfield since his call-up, handling the short side of a platoon with Rhylan Thomas with both Victor Robles and Luke Raley on the shelf. Taylor might be the most likely candidate to get bumped off the 26-man roster when Moore gets healthy, however. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jorbit Vivas, Yankees: Best known as a member of the famed Vivas clan and an occasional antagonist of Din Djarin in the Mandalorian series... (puts hand to ear) wait, I'm being told that Jorbit Vivas is not, in fact, the name of a Star Wars character, even though today in May the Fourth. Huh. The 24-year-old made his big-league debut Friday in the wake of Jazz Chisholm hitting the IL, and Vivas appears to be getting the first crack at the second base job. He was slashing .319/.426/.436 at Triple-A with six steals (albeit in 10 attempts) in 26 games, and his on-base skills could serve him well at the bottom of the order with Aaron Judge hitting in the two-hole. A platoon with someone like Pablo Reyes is also on the table, however. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Third Base

Addison Barger, Blue Jays: Despite his struggles in his limited time in the majors so far, the Jays still seem to believe in Barger, and it's easy to see why. His AEV of 93.5 mph would rank in the top 20 in the majors if he had enough plate appearances to qualify, and he's hitting the ball in the air more while striking out less than he did in 2024. The result has been a BABIP of .185. With Will Wagner bumped back to Triple-A and Alan Roden mired in an 0-for-25 slump, Barger's started four straight games, splitting his time between third base and right field. Toronto will likely give him every chance for those hard-hit balls to start turning into hits, especially given his strong defensive profile. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Ernie Clement, Blue Jays: Clement's also seen his playing time pick up of late, handling the hot corner when Barger isn't while also filling in at second base on occasion. The 29-year-old infielder has been stringing together hits, batting .306 (15-for-49) since April 13, but that's come without any kind of real counting-stat production – he has only one steal, one RBI and five runs during that stretch. The playing time is nice, as is the batting average, but that profile is a tough sell in shallower formats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

Coby Mayo, Orioles: After flopping in his big-league debut last year, the 23-year-old gets another chance with the O's due to injuries to Jordan Westburg and Ramon Urias. Mayo may be suffering from a bit of prospect fatigue – he's been the next big thing since late 2023, at least – but he wasn't moping around at Triple-A this season, improving his strikeout rate a touch while slashing .252/.346/.523 with six homers in 28 games. It's still tough to see a path to regular playing time for Mayo when everyone is healthy, but given Baltimore's dire need for pitching, maybe this will be a good showcase for him ahead of a trade. Or maybe Ryan Mountcastle finally gets dealt, and Mayo can settle in at first base. The upside is there, if he gets a chance to show it. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Emmanuel Rivera, Orioles: Rivera's been getting semi-regular starts at the infield corners this week, but with Mayo now on the roster, that may not continue. The 28-year-old journeyman has a career .244/.307/.368 slash line in over 1,000 big-league plate appearances, so the only real appeal here is the potential for playing time. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Abraham Toro, Red Sox: The Astros, M's, Brewers and A's have all taken a look at Toro when they needed help on the infield, and all of them have moved on from the 28-year-old. He has a career .306/.397/.485 slash line at Triple-A, but it's never translated to the majors, and at this point there's little reason to believe he can escape being a Quad-A player. The Red Sox will give him some reps at first base, but they might quickly decide they can do better too. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Luis Urias, Athletics: Once upon a time, Urias was a promising young Brewer who'd slugged 23 homers in his first full big-league campaign in 2021. He was never able to match that production though, and after bouncing through Boston and Seattle the last couple years, he signed a one-year deal with the A's in February for barely more than the MLB minimum. Hitting in Sutter Health Park seems to have revived his power stroke, however. Over his last 12 games, he's gone yard four times while slashing .263/.383/.579 with a surprising 8:5 BB:K. Urias is still only 27, so if he's made the adjustments at the plate he couldn't before, he's got the talent to get his career back on track. Playing time will become tighter once Gelof is back on the roster, but Urias could push Gio Urshela for the starting job at third base if he keeps delivering at the plate. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Miguel Vargas, White Sox: Speaking of former top prospects looking to revive their careers, Vargas has been raking of late, batting .400 (14-for-35) over the last 10 games with two homers, six RBI, seven runs and a 6:4 BB:K. His AEV and hard-hit rate have both improved, and this is a guy with a career .297/.412/.512 slash line at Triple-A. It's tough to trust the White Sox to get one right at the moment, but if Vargas is just a late bloomer, his ceiling is massive. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Shortstop

Javier Baez, Tigers: I begrudgingly wrote up Baez a few weeks ago, but since then he's gotten even better, hitting safely in 10 of his last 12 games while slashing .341/.372/.634 with three homers, seven runs and 10 RBI. The 32-year-old has been getting most of his starts of late in center field, and the extra position flex is nice, but his .375 BABIP will regress eventually. If that happens just as guys like Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows are getting healthy, Baez's fantasy value will crater in a hurry. Have fun riding the hot streak, but don't get too invested. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Chase Meidroth, White Sox: The on-base specialist returned from a thumb injury at the beginning of May and promptly reeled off four hits and two walks in his first three games back. Meidroth hit leadoff in all three games, and while the ChiSox offense doesn't provide a lot of support, that's still better than batting ninth. He should get a long look at the starting shortstop, as long as he can stay healthy. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Daniel Schneemann, Guardians: Schneemann has seen his playing time tick up the last few weeks, and it paid off Saturday when he led Cleveland to a comeback win over Toronto with homers in the eighth and ninth innings, including a grand slam in the final frame. The 28-year-old utility player is batting .389 (14-for-36) over his last 15 games, and with both middle infield spots unsettled for the Guardians, Stephen Vogt is perfectly happy to keep riding the hot hand. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3

Outfield

Roman Anthony, Red Sox: So, about those dominoes. With Casas out of the picture at first base, it's possible the BoSox start giving Rafael Devers some defensive reps at first base. Manager Alex Cora shot down the idea in the immediate wake of Casas' injury, but a week or two of Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez might change his mind. Opening up the DH slot would let the Red Sox add Anthony to the roster, and the 20-year-old already has little left to prove at Triple-A, slashing .290/.411/.510 in 28 games with five homers and two steals. Devers' defensive conversion won't happen overnight, but another injury – not to jinx anyone, but Trevor Story's been awfully reliable so far – might make it a moot point. In terms of pure upside, Anthony still looks like the best stash available right now. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $5

Harrison Bader, Twins: Bader's been getting nearly everyday reps the last couple weeks, and he's responded by hitting safely in seven straight games while batting .440 (11-for-25) with two doubles, a steal, an RBI and four runs. The veteran outfielder has modest power-speed potential with regular playing time, and while Willi Castro could be back from the IL soon, Minnesota needs him more at second base. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Gustavo Campero, Angels: Jorge Soler started in right field for the first two games after Mike Trout landed on the IL, but unless the Angels hate good outfield defense, that doesn't seem like a viable solution. Campero got the nod Saturday, and while the 27-year-old hasn't done much in the majors, he was slashing .333/.397/.472 with seven steals in seven attempts over 26 Triple-A contests prior to his promotion. Trout may not be out long, but Campero could provide some speed in the short term. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Rhylan Thomas, Mariners: Thomas, picked up from the Mets in the Ryne Stanek trade last year, really seems to enjoy Tacoma. In 73 games for the Triple-A squad, he's posted a .327/.369/.375 slash line with 16 steals in 20 attempts, a far cry from the .235/.286/.377 line he managed in 49 games for Syracuse. Thomas appears to be on the string side of a platoon in right field for the M's at the moment, and with Luke Raley out until mid-June, he could provide some speed in the meantime if his affinity extends to the entire Pacific Northwest. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Daulton Varsho, Blue Jays: Varsho's started four games since making his season debut Tuesday, going 3-for-14 but seeing two of those hits leave the yard. The center fielder offers power, some speed and plenty of batting-average risk, but his Gold Glove defense will keep him in the lineup regardless of how much he produces at the plate. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $21