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. 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

Logan Allen, Guardians: If you took a chance on Allen's two-step last week, you got rewarded with 10.1 shutout innings, a 10:4 K:BB and a win. The southpaw wasn't facing the toughest competition – the ChiSox, and a struggling O's offense that sits 28th in wOBA and wRC+ against LHP in the early going – but it was still an impressive turnaround after his bumpy season debut. Allen's leaning more on his sweeper this season to generate weak contact, and the pitch seems to have better shape. While I wouldn't count on a true breakout, he could be inching toward 'reliable streamer' territory. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered

Tyler Anderson, Angels: Anderson has had a tremendous beginning to the campaign, and after tossing six scoreless innings against the Giants on Friday he sports a 2.08 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 21:12 K:BB through 21.2 innings. He's never been a K-an-inning kind of guy, but the 35-year-old lefty has a nice schedule through the end of the month (home against the Pirates, then on the road in Seattle) so his hot streak could extend into May. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Brayan Bello, Red Sox: The beleaguered Boston rotation should get some reinforcements this week, as Bello is set to come off the IL and jump right into a two-step, at home against the M's and on the road in Cleveland. Bello has yet to put it all together in the majors, but the 25-year-old righty still has real upside if his control and command can take a step or two forward. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Kyle Gibson, Orioles: The veteran righty probably needs a couple more minor-league starts under his belt before he'll be ready to join the Baltimore rotation, but that's close enough to think about stashing him in deeper formats. Gibson is what he is, but assuming the O's bats wake up at some point, a guy who can reliably last six-ish innings a start will have some upside in wins while not hurting your ratios too badly. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Ryan Gusto, Astros: I wrote up the right-hander last week, and while nothing fundamentally has changed about him, Lance McCullers' return has been delayed a bit by the stomach flu, potentially buying Gusto another turn or two in the rotation. He picked up the win over the Padres his last time out, looking sharp at times but very hittable at others, so Gusto's upside remains fairly low. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Emerson Hancock, Mariners: With George Kirby still looking at a May return, Hancock was brought back up to fill Seattle's fifth starter role and picked up a win in Cincinnati on Thursday. The 25-year-old righty has a limited ceiling, but he's in line for at least two more starts before the end of the month. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Lance McCullers, Astros: Once viewed as a future ace, injuries have derailed McCullers' career, and the 31-year-old righty hasn't pitched in the majors since 2022 and sitting out the 2023 and 2024 campaigns completely. He's closing in on a return though, tossing four scoreless, one-hit innings for Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday with a 5:1 K:BB. There's really no telling what kind of stuff he still has, and it's hard to imagine him handling a big workload this season given the long layoff, but the Astros need rotation help so he'll at least be part of the solution. A bout of stomach has gotten him off schedule during his rehab stint at Sugar Land, but he still seems to be on track to get activated before the end of the month. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $3

Keider Montero, Tigers: Detroit is running with a six-man rotation for the moment, and Montero is the guy giving the rest of the staff some extra rest. He posted an 8:1 K:BB in his season debut Wednesday in Milwaukee but also served up three homers in five innings, which matches up with his track record. It's not clear how long the 24-year-old right-hander will be around – the Tigers get an off day this week on Thursday, but then don't get another one until May 5 – but he should make at least one more start during his current stint in the majors. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Clarke Schmidt, Yankees: Schmidt made his season debut Wednesday and came one out short of a quality start against the Royals. The 29-year-old right-hander nearly put together a breakout campaign last year if not for injuries, posting a 2.85 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 93:30 K:BB through 85.1 innings, and simply staying on the mound will be his biggest task in 2025. If he can, Schmidt should be a nice mid-rotation arm on a team with an offense that can slug its way to a win on a regular basis. He also gets a potentially fruitful two-start week this period, heading to Cleveland before facing the Blue Jays at home next weekend. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $21

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

Via RotoWire's Projected Starter Grid

Osvaldo Bido, Athletics (vs. TEX, vs. CHW)
Jonathan Cannon, White Sox (at BOS, at ATH)
Dean Kremer, Orioles (at WAS, at DET)
Zack Littell, Rays (at ARI, at SD)
Davis Martin, White Sox (at MIN, at ATH)
Jose Soriano, Angels (vs. PIT, at MIN)
Gavin Williams, Guardians (vs. NYY, vs. BOS)

Relief Pitcher

Joey Cantillo, Guardians: It's not clear yet whether the Guardians have given up on the idea of Cantillo as a starter, but he's providing some deep-league value in the short term as a long reliever. Through 10.1 innings over seven appearances, the southpaw has a 1.74 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 14:4 K:BB. If he keeps racking up bulk Ks and solid ratios, Cantillo will be worth rostering in AL-only, and if his control reaches an acceptable level, there's always a chance he'll get another look in the rotation. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Liam Hendriks, Red Sox: Hendriks was finally activated from the IL this weekend to bolster Boston's bullpen. The 36-year-old has two 30-save seasons on his resume and was among the league's elite closers in 2019-21, but he hasn't pitched in the majors since 2023 and has a lot to prove before he should be trusted as a high-leverage option. Aroldis Chapman also hasn't done anything to lose his hold on the ninth-inning job, and both Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock are ahead of Hendriks in the pecking order if Chapman did falter. Hendriks should be viewed purely as a dart throw right now. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jordan Leasure, White Sox: Well, here we go again. Yes, Leasure is the best bet for saves in the White Sox bullpen right now. No, that doesn't mean you should pick him up, unless you're desperate. The 26-year-old righty has quality high-leverage stuff but doesn't have trustworthy control, walking five in 7.2 innings so far this season, and his team context remains abysmal – there's simply no reason to assume any Chicago reliever will hit double-digit saves this season. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Ryan Zeferjahn, Angels: A third-round pick of the Red Sox in 2019, Zeferjahn was one of the magic beans that got traded to the Halos last July in exchange for Luis Garcia (the other one. No, the other other one.) Lo and behold, he might have sprouted into a beanstalk. Zeferjahn looked good in his big-league debut down the stretch last season, and he's been even better in 2025, posting a 14:3 K:BB over just 6.2 innings – yes, 14 of his 20 outs have come via strikeout – on the strength of a fastball that's averaged 97.9 mph and a cutter and sweeper that each have whiff rates above 40 percent. Kenley Jansen is just a rental as the Angels' closer, and while Ben Joyce is the presumed next man up in the ninth, he's currently on the shelf with a sore shoulder. If Zeferjahn keeps pitching like this, he's going to get a look in the ninth at some point. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Catcher

Edgar Quero, White Sox: This is the week AL teams decided to start the clock on top prospects, and while the really interesting names remain in the minors for now, the first wave of promotions hasn't been too bad. Quero will have to share time behind the plate with Kyle Teel at some point, but for now his only competition for playing time at catcher is Matt Thaiss, and the 22-year-old switch hitter is quickly making his case that there should be no competition at all. Quero's gone 3-for-9 to begin his big-league career with two doubles, continuing a hot start at Triple-A that saw him slash .333/.444/.412. It could be a year or two before his power develops, but his contact skills and plate discipline still offer a strong fantasy ceiling, even if his team context is brutal. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

First Base

Jonah Bride, Twins: The injuries just don't stop in Minnesota, so the front office scooped up Bride when he was DFA'ed by the Marlins just to have a warm body who can help out at 3B and DH. He had a nice little second half last season, creating some optimism he might be headed for some kind of breakout, but it only took Miami a dozen games to give up on him. There's two ways to view that, of course – either you want no part of a guy who couldn't even carve out a regular spot on the Marlins, or you can try to bank on their organizational incompetence and assume they made a mistake cutting ties so quickly. I lean toward the former, but Bride would also have to hit really well to stick around once the Twins get healthier. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Nick Kurtz, Athletics: Kurtz stopped getting pitches to hit this week at Triple-A, which is just self-preservation on the part of PCL hurlers. The 22-year-old is now slashing .316/.389/.671 through 22 games with seven homers and a 10:24 BB:K, and that K rate is the only yellow-bordering-on-red flag on his profile. Perhaps more important than anything Kurtz himself is doing is how the A's plan to make room for him in the majors, and on that front Brent Rooker has started three games in the outfield since April 12, his first defensive action since May 30 of last season. The promotion's coming for the fourth overall pick in the 2024 Draft, it's only a question of when. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Second Base

Luke Keaschall, Twins: A somewhat surprising promotion even given the Twins' injury issues, Keaschall got the call Friday after slashing .261/.379/.348 through 14 games at Triple-A with one homer and four steals. The 22-year-old has hit the ground running in the majors, going 3-for-9 in two starts with two doubles, two RBI and a steal, and I have to think Minnesota wouldn't have brought him up just for a cameo. It's not clear where everyone will fit in the infield once Royce Lewis is back – the Twins will need to find ABs for Lewis, Keaschall, Carlos Correa, Brooks Lee, Ty France and Edouard Julien – but that's a May problem. Keaschall has five-category upside, and if he's hitting, he'll play. 12-team Mixed: $7; 15-team Mixed: $15; 12-team AL: $31

Lenyn Sosa, White Sox: Sosa's streaky, but the arrow is pointed up for the 25-year-old at the moment. He's batting .342 (13-for-38) over the last 10 games, albeit with minimal production (two runs and three RBI), and while I seem to say this every year (and about multiple players, for that matter) only for the team's so-called brain trust to disagree, the White Sox have absolutely nothing to lose by letting Sosa start every day and see what happens. They may have actually figured that out in 2025 though. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Third Base

Addison Barger, Blue Jays: Barger made headlines this weekend when he racked up three outfield assists against Seattle on Friday, tying a franchise record, but in most fantasy leagues that don't mean squat. The 25-year-old has gone 0-for-12 since his promotion and was batting just .211 at Triple-A to begin the year, but there's a good chance he might stick around in a utility role. Nathan Lukes appears to be the most likely player to get bumped when Daulton Varsho comes off the IL, and Ernie Clement's poor showing so far could create playing time at third base for Barger when his cannon isn't needed in right field. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Ben Williamson, Mariners: With Jorge Polanco still not ready for defensive duties and limited to DH, Williamson was called up to give Seattle some depth at third base. A second-round pick in 2023, the 24-year-old has good contact skills and a bit of speed but limited power, although he did swat his first big-league homer Saturday. He's not a big-time prospect and might head back to Tacoma once Polanco is 100 percent, but there's also a chance Polanco shifts back to second base once his side soreness subsides and he can throw a baseball again. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Shortstop

Zach Neto, Angels: Neto won't be available in most formats, but in leagues with no IL slots and a small bench, it's possible he's on the wire. The 24-year-old shortstop made his season debut Friday and ripped an RBI double, and his upside is undeniable after he belted 23 homers and stole 30 bags over 155 games last year. 12-team Mixed: $21; 15-team Mixed: $41; 12-team AL: Rostered

Outfield

Roman Anthony, Red Sox: It's tough to get a read on when Anthony might come up. The Red Sox don't have room for him in the outfield, but the 20-year-old doesn't seem to have anything left to prove in the minors, batting .400 (14-for-35) over his last nine games for Triple-A Worcester with three doubles, two homers and a 6:8 BB:K. As more front offices pull the trigger on promotions though, the pressure will mount to call up anyone a team thinks has a real chance to bring home hardware and one of those PPI draft picks. On that front though, Boston already has Kristian Campbell as a viable Rookie of the year contender, so I wonder if holding Anthony back so the two don't hurt each other's standing is part of the plan. All it would take is one injury to someone in the OF/DH mix to earn Anthony his first big-league promotion, though. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $3

Harrison Bader, Twins: This is how bad Minnesota's injury situation has gotten – Byron Buxton leads the team in games played in the outfield. (As someone with Buxton shares, you best believe I was knocking on wood as I typed that.) That's led to consistent playing time for Bader in the early going, and he's responded with decent production – he's slashing .259/.298/.444 with three homers, five runs, 12 RBI and a steal in 57 plate appearances. he's shown in the past he can contribute in power and speed when called upon, and he's being called upon right now. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered

Andrew Benintendi, White Sox: Back from an adductor strain, Benintendi has gone 1-for-10 in three games since coming off the IL, but at least the hit was a solo homer. The 30-year-old has three long balls and seven RBI in 12 contests while batting .244, and he should be a reliable asset – albeit one with a capped ceiling due to his supporting cast – as long as he stays healthy. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

DaShawn Keirsey, Twins: Keirsey looked like he might be headed for a larger role when Matt Wallner landed on the IL, but then he got plunked by a pitch on the hand Saturday. The 27-year-old could offer some upside, but even if you discount his performance at Triple-A St. Paul last year (.302/.372/.478 in 111 games with 14 homers and 37 steals), his speed should still offer a path to fantasy value. Assuming he avoids the Twins' injury bug, of course. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Ramon Laureano, Orioles: Baltimore's another team having trouble keeping guys upright in the outfield. Colton Cowser could be out until June, and Heston Kjerstad took a Hunter Greene fastball off the elbow Saturday, although he seems to have avoided a serious injury. Laureano came off the bench against the Reds and launched two homers, his third long ball since Wednesday. The 30-year-old is streaky, but he was a useful depth bat in Atlanta last year and could fill the same role with the O's if he finds his way into more playing time. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jake Meyers, Astros: Houston might never settle on a long-term center fielder again, but riding the hot hand in the short term has led to some surprising fantasy value for Meyers. Through 19 games the 28-year-old is slashing .291/.344/.345, and he already has seven steals – his career high is 11, set over 148 games in 2024. Meyers has always had plus sprint speed, but his career .294 OPS got in the way of him deploying it on a regular basis. As long as he keeps getting on base, he could be an asset in SBs. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Chandler Simpson, Rays: Richie Palacios' return lasted exactly one game, and rather than cycle through more bench players for a replacement, Tampa Bay elected to call up one of its most exciting fantasy prospects in Simpson. The speedster has zero career homers as a pro, but he swiped 102 bags in 119 attempts between High-A and Double-A last year, so you know what you're after if you roster him. As with most guys who feature his profile, Simpson's minor-league BB:K may not hold up in the majors if pitchers have no reason to pitch around him, and it wouldn't be a huge surprise if he turned into the next Billy Hamilton. Hamilton has four straight seasons with 50-plus steals though, and that was a decade ago, before MLB changed the rules to incentivize running. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Daulton Varsho, Blue Jays: Varsho started a rehab assignment Saturday, and a return to the Blue Jays before the end of the week seems likely once he's demonstrated he'll have no defensive limitations in center field. The 28-year-old will hit for power and swipe an occasional bag, and his career .225 batting average might not look out of place in 2025's offensive environment. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11