AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

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.

This year, we're incorporating 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 role on an A-E scale. Rafael Devers would have been an "A" grade player last year -- that mark will be reserved for similar high-impact prospects stepping into 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

Jaime Barria, Angels: The 21-year-old will be called back up Sunday to make his second spot start of the season, and if the Angels finally commit to their six-man rotation he could stick around for a while. Barria turned in a solid effort in his first one, only allowing one hit and one run over five innings against the Rangers, but his 3:3 K:BB was fairly consistent with his minor-league work – in his only extended stretch in the high minors so far, he posted a 47:15 K:BB in 61.2 innings for Double-A Mobile last year. As a prospect, he's essentially the bargain version of the Braves' Mike Soroka. Barria's fastball sits in the low 90s and his changeup, while good, isn't quite plus, but his whole arsenal plays up due to poise and command beyond his years. Whether that's enough to give him sustained success in the bigs remains to be seen, but the package is intriguing enough to be worth a look. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Matt Boyd, Tigers: It feels like Boyd does this every season. The southpaw will put together a short run of success, just to pull the rug out from under any fantasy GMs who take the plunge. Maybe he should change his name to Lucy Boyd. Nevertheless, here we are again after he turned in three straight quality starts to begin the year, racking up a 1.40 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and mediocre 11:4 K:BB through 19.1 innings. He is still only 27, and lefties can take longer to reach their true potential, but a deeper dive into his numbers – small ample though they may be – doesn't create much cause for optimism. The velocity on Boyd's fastball is way down – his fastball is averaging 88.7 mph after coming in at a career-high 92 mph last year – but he's also throwing it a lot less, instead leaning on his slider (which has also shown a big decrease in mph) over a quarter of the time. He's also throwing fewer balls in the strike zone and getting batters to chase a bit more, which likely goes hand in hand with the increased slider usage. Is it sustainable? Will his velocity return? You might be better off letting someone else find out. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Owned

Trevor Cahill, Athletics: Cahill was added to the rotation Tuesday and looked like the pitcher who was shockingly effective for the Padres in the first half of 2017, striking out eight over seven scoreless innings against the White Sox. The 30-year-old had been fighting his control in his two tune-up starts at Triple-A, walking seven batters in 9.2 innings, but that wasn't in evidence against the hacktastic Pale Hose, a team with the fourth-highest strikeout rate (26.1 percent) in the majors. As a result of that excellent debut, Cahill's likely to be a very popular add as he heads into a two-start week, but it's a dangerous one – at Texas, then at Houston on Sunday. If you need pitching he's worth gambling on given his numbers for San Diego last year (3.69 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 72:24 K:BB in 61 innings) but if he shows signs turning into the pumpkin who couldn't keep a rotation job in Kansas City (8.22 ERA, 2.35 WHIP, 15:21 K:BB in 23 IP) be ready to bail quickly. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $17

Yonny Chirinos, Rays: Coming off his worst outing of the season, Chirinos was... rewarded by officially being named the fourth starter? That's usually not how it goes, but they do things a little differently in Tampa. The rookie still has a 2.70 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 15:5 K:BB through his first 20 big-league innings, and with the club having decided he's now stretch out all the way and capable of going a bit deeper into games, Chirinos should have a slightly better chance of getting his first MLB win in the near future. The Rays are still going to have a quick hook when it comes to letting him go a third time through the order, though, so don't expect any complete games, or even many quality starts. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Owned

Jason Hammel, Royals: One of the hidden sources of pitching value this season could come from stocking up on AL Central arms. It's a division of haves (Cleveland and Minnesota) and have-nots (everybody else), and the unbalanced schedule means that AL Central starters will get to face those lesser offenses more often. Hammel, sadly, won't get to face his own teammates, but he should be plenty useful against the White Sox, who swing at everything (hi Yoan!), and the Tigers, who he stuffed for two earned runs over nine innings in his last start Friday. The veteran righty has actually put together three straight solid outings, and while he doesn't offer much upside, he should be a reliable streaming option when the matchup is right. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Owned

Phil Hughes, Twins: Everything I said above could apply to Hughes, in theory, but the 31-year-old has some serious hurdles to overcome before a word like "reliable" can be applied to him. Hughes was never a particularly steady starting option, but he did have an impressive 2014 campaign on his resume, consistently excellent command and the hope of a rebound – until thoracic outlet syndrome sapped his velocity, making him a fantasy liability over the last two years when he's even been able to get on a mound at all. The right-hander will make his season debut Sunday in Tampa Bay after spending a few weeks on the DL due to an oblique strain, and while the matchup could lead to a good early result, there was no sign in the spring that he'd regained those lost couple of ticks on his fastball. Until it does, the potential reward doesn't seem worth the risk. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Drew Pomeranz, Red Sox: Pomeranz came off the DL for Friday's start and it did not go well, as he couldn't get out of the fourth inning against the A's. The lefty did strike out seven batters (among only 11 outs), though, and there should be better days ahead for him, especially with the Red Sox offense backing him. Pomeranz won 17 games last year despite struggling with his efficiency at times, and that formula (five-ish innings plus Ks equals profit!) should work ever better in 2018. 12-team Mixed: $15; 15-team Mixed: $35; 12-team AL: Owned

Erasmo Ramirez, Mariners: Another pitcher returning from the DL to make his season debut this weekend, Ramirez looked pretty sharp in two rehab starts for Triple-A Tacoma, posting a 7:1 K:BB in 9.2 innings. The 27-year-old's numbers as a starter have been fairly consistent the last few years, and while he won't move the needle in shallower formats, his barely sub-4.00 ERA, decent WHIP and handful of strikeouts should find a home on a lot of fantasy staffs. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

CC Sabathia, Yankees: The veteran southpaw returned to action Thursday after a couple of weeks on the DL and looked like his usual self, which is to say, not very good. Sabathia's numbers through his first few starts are superficially good, but his 2.70 ERA has benefitted from some unearned runs and he has yet to last more than five innings in a start. He still pitches for a team that can get him some wins – and, it should be noted, he needs 13 of them to reach 250 for his career, so he's got some milestone motivation for 2018 – but the 37-year-old's declining velocity and strikeouts make him a fringy fantasy option. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Relief Pitcher

Jose Alvarez, Angels: As the only lefty in the Angels bullpen, and one who's been really effective at that, you'd think Alvarez would be seeing more high-leverage work, but through 12 appearances this season he has only one win and one hold. Trying to figure out how Mike Scioscia's brain works remains a mug's game. Even if the counting stats aren't there, Alvarez's 0.00 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 11:3 K:BB in 9.2 innings will still have deep-league value as a staff filler, even if the 28-year-old might be pitching a little over his head right now. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Heath Hembree, Red Sox: Hembree's enjoying a strong start to the season, posting a 13:2 K:BB through 12 innings with two wins and two holds, and after recording a career-high 14 holds last year he could blow past that number with the Red Sox on pace to win 138 games this season. The right-hander has always been prone to rough stretches, and his 3.75 ERA is a product of one already – five total earned runs over back-to-back outings a couple of weeks ago – but in between those meltdowns, he figures to have some fantasy value. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Kevin Jepsen, Rangers: Keone Kela's control issues are starting to catch up to him, so that means it's time to look at the rest of the Rangers' bullpen for possible replacements at closer. It's a thoroughly mediocre bunch, but Jepsen still looks like the best alternative for Jeff Banister. His fastball is clocking in at a career-low 92 mph, a fact reflected in his lack of dominance (5:4 K:BB in 9.2 innings), but his 1.86 ERA and 1.03 WHIP look positively Kimbrelian next to the numbers Alex Claudio and Jake Diekman have put up so far. Jepsen's worth a long-term stash if you need saves, but don't expect a quick return on your investment. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Joe Jimenez, Tigers: Shane Greene's another closer who might be on shaky ground, having blown two of his five save chances already, but fortunately for the Tigers they have an obvious replacement ready at hand. Jimenez seems to have his own control issues straightened out right now, and he hasn't walked a batter since dealing two free passes in his first appearance of the season. Oh, and the 23-year-old flamethrower also has a 0.00 ERA and eight strikeouts in 8.2 innings. This might be your last chance to hop on the bandwagon. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Catcher

Luke Maile, Blue Jays: Maile's seven-game hit streak (which included a run of four straight two-hit games) came to an end Saturday with an 0-for-4 performance, but in deep leagues that hot streak has vaulted him to the top of the "OMG I need a catcher" pile. It's usually not a great idea to pick up a guy whose current OPS is about twice his career mark, but beggars can't be choosers. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

First Base

C.J. Cron, Rays: Injuries elsewhere on the Rays' roster have allowed Cron to see regular at-bats lately, and he's responded by slashing .357/.406/.679 over the last week with three homers and eight RBI. Brad Miller's return shuts him out of consistent at-bats at first base, but with Kevin Kiermaier sidelined for a while, Denard Span is needed in the outfield, leaving Cron as the DH on most nights. He won't stay this hot, but he'll be useful roster filler while those sweet, sweet PAs are rolling in. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Owned

Mitch Moreland, Red Sox: Hot as Cron has been, Moreland's been even hotter, putting up a .500/.526/1.063 slash line over the last week with two homers and nine RBI. Any playing time in that juggernaut Red Sox lineup is going to result in nice counting stats, but Moreland's still not getting into the lineup every day thanks to Hanley Ramirez's stubborn refusal to get hurt again. For that reason, while Moreland's useful as a short-term pickup in shallow leagues, he might be better viewed as a long-term stash. Should Ramirez break down, Moreland's value will shoot through the roof. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Owned

Second Base

Lourdes Gurriel, Blue Jays: Gurriel made a splash in his big-league debut Friday, driving in three runs in Yankee Stadium and looking smooth defensively at the keystone. The 24-year-old may be blocked in Toronto by Devon Travis, but "blocked" is a relative term when the incumbent has a .149/.216/.170 slash line and can never stay healthy. For his part, Gurriel earned his promotion with a .347/.382/.510 line at Double-A New Hampshire, and while it might seem fueled by an elevated .364 BABIP, his contact skills and hit tool should allow him to post higher than average BABIPs down the road. His older brother Yuli down in Houston says Lourdes is a better hitter than he is, and the kid will have plenty of time to prove it. That hit tool is his only real asset right now from a fantasy perspective, however, as Gurriel's never shown much power or speed in the minors. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Jed Lowrie, Athletics: Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your major-league leader in RBI. Lowrie won't stay this hot, but it's not like he hasn't shown some offensive upside in the past, and it was his inability to stay healthy, not his talent, that prevented him from breaking out in Boston and turned him into a big-league vagabond. His last DL stint came in August 2016, though, and it was more of a "let's push the old dude off the roster to take a look at some kids" thing that a truly serious issue. (Seriously. He landed on the 60-day for a bunion. That must have been one massive bunion.) Given his track record it's hard to endorse Lowrie as a "buy high" candidate in his age-34 season, but a repeat or better on his 2013 career-best campaign in Oakland – .290 batting average, 15 homers, 75 RBI, 80 runs – seems very much within reach. 12-team Mixed: $7; 15-team Mixed: $17; 12-team AL: Owned

Brad Miller, Rays: Miller came off the DL on Friday and promptly drove in the winning run, but it's been the only highlight of his season so far. He has yet to record a multi-hit performance in 11 games, and his .200/.282/.314 slash line is even worse than his miserable 2017 numbers. Small sample size, yadda yadda yadda, but with Cron tearing the cover off the ball right now, Miller may need to snap out of it quickly if he wants to hang onto the lion's share of playing time at first base. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Rob Refsnyder, Rays: Even with Matt Duffy and Kiermaier on the shelf, Refsnyder hasn't been seeing much action, getting only two starts over the last week. He's been used exclusively in the outfield or at DH so far this season, and if the Rays can't find a use for you as a utility player, maybe no one can. His lingering second-base eligibility from 2017 might be the only thing keeping him rosterable in deep AL-only leagues. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Joey Wendle, Rays: Wendle's become the de facto starter at second base with Daniel Robertson needed at third to cover for Duffy, but the 27-year-old has also earned the job, posting a .325/.429/.550 slash line over the last couple of weeks. Wendle's got only one homer and one steal so far, but he's shown he's capable of contributing in both categories in the minors, and this is first real shot at proving he can do the same in the Show. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $13; 12-team AL: Owned

Third Base

Miguel Andujar, Yankees: While all eyes are going to be on Gleyber Torres after his promotion Sunday, Andujar has been heating up at the hot corner for the Yankees, racking up six runs and six RBI while collecting nine hits over his last five games, with seven of them going for extra bases (five doubles, two homers). The 23-year-old likely isn't as threatened by Torres as you might think, and his elite bat speed makes his current level of production plausibly sustainable. In less aggressive leagues where he's still available, this might be your last chance to get Andujar shares. 12-team Mixed: $20; 15-team Mixed: $45; 12-team AL: Owned

Jeimer Candelario, Tigers: Speaking of rising young third basemen, Candelario's been having a good run of his own, hitting ,400 with his first three homers of the season over the last week. He doesn't have Andujar's ceiling, but the 24-year-old was a solid prospect in his own right, and the rebuilding Tigers will give him all the playing time he can handle. If his power stroke is beginning to develop, a breakout campaign in entirely possible. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $13; 12-team AL: Owned

Shortstop

Chad Pinder, Athletics: The 26-year-old utility player has struggled since coming off the DL on Tuesday, going 1-for-12 with six strikeouts. Pinder does seem to be the preferred platoon partner for Matt Joyce in left field, though, and that role should allow him to see semi-regular at-bats given all the LHP in the AL West, giving him a chance to find his power stroke again. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Daniel Robertson, Rays: Robertson has taken over as the regular third baseman for Tampa since Duffy broke down again, and even hit his first two homers of the year over the last week, but the overall offensive output remains mediocre. The playing time has value in deeper formats, but Robertson's never shown much upside in the minors and seems unlikely to suddenly start now. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Luis Sardinas, Orioles: Now on his fifth big-league club in five seasons, Sardinas has become the ultimate journeyman, bouncing from coast to coast in his search for regular employment. He's still only 24 and was once considered a decent prospect, so you never know, but his minor-league numbers suggest a player who might only help in steals should he ever get a starting gig. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Gleyber Torres, Yankees: The Yankees scammed their extra year of team control by keeping Torres in the minors for a few weeks, but the 21-year-old got the call this weekend and should make his big-league debut Sunday in pinstripes. He'll take over as the starting second baseman, and his hit tool could allow him to make an immediate impact. It might take a few years for his power to develop, but then again Ozzie Albies is busy making those kind of statements look foolish, and Torres did hit seven homers in only 55 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year before injuring his elbow. The Yankees will ease him in, just as they did with Andujar, but Torres' ceiling is sky high. 12-team Mixed: $20; 15-team Mixed: $45; 12-team AL: $75

Outfield

Jackie Bradley, Red Sox: If you've ever had Bradley on your squad, you know he can be one of the most frustratingly streaky players in baseball, looking like a world-beater for a month at a time then looking totally lost at the plate a heartbeat later. In deep season-long formats you can mitigate this volatility by simply setting and forgetting him in your lineup, but in shallow formats it's tempting to try and time the JBJ market and mostly only have him on your roster during the good times. Well, one of those hot streaks may be brewing. After a brutal start to the season – he had a .115/.207/.192 slash line on April 7 – Bradley's gone 11-for-37 (.297) over his last 11 games, and his first two homers have come in his last five. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Owned

Delino DeShields Jr., Rangers: DeShields was activated from the DL on Sunday and will make his return to center field for the Rangers. He wasn't hitting when he got hurt, and fractured hands are the kind of thing that can make it tough for a player to get his swing back quickly, but the 25-year-old did go 3-for-7 on his brief rehab assignments, for what that's worth. DeShields' primary value will come from his legs anyway, and the improved plate discipline he showed in 2017 should allow him to get on base even if the base hits aren't there. 12-team Mixed: $8; 15-team Mixed: $19; 12-team AL: Owned

Ben Gamel, Mariners: Activated from the DL on Tuesday, Gamel hasn't seen a lot of action since then, but the demotion of Guillermo Heredia on Sunday leaves the 25-year-old as the only really viable option for the M's in left field, unless you consider Old Man Ichiro! viable. Gamel's performance in 2017 was pretty much in line with expectations based on his minor-league performance, and he might get a few more chances to steal this year as part of the newly run-happy Seattle offense, giving him another path to added fantasy value. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Robbie Grossman, Twins: Between Byron Buxton's migraines and Logan Morrison's migraine-inducing slump, Grossman has suddenly found himself a regular role in the Twins lineup between right field and DH. He hasn't done much with the playing time so far – Saturday's two-hit game accounted for half his hits on the season – but he's proven over the past couple of years that he can be a useful stick when called upon, and he could get the call a lot in the short term. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Teoscar Hernandez, Blue Jays: Profiled last week, Hernandez has made me look like a tightwad chump with my conservative bid suggestions, slugging two quick homers and putting together a .323/.382/.677 slash line while playing basically every day. Kendrys Morales just came off the DL, though, creating even more competition for playing time, and the 25-year-old's track record suggests he'll cool down quickly. The Jays may have a lot of options in the outfield, but manager John Gibbons likes to ride the hot hand as often as he can, and right now that means Hernandez. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $13

JaCoby Jones, Tigers: Jones' star continues to rise. He's seized the starting job in left field for the Tigers, and Friday's walkoff extra-inning homer got him plenty of face time in all the best highlight packages. He's still a raw 25-year-old with a sketchy minor-league track record, though, and even while hitting .333 over the last week he's struck out in a quarter of his at-bats. Jones' athleticism does give him some upside if things have suddenly started to click for him, but he still carries a lot of risk. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Ryan LaMarre, Twins: Called back up when Buxton hit the DL, LaMarre got three hits in Wednesday's marathon against Cleveland. The 29-year-old is on his fourth organization in four years for a reason, though, as other than a strong half-season for Triple-A Pawtucket in 2016, he's never really showed much at the plate. Expect him to head back down once Buxton is feeling better. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Renato Nunez, Rangers: Cut loose by the A's, Nunez was claimed off waivers at the beginning of the week and has gone 2-for-10 since being added to the Rangers' outfield mix. His minor-league numbers are those of a poor man's Joey Gallo – plus, but not elite, power and major strikeout issues – so don't expect him to help much in batting average, but if he gets a real shot in Texas he could supply some pop. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Steve Pearce, Blue Jays: The veteran has been another big beneficiary of Gibbons' "stick with what's working" lineup philosophy, hitting .317/.378/.585 over the last two weeks with three homers and 10 RBI. Morales' return cuts off one of Pearce's path to playing time, though, and the organization would rather see younger players like Hernandez get opportunities, so Pearce could be returning to his usual platoon role as a lefty-masher off the bench very soon. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Stephen Piscotty, Athletics: The switch seems to have been flipped for Piscotty in Oakland. After a rough start to the season, he's now hit safely in nine of his last 10 games, going 14-for-39 (.359) with his first AL homer and seven RBI. The A's offense as a whole has been better than anticipated so far, so if Piscotty can regain his 2016 form at the plate, there should be plenty of run-producing opportunities ahead for him, but his upside still seems more useful fantasy bat than needle-mover. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Owned

Denard Span, Rays: Maybe Span just doesn't like DHing. Since moving to left field on what seems to be a regular basis, he's banged out seven hits and nine RBI in his last four games despite hitting at the top of the order. He won't keep driving in runs like that, but his .297/.400/.432 line and two steals over the last two weeks point to plenty of value if you need help in traditional leadoff hitter categories. Span is 34, though, so a career breakthrough seems unlikely. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Owned

Trayce Thompson, White Sox: Like so many young dreamers before him, Thompson couldn't catch a break in Hollywood, and he now returns home after a couple of ragged, injury-plagued campaigns in La La Land. The 27-year-old celebrated being back in Chicago by homering in his first start for the White Sox on Saturday, and given the offensive black hole center field has been for the team, he could work his way into a regular role if he keeps hitting. Thompson hasn't been the same player since his 2016 back woes, but he should get a chance to show he can contribute. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Designated Hitter

Kendrys Morales, Blue Jays: Back from a stay on the DL due to a hamstring strain, Morales promptly went 3-for-9 in his first two games after returning to the lineup, and the veteran slugger figures to resume his duties as the regular DH moving forward. How regular those duties actually are will depend on if he keeps hitting, as the Jays have plenty of outfielders looking for at-bats, but even at 34 years old Morales should still supply big power numbers in a solid lineup given his home park and the division he plays in. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $13; 12-team AL: Owned