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 skills and role on an A-E scale. Vladimir Guerrero 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.

AL FAAB | NL FAAB

Starting Pitcher

Jaime Barria, Angels: The 24-year-old has been fairly sharp since moving into the rotation, posting a 3.43 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 19:6 K:BB over 21 innings. The key for Barria has been his ability to keep the ball in the park, something he wasn't able to do during his prior 212 big-league innings – he even survived a trip to Coors Field without serving up a dinger. His final start of the year will come in San Diego against a dangerous lineup, but given his current for Barria's worth a shot if you need an arm to plug a hole. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Tanner Houck, Red Sox: A first-round pick in 2017, Houck hasn't posted particularly great numbers in the minors and seemed in danger of being relegated to the bullpen permanently last year at Triple-A Pawtucket, but his first big-league start Tuesday went extremely well, as he struck out seven Marlins over five scoreless innings. Houck's best weapon is his deceptive delivery, which looks something like the mirror image of Chris Sale, but he doesn't have Sale's raw stuff, mixing a mid-90s sinker and sweeping slider with a developing changeup. It's a mid-rotation profile, and that's if he keeps his mechanics in sync. He also faces a rough closing schedule (vs. NYY on Sunday, at ATL on Saturday), so he's probably a better deep keeper or dynasty stash than a redraft play. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Mike Minor, Athletics: Minor had his best start of the season Monday out of seemingly nowhere, and it's earned him another start Sunday. He could get one more turn after that in Saturday's doubleheader against the Mariners, although the A's haven't announced their plans yet for that game. Minor's strong numbers in 2018-19 for Texas aren't ancient history, and if he's figured out whatever was wrong, he could be a difference-maker down the stretch. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Nick Pivetta, Red Sox: He's not on the 28-man roster yet, but Pivetta is expected to join the Boston rotation Tuesday, setting him up for a potential two-start week (vs. BAL, at ATL) to close out the year. He's a risky play given how he looked in 2019 and in a brief stint with the Phillies before being cut loose this season, but if you need some dart throws to make up ground in the pitching categories and can stash him before he's officially promoted, the opportunity presented by those two starts would be gold. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Brady Singer, Royals: After some bumps in the road to begin his big-league career, Singer has suddenly turned a corner with 14 scoreless innings and a 16:3 K:BB over his last two outings. The 2018 first-round pick gets a two-start week to close out the campaign, hosting the Cards and the Tigers, and the latter game in particular makes him an outstanding option in shallower leagues where his ERA – which stood at 5.58 before his scoreless streak – kept him on the waiver wire. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $13; 12-team AL: Rostered

Relief Pitcher

Matt Andriese, Angels: Somewhat out of nowhere, Andriese has picked up the last two saves for the Angels, part of a strong stretch that's seen him collect two wins, two saves and a hold with a 1.59 ERA, 0.44 WHIP and 12:2 K:BB over his last 11.1 innings and seven appearances. The 31-year-old right-hander is far from a typical late-inning flamethrower – his 91.7 mph fastball average would be his lowest showing on the radar gun since he was a rookie in 2015 – but opportunity is everything when you're trawling the waiver wire for saves. Andriese probably isn't even the best Angels reliever in your free-agent pool (see below), but if he's the guy Joe Maddon trusts right now, he's the one you want. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $25

Garrett Crochet, White Sox: In dynasty and keeper formats, Crochet is the guy everyone is going to be targeting with the dregs of their FAAB budget if they don't need it for a title push. The 21-year-old southpaw was the 11th overall pick in the 2020 draft and the first person from his class to reach the majors, and in a relief role in his debut all he did was consistently pop 101 mph. Jinkies. The White Sox view him as a starter in the long term and, given his 6-6 frame and three-quarter arm slot (not to mention the concerns about his ability to hold up in the rotation), the Chris Sale comparisons are inevitable. They're not entirely misplaced, through. He's got a nasty slider and developing changeup, and if it all comes together Crochet absolutely has ace-level upside. His redraft value is limited given his current role, but as a stash for 2021 and beyond, he could be a difference maker. Redraft – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1 / Dynasty – 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $13

Mike Mayers, Angels: Coming into the season, Mayers was a 28-year-old who'd never clicked with the Cardinals before getting waived in November and getting claimed by the pitching-needy Angels. Then a funny thing happened. He stumbled upon an Instagram pic of a baseball that Mariano Rivera had marked for Roy Halladay to help illustrate how he gripped his cutter. Mayers tried the grip out for himself, and now he's got a very Mo-like 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 36:6 K:BB through 25 innings this year while tossing the cutter about a quarter of the time. He isn't yet getting save chances, but if he keeps up this level of performance, he'll be the favorite to claim the closer job in 2021. Remember, Rivera got to the Hall of Fame throwing that pitch almost exclusively, and Mayers already has a 37.7 percent whiff rate on his version. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Brooks Raley, Astros: Raley hadn't pitched in the majors since a handful of innings with the Cubs in 2012-13, heading to Korea after the 2014 campaign, but he gave North America another shot this season and got picked up by the Astros after being DFA'd by the Reds in August. Since then, the 32-year-old southpaw has a 4.20 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 19:4 K:BB over 15 innings, and he was rewarded with his first career save Thursday. Ryan Pressly hasn't exactly been lights out as the closer, so Raley could get another chance or two over the final week against lefty-heavy lineups. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Catcher

Eric Haase, Tigers: The 27-year-old has flashed some low-BA power in the minors, but Haase will only be the backup to career backup Austin Romine over the final week. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Wynston Sawyer, Yankees: Sawyer may have a great name that sounds like the lead character in a TV show about a big-city detective who goes back home to Mississippi to solve crimes or something, but the 28-year-old has yet to get an at-bat in the majors and showed little more than a decent hit tool in the minors. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Mike Zunino, Rays: The 29-year-old came off the IL on Sunday and will likely resume a timeshare behind the plate with Michael Perez. The time off probably didn't cure Zunino's .133 batting average, though. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Third Base

Yu Chang, Cleveland: The 25-year-old got called back up Tuesday but has just two at-bats since then. Chang has flashed some power and speed in the minors, but his bench role won't afford him much opportunity to show it. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jake Lamb, Athletics: Cut loose by Arizona, Lamb has come into Oakland like a lion, going 7-for-19 in his first five games for the A's with two doubles and two homers. With Matt Chapman and Chad Pinder out and Khris Davis fading away, there's plenty of playing time at 3B and DH for the 29-year-old, and he only has to stay hot for another week to be worth a roster spot. 12-team Mixed: $12; 15-team Mixed: $25; 12-team AL: $45

Outfield

Randy Arozarena, Rays: Austin Meadows is hurt again, but Arozarena had mostly pushed his way into the starting lineup even before that. He's already cooling off with regular playing time, but the 25-year-old still has a solid .289/.349/.711 line through 14 games in September with five homers and eight RBI, and he could provide a nice boost to a fantasy lineup over the final week. 12-team Mixed: $7; 15-team Mixed: $15; 12-team AL: Rostered

Willie Calhoun, Rangers: Calhoun can't seem to stay healthy, but the Rangers have nothing to lose by giving him a starting job now that he's back from the IL again. The 25-year-old's .413 OPS this season is extremely disappointing, but he showed his upside last year and is still worth stashing in deeper dynasty or keeper leagues. Who knows, he might even finally hit his first homer of 2020 over the final week. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Austin Hays, Orioles: The 25-year-old missed about a month of action with a rib issue, but he's looked good since returning to the lineup, slashing .348/.400/.522 through seven games. Hays remains a key part of the O's rebuild, and an outfield of Hays, Anthony Santander and Ryan Mountcastle could be surprising productive in 2021. 12-team Mixed: $7; 15-team Mixed: $15; 12-team AL: $33

Tim Lopes, Mariners: Lopes came back up as the 29th man for a doubleheader Monday and laced three doubles in the matinee to earn back a permanent spot on the big-league roster. He's gone 3-for-13 since, and while he won't get regular playing time over the final week, he should see enough action to have value in deeper formats – especially if he can swipe a base or two. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Erick Mejia, Royals: The 25-year-old got called back up Wednesday but has only seen action in one game since. Like seemingly every Royals minor-league outfield, Mejia's best asset is his speed, and he might get you a steal if he gets into any games over the final week. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Cesar Puello, Red Sox: The former Angel, Ray and Marlin resurfaced in Boston this weekend, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts Sunday. With Alex Verdugo hurt there's playing time available with the Red Sox, but Puello is no kind of prospect and will likely take a back seat to younger players. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Taylor Ward, Angels: Whatever magic potion Jared Walsh has been drinking, he's apparently shared it with Ward. The 26-year-old is slashing .457/.500/.657 through 13 games in September, and while he hasn't hit a homer, he has swiped two bags. The Angels have nothing to lose by giving him regular playing time down the stretch, and with Justin Upton dealing with a potential concussion, Ward should be a fixture in an outfield corner. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $13