MLB FAAB Factor: All-Star Break, Here We Come

This FAAB article is in addition to the AL and NL FAAB articles that run Sunday. Bids are based on a $100 FAAB budget. Throughout the season, this column will have two goals:

1. Identify FAAB targets for fantasy managers in leagues with Thursday FAAB.

2. Offer a preview of FAAB targets ahead of Sunday's columns.

Who's ready for the All-Star break? While the game itself is fun, as is the Home Run Derby, the midsummer break for baseball has me longing to look at fresh box scores after a day or so. It's something about this game that conditions us to the daily grind. 

This is the time to hit reset and make some trade offers, but especially to reassess fantasy rosters to see where additions – and subtractions –  could be made. Maybe one of these players below can help on a second-half surge. Always look to improve. Let's look at some FAAB options. 

Starting Pitcher

Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Angels (56%)
Hurling eight shutout innings with 10 strikeouts at the Cubs in Wrigley Field on July 6, Anderson earned his third win in five starts. Considering the state of the Angels' lineup most of the season, it's a small wonder that Anderson has eight wins with one start left going into the All-Star break. 

That start is at home against Seattle on July 12. Anderson could be a good streaming option, as the Mariners are 13th in runs scored in the American League with 358. FAAB: $7

Jameson Taillon, Chicago Cubs (44%)
Since giving up five runs in five innings on June 5, Taillon has toed the rubber six times and tallied 38 innings, striking out 37 and sporting a 2.37 ERA with a 0.895 WHIP. He won three of those starts. 

He has one more start before baseball stops for the Midsummer Classic, as Taillon faces the Cardinals on July 14. He allowed two runs in six innings against them on June 16. FAAB: $7

Jose Quintana, New York Mets (20%)
The lefty has hurled back-to-back, seven-inning scoreless outings against the Nationals. He may look to ask the schedule makers to tinker with the calendar to get more games against Washington.

Quintana has one more start against the Rockies at Citi Field. Colorado is hitting a combined .223 with a .635 OPS on the road. That's almost .120 lower than at Coors Field. Quintana could be a streamer who could stick on a fantasy roster for a while if the Mets stay in the race. FAAB: $3

Jeffrey Springs, Tampa Bay Rays (30%)
Springs blew out his elbow just three starts into the 2023 season. That's a shame because he was on his way to building upon his 144 strikeouts in 135.1 innings in 2022. The 6-foot-3 Springs has already been built up to four innings in his latest rehab start. Springs may be activated late in July, so he could be worth a FAAB flier at this point. FAAB: $5

Relief Pitcher

Justin Martinez, Arizona Diamondbacks (1%)
Armed with high heat – average fastball 100.1 mph – Martinez has punched out 41 batters in 38 innings. He has five holds and three wins, but no saves as of yet. Paul Sewald is 11-for-14 in saves, so he's not giving away the closer role just yet. But with Sewald having a 3.97 ERA, Martinez might be a good stash in case Sewald falters or the Diamondbacks include him in a fire-sale trade. They're nine games out of first place. FAAB: $1

Catcher

Ben Rice, New York Yankees (65%)
Gaining 27 percent in rostership in the last few days, Rice can thank that three-home run, seven-RBI performance on July 6. Nothing like a lefty swinger from Massachusetts taking his shots at the Red Sox on the July 4th holiday weekend. 

The great thing about Rice is that he has catcher eligibility, but primarily plays first base. That should keep his bat in the lineup more often, though there's no way to predict another game like he had last weekend. FAAB: $10

First Base

Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs (38%)
In his last six games, Busch is hitting .417 with a 1.212 OPS, two homers and seven runs scored. He's hit second in all starts but one since June 22, and in that start he went up against a lefty. Busch was often sitting against southpaws earlier this season, but is hitting .342 with a .405 OPS in 38 at-bats against them. He might just see everyday at-bats from here on out. An added bonus is that he is also eligible at third base and even second in some leagues. FAAB: $8

Second Base

Angel Martinez, Cleveland Guardians (7%)
Just eight games into his big-league career, Martinez is hitting .346 with a 1.038 OPS. He's even walked eight times while striking out just twice. That's in keeping with his minor-league performance, as he hit .294 with a .902 OPS. He walked 17 times to 16 strikeouts. 

Martinez already has eligibility at three positions, so move him around as needed after adding him to your fantasy roster. FAAB: $3

Matt McLain, Cincinnati Reds (46%)
Plenty of fantasy managers had a similar thought as this recommendation, as McLain's rostership number jumped 39 percentage points in the past few days. The UCLA product is still a ways away from joining the lineup, as Reds managers said he should start a rehab assignment on Aug. 12.

That said, this is a player who was well on his way to a 20-20 rookie season when he suffered an oblique injury in 2023. He had a .290/.357/.507 slash line when he went down with a late-season injury, so if he could come close to that in the closing weeks he would be a boon to fantasy rosters. FAAB: $9

Third Base

Colt Keith, Detroit Tigers (42%)
The rookie is a repeat from at least one previous column, but his recent play has warranted another call out because he could be showing that he's figuring things out at the big-league level. Since July 3, Keith is 13-for-31 (.419) with four home runs and eight RBI. He's scored 10 runs and is sporting a ridiculous OPS of 1.406.

Keith is firmly in the second spot in the Tigers' order – the last time he hit lower was July 2. This hot streak may be the last call on him being a find in fantasy leagues. And that dual eligibility with second base is pretty, pretty, pretty good for fantasy teams. FAAB: $10

Eugenio Suarez, Arizona Diamondbacks (22%)
Remember the days – 2019 in Cincinnati – when Suarez hit 49 homers with 103 RBI? Those are gone, but Suarez has reminded baseball fans and fantasy managers alike that he's not done yet. 

On June 23, Suarez woke up hitting .192 with an anemic .590 OPS. Since then he's hit .280 with a healthy .888 OPS, banging out a pair of homers and driving in 12 runs. He's batting seventh primarily, but has been in the lineup every day except for one since June 16. FAAB: $3

Shortstop

Max Schuemann, Oakland Athletics (7%)
Do you have a need for speed? Schuemann has five stolen bases since June 28 and nine overall in his rookie campaign. He's also starting to hit, as he has a .333/.429/.546 slash line since June 25. He has a pair of homers and nine RBI to go along with the steals. 

Schuemann has hit either first or ninth every one of his starts since June 11, which is interesting alignment. Though without pitchers hitting, many baseball people see the ninth hitter almost as a second leadoff hitter. And we have a multi-position alert: Schuemann qualifies at second base and outfield as well. FAAB: $6

Brooks Lee, Minnesota Twins (51%)
He's human after all. In the first game of a doubleheader, Lee went without a hit for the first time since he debuted in the major leagues. He set things in order in the nightcap, smacking a solo home run for his lone hit of the night. In eight big-league games, Lee has a pair of home runs and nine RBI. 

Yes, it's a repeat from last week, but when a young player comes up and starts off the way that Lee has, he should not last on the waiver wire much longer. If he keeps this up, the Twins will have no choice but to keep running him out there. FAAB: $11

Outfield

Rece Hinds, Cincinnati Reds (32%)
When players are doing things that haven't been accomplished in more than 120 years of major-league baseball, it's time to take notice. Hinds became the first player since 1901 to put up five extra-base hits in his first two big-league games. Just think about that. Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig all debuted since then and didn't do that. 

Though let's temper our enthusiasm, as Hinds will likely regress. He hit .219 with an OPS of .409 at Triple-A. He also struck out at a rate of 38.3 percent. Hard to imagine he keeps up this torrid start, but for fantasy managers in deep leagues, he is someone to at least consider if his hot start continues for any period of time. FAAB: $3

Heston Kjerstad, Baltimore Orioles (39%)
Kjerstad may not be in danger of getting sent back to the minor leagues, as he's been in the lineup much more consistently since his second call-up to the big leagues. The 25-year-old from Austin is 9-for-22 with a slash of .409/.500/.727 since June 29. He's a player to roster in leagues with daily lineup settings, as he's still sitting occasionally against lefties. FAAB: $7

Lawrence Butler, Oakland Athletics (1%)
This is a deep cut, but for those fantasy managers picking up Butler, it's the search for the elusive power-speed combo. In the month of July, Butler has posted a .333 average with a 1.083 OPS in eight games. He has three homers, nine RBI and a pair of stolen bases. 

Is he this good? Probably not, but there are some things to like. While he hit a pedestrian .255 in Triple-A, he did walk 16 times in 25 games, which was good for a .349 OBP. While he may slow down – he does have a 31-percent strikeout rate in the big leagues – players with power and speed do get extra leeway from fantasy managers. FAAB: $6