MLB FAAB Factor: Give It Plenty of Gasser

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.

A quick shoutout to my oldest daughter Solana, who has a milestone birthday tomorrow. She's been to many baseball games with me, and from a very young age she always knew the right time to cheer. Though I had to quietly tell her that hitting the beach balls flying about the stands at Dodger Stadium were a distraction from the action. Happy birthday, feliz cumpleanos, Solanita! Hope you enjoy your day, even if we can't be at a ballpark to celebrate. 

Anyway, you all came for some players to target for your FAAB run, and I've got a few of them. Rostership numbers listed are for Yahoo leagues, and a few have had healthy spikes. Performance has dictated that, and a few could be added to boost your respective lineups. Let's dive in! 

Starting Pitcher

Robert Gasser, Milwaukee Brewers (19%)
A couple weeks shy of his 25th birthday, Gasser has won the first two starts of his MLB career, the Brewers outscoring the opposition 23-4 in those turns. Just six more victories to catch Fernando Valenzuela's legendary 8-0 start in 1981. That's all. 

Gasser has only six strikeouts in his first 11 big-league innings, though he did punch out 17 batters in his first 12 innings at Triple-A this season. That followed him striking out 166 in 135.1 innings at the same level in 2023. He should have a great matchup against the Marlins early next week. FAAB: $12

Cole Irvin, Baltimore Orioles (44%)
Irvin is a perfect 4-0 in his last four turns, allowing just two earned runs over his past 25.2 innings (0.70 ERA). He's struck out 17 hitters in that span, and his WHIP is a pristine 0.714. It also helps that he's pitching for the first-place Orioles (27-14), who have scored a cool 200 runs in their first 40 games (5.0 per game average).

The Orioles had a game postponed on May 14, and they just announced their rotation for the weekend series against the Mariners. Irvin will go on May 17, and he has not pitched since May 10, so he's a good bet against a Seattle team that's 25th in runs scored. FAAB: $11

Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox (69%)
Crochet has three victories in his past three turns. That's saying something, because the White Sox as a team have just 14 victories in 44 games. He also has 23 strikeouts in 17 innings, most recently firing five shutout innings against the Nationals, allowing three hits and walking three. 

Trusting a White Sox starter can be difficult to do so, even for fantasy managers with sturdy stomachs. But Crochet's 70:12 K:BB in 51.1 innings is stellar, and if he holds up there's a chance he's pitching for a contender after a trade-deadline deal. This is the first time he's had a starter's workload in the big leagues. FAAB: $7

Luis Gil, New York Yankees (64%)
The right-hander has won four of his last five starts, lasting at least 5.2 innings in each of the victories. He's also struck out 28 batters in his last 29 innings pitched. Two of the victories came against the Rays, with another besting the Orioles. 

His competition takes a step down next, as the Yankees host the Chicago White Sox in Gil's scheduled start on May 18. Fantasy managers streaming starters will surely take a chance on Gil, but sporting a 2.51 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, the Yankee righty could be a candidate to keep. FAAB: $8

Relief Pitcher

Trevor Megill, Milwaukee Brewers (45%)
Before the 2024 season, Megill had yet to register a big-league save. He now has five since April 25, and seems to have taken over the closing role for the Brewers from Joel Payamps. Since April 19, Megill has pitched eight times, striking out seven and allowing two runs (2.08 ERA).

Devin Williams is unlikely to return before midseason, so if Megill keeps the job for the first-place Brewers (26-17), saves could keep piling up for fantasy managers who act quickly. FAAB: $12

Jalen Beeks, Colorado Rockies (9%)
A week ago Beeks was rostered in just one percent of Yahoo leagues. Then came a seven-game Colorado winning streak, during which Beeks went a perfect 3-for-3 in saves. Break up the Rockies!

Beeks is a left-hander, and while few teams give the full-time closer role to a southpaw, the Rockies are clearly riding the hot hand. If rostering a reliever at Mile High makes a fantasy manager queasy, the Rockies are playing in the Bay Area in big ballparks in San Francisco (May 17-19) and Oakland (May 21-23) for the next week. FAAB: $6

Catcher

Shea Langeliers, Oakland A's (37%)
On May 8, Langeliers went 5-for-9 with two home runs, three runs and eight RBI in a doubleheader where the A's scored 20 runs. The catcher has hit cleanup the past three games for an Oakland team that has more wins than the Astros, Cardinals and Reds. With nine homers and 24 RBI through May 15, Langeliers is on pace for 33 home runs and 88 RBI over a full season. FAAB: $5

First Base

Jeimer Candelario, Cincinnati Reds (42%)
After going 0-for-3 on May 7, Candelario went to bed with a .184 batting average. The next day, he went 3-for-4 to start a run of six of seven games with at least one hit. He's hitting .393 with a 1.021 OPS over that period.

Candelario is now hitting either fifth or sixth, and is needed in a Reds lineup that has been hit hard with injuries. And no one needs a reminder where his home ballpark is. FAAB: $5

Carlos Santana, Minnesota Twins (13%)
The first baseman was on a supernatural run from May 9 to May 14 going 8-for-20 with three home runs, eight RBI and five runs scored. Fantasy managers noticed, as his rostership number almost doubled in Yahoo leagues during that spell. A young player like Andrew Vaughn might have more upside if he realizes his potential, but Santana appears to be on a hot streak, and fantasy managers would do well to jump on for the ride while it lasts. FAAB: $3

Second Base

Joey Ortiz, Milwaukee Brewers (6%)
In the last seven days, Ortiz is 7-for-23 (.304) with two home runs, five runs and three RBI. He started eight of the last 10 games for Milwaukee, flip flopping from second to third base for the Brew Crew depending on where he's needed.

Ortiz has hit primarily from sixth to ninth in the lineup, though he did hit as high as third on May 15, when the Brewers were sitting a lot of regulars. Ortiz responded by going 2-for-2 with a solo home run and two runs scored. FAAB: $3 

Zack Gelof, Oakland A's (58%)
Coming into the season, Gelof was a player a lot of fantasy managers were looking at to take the next step toward stardom. In 798 minor-league games, Gelof hit .291 with an .882 OPS, and in his first taste of the major leagues went 14-14 in home runs and stolen bases. That was in roughly half the season.

Then came a rough start and an oblique injury on April 23 that put him on the IL. Gelof returned on May 14, and while he went 0-for-6 in his first two games, this is a middle infielder to snap up before he gets hot. Gelof was hitting second or third a lot early in the season, and could slot back into that area of the lineup. FAAB: $8

Third Base

Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays (44%)
The No. 3 prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com, Caminero has seen his rostership jump 40 points in a matter of days. It helped when it was noted – by RotoWire, by the way – that he played second base on May 14 at Triple-A Durham. Concern over Brandon Lowe's ailing oblique may have helped fan the flames and sprung fantasy managers into action.

For fantasy teams with deep benches, Caminero could be a good stash as he's putting the finishing touches on his game at Triple-A ahead of his 21st birthday on July 5. After hitting 31 homers at two levels of the minor leagues last year, he's hit seven in 24 games at Durham in the early going in 2024. FAAB: $5

Trey Lipscomb, Washington Nationals (2%)
Appearing in the last 11 games for Nationals, Lipscomb seems to have forged an everyday role in our nation's capital. Hey may not have league-winning tools nor hit in a prime spot in the order – he's been slotted in the bottom three spots mostly – but he's a surprising source of speed at the hot corner.

Lipscomb already has 10 steals on the young season, with three coming in a doubleheader against the White Sox on May 14 when he also went 4-for-7 combined. FAAB: $2

Shortstop

Ezequiel Tovar, Colorado Rockies (72%)
The young shortstop got a long-term deal in the offseason and now is consistently hitting at or near the top of the Rockies' order. On April 6, Tovar hit seventh in the lineup, and every start since then he's hit in the top two spots for Colorado. He's also gained 22 percentage points in his rostership rate in Yahoo leagues.

Since May 9, Tovar has hit in nine straight, dialing up a .333 batting average and .991 OPS. He has a pair of homers, scored five runs and driven in five more. While he has four stolen bases, he was in the double digits in steals each of his four minor-league seasons, topping out at 24 in 2021. Reminder: He plays half his games at Coors Field. FAAB: $15

Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins (62%)
The Dodger fan in me is tapping a trash can while typing this recommendation. Yes, the memory is long. That said, Correa has been hitting second through fifth in the Twins' lineup since he returned from the IL on April 29.

Since May 7, the shortstop is 9-for-31 – .290 average and .849 OPS – with a home run, three RBI and seven runs scored. The counting stats will be there as long as he's in the Minnesota lineup that is 12th in the league in runs scored. FAAB: $3

Outfield

J.D. Martinez, New York Mets (68%)
It looks like Martinez has shaken off the rust from his late signing and missing most of spring training, as well as his hurting his back during his minor-league rehab assignment. He's gone 7-for-20 (.350 average) with a pair of home runs, four RBI and three runs scored. 

The Mets need any kind of offense from hitters other than Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, and Martinez has been hitting after that pair. There could be many RBI opportunities for him, and remember that he did hit 33 home runs with 103 RBI in just 113 games last year for the Dodgers. FAAB: $15 

Brenton Doyle, Colorado Rockies (48%)
Doyle came into the season with serious questions about his bat, as he hit just .203 in 399 at-bats in his first taste of the big leagues. He's quieted those concerns, hitting .281 with a substantial .801 OPS, five home runs and eight steals for the surging Rockies. 

In eight games since May 8, Doyle is hitting .333 with an OPS of 1.141. He's bashed two homers and was perfect on all four stolen-base attempts. He's also scored nine runs, hitting fifth through seventh in the lineup. Looks like his glove is not the only thing keeping him in the lineup for Colorado. FAAB: $12

Luke Raley, Seattle Mariners (11%)
The lefty-swinging Raley has only nine plate appearances against southpaws and has hit all three of his home runs against right-handers. He's also on a hot streak of late, hitting .379 with a 1.162 OPS, with all three of his home runs, along with eight RBI and seven runs scored. 

Gradually he's worked his way up the batting order for the Mariners, hitting fifth in his last two starts. If he keeps it up, he could become a sneaky player in daily leagues whenever he's starting. FAAB: $3

Connor Joe, Pittsburgh Pirates (52%)
Joe has been on the short side of platoon play, but starting in four of the last five games, he has three home runs, seven RBI and five runs scored. He's hit no lower than cleanup in every start after April 15. Another mantra that I've shared often this season is multiposition eligibility, and Joe has that valuable 1B/OF flexibility next to his name. FAAB: $4