MLB FAAB Factor: The Big Hit

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.

Losing the 1.01 pick just one-third of the way through the season is supposed to be reserved for fantasy football's running backs who take the biggest pounding imaginable in sports. It's not supposed to happen to graceful outfielders crumpling to the ground trying to change directions on stolen-base attempts without another player around him on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend. 

And the next sound was stomachs-dropping for all the fantasy managers who later got the news that Ronald Acuna was lost for the season. I got that honor twice over, including for my contending NL-only league team that now can barely field a starting lineup after losing so many other players to injury. 

When the sun came up on a new day, and did so again and again, fantasy managers were faced with the reality of what to do next. Well, first off, remember that there are more than 100 more games in the regular season. Lots of baseball; that beautiful reminder of everyday life. There are wins and losses, and some – yes, Acuna – hit harder than others. Yet we strap it up and do it again. The Braves did it three years ago, when Acuna injured his other knee. All they did was win the 2021 World Series. So losing a superstar and winning the big prize is possible. 

Writing this column was good therapy, because it got me in the mindset of looking ahead, which is all we have to do. There will be triumphant fantasy rosters that lost Acuna. And some rosters will just be lost, which could bring on a selloff. Those considerations are countless. It's why we play the game, even trying to compete when it feels like both hands are tied behind our backs. 

Let's get into MLB FAAB Factor. As always, the percentages in parenthesis are rostership rates in Yahoo leagues, with a recommended FAAB bid for AL/NL mixed leagues. Time for a new beginning.

Starting Pitcher

Zack Littell, Tampa Bay Rays (42%)
This was one of my favorite sleeper picks in fantasy drafts leading up to this season. It was the old "when in doubt, draft a Rays pitcher" strategy. With Tampa Bay's success rate of getting pitching out of nowhere, Littell is the continuation of that organizational paradigm. In his last six starts, Littell has allowed two runs or less in five of those turns.

Littell is coming off a seven-inning start with zero earned runs (three unearned) in a 3-0 loss to the A's. That opponent was the reason his rostership percentage zoomed, though some fantasy managers could slow theirs roll for his next opponent, the Orioles. The game will be in Baltimore, so he could benefit from Camden Yards' somewhat forgiving dimensions. Littell could also be a play for the rest of the season. FAAB: $5

Matt Waldron, San Diego Padres (15%)
This is for RotoWire subscriber AKlang, who asked about Waldron in last week's article comment section. After Waldron was lit up for eight runs (seven earned) in a May 5 start, he's allowed just five earned runs in his next 23 innings. That's good for a 1.96 ERA. He also has 31 strikeouts in that span.

Because of Charlie Hough, Tom Candiotti and Tim Wakefield (RIP), I'll forever have a soft spot for knuckleballers. Waldron is in a pitcher's park with good defenders behind him. His next start is likely in Anaheim against the Angels, a great target for streaming pitchers. FAAB: $4

Ben Brown, Chicago Cubs (12%)
On May 25, I was a guest on the RotoWire Fantasy Baseball podcast with Ryan Boyer, and Brown was one of Boyer's recommended pickups. Well, chalk that one up for my amigo Ryan, even if his Cardinals fandom may not have enjoyed seeing Brown take a no-hitter through seven innings before the bullpen allowed it to get broken up in the eighth. Special thanks to Cody Bellinger for making this catch to keep the no-no alive. 

After striking out 130 batters across 92.2 innings over two levels of the minor leagues last season, Brown made the big club in 2024 out of the bullpen. He's started to get stretched out recently, and has 19 strikeouts in his last 13 innings. If he does not pitch at home against Cincinnati on Sunday with regular rest, Brown would have a Wrigley Field date with the White Sox early next week. Could he be a valuable rookie who's breaking out? FAAB: $6

Simeon Woods Richardson, Minnesota Twins (12%)
The three-point rostership spike in the past few days was rewarded with Woods Richardson allowing two runs, three hits and two walks in five innings against the Royals. His two strikeouts in his May 28 outing were not great, though Woods Richardson now has allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his eight games this season. He could get a road game against the Astros or pitching in the Bronx versus the Yankees, depending on how much rest the Twins give Woods Richardson before his next outing. FAAB: $3

Relief Pitcher

Jeremiah Estrada, San Diego Padres (17%)
This Jeremiah is no bullfrog, but he's brought joy to the Padres' world all season and is on a heater. Estrada extended his Padres' record with 13 consecutive strikeouts, punching out the side in order in the ninth inning of a 4-0 win on May 28. 

Robert Suarez is pitching well in the ninth inning for San Diego, so Estrada may not see many save chances. But he's a great source for strikeouts – 25 in 15.1 innings – and appears next in line for the ninth inning should Suarez need a day off or get injured. FAAB: $3

Bryan Hudson, Milwaukee Brewers (15%)
With a pedestrian 91.8 mph average on his fastball, Hudson is not the picture of a dominant reliever. However, he does have 36 strikeouts in 30.1 innings to go with a 0.59 ERA and 0.73 WHIP. For those in holds leagues, he does have seven in that underrated category. He has three wins and has yet to register a save, but may become a factor there if he continues to excel in high-leverage situations before Devin Williams' return. FAAB: $1

Catcher

Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants (20%)
In five starts from May 22-27, Bailey went 9-for-20 (.450) with a home run, five runs and eight RBI. He also hit either third or fifth in those five starts, so the Giants did not ease him back into the lineup after two stints on the IL with concussion symptoms. 

The important thing to keep in mind is that the Giants value his bat so much, he's getting work at DH when he's not behind the plate. Bailey may be at the point where he's at least one of the starters in two-catcher leagues. FAAB: $5

First Base

Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles (27%)
I've been riding O'Hearn on a mixed-league team whenever he's in the lineup this season, and he's paid off more often than not. Hitting .279 with an .825 OPS, seven home runs and 18 RBI, O'Hearn has been solid, especially with his qualifying at the outfield as well.

Where he's shown great improvement is in plate discipline, where he has an outstanding 14:14 K:BB in the early going. Last year he had just one more walk in 210 more at-bats, so if that improved batting continues he'll become even more valuable. The last time he started a game and hit lower than third was on April 14. He hit fourth. In that Baltimore lineup, to have the three-hole hitter most days is quite valuable. FAAB: $8

Jeimer Candelario, Cincinnati Reds (40%)
From May 8 to May 23, Candelario hit .293 with two home runs, nine RBI and a healthy .856 OPS. That's quite the step up from the Mendoza-like .190 average and anemic .354 slugging percentage in April. 

Candelario may have just needed an adjustment period to a new team and home city, and now is hitting in the heart of the lineup in a great home hitter's park. In his last seven starts, the switch-hitter has batted in the third spot in the Reds' lineup. FAAB: $3

Second Base

Davis Schneider, Toronto Blue Jays (28%)
With 10 RBI since May 22, Schneider is doing plenty of damage from the top of the Blue Jays' batting order. He actually got elevated to hit leadoff for Toronto on May 18, with the team looking for any kind of spark for the offense. He has at least one hit in eight of 11 games and pulverized the White Sox in the first two games of their series this week. Schneider went 4-for-8 with a home run, two runs and five RBI in the pair of contests.

George Springer, the Blue Jays' regular leadoff hitter, is starting to heat up, so it will be interesting to see if Schneider stays hot and remains the table setter, with Springer being in more of a run-producer role. FAAB: $5

Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals (59%)
Since May 11, the Cardinals have gone 11-3 and Gorman has made plenty of contributions. For a while it seemed like he was sitting against most lefties, but he's been in the starting lineup consistently, and in this most recent stretch of games has gone 15-for-47 (.319) with five home runs, 14 runs scored and a dozen RBI. He's primarily hitting in the five spot in the lineup against righties. Need I repeat that he qualifies at third base as well as second? FAAB: $8

Third Base

Tyler Freeman, Cleveland Indians (40%)
With teammate Jose Ramirez leading the majors with 56 RBI, someone has to have the pleasure of being on base when J-Ram is hitting. Freeman has been the front man for Cleveland's rock band the past 15 games, and they have won 13 of them. Coincidence? 

During a 13-game stretch from May 13 to May 27, Freeman hit .333 with an .889 OPS. He scored 13 runs, knocked in eight and stole three bags. He's another multiposition player with plenty of value for teams trying to patch together starting lineups due to injuries. FAAB: $7

Matt Vierling, Detroit Tigers (8%)
Kerry Carpenter going on the IL has opened the door to increased playing time for Vierling. Or would his bat have done so anyway? In his past three games – including a doubleheader on May 29 – Vierling mashed four home runs and drove in nine runs. One long ball came against Paul Skenes. Vierling even scored six runs in going a combined 8-for-14. Some players of the week need twice as many games to reach those marks.

The righty swinger now gets to take aim at the Green Monster at Fenway Park for a weekend series May 31 to June 2, so could more high flies keep going out for Vierling?  FAAB: $5

Shortstop

Josh Smith, Texas Rangers (32%)
Yes, Smith has been playing primarily third base, but he qualifies at shortstop and outfield also, so for this article's purpose he's here. From May 14 to May 28, Smith went 13-for-43, hitting .302. With Evan Carter going on the IL, Smith has solidified himself in the third spot in the lineup, hitting between Corey Seager and Adolis Garcia. Prime real estate for run production.

Josh Jung's return date is up in the air, as he's just starting to swing a bat. Even when Jung returns, if Smith is hitting, the Rangers may have to find room for him somewhere in the lineup. FAAB: $6

Outfield

Jake Meyers, Houston Astros (36%)
Sometimes the bat catches up with the glove. At least it did for Meyers for a hot spell. May 16 to May 27, Meyers mashed, putting up a .410/.489/.692 slash line. Yup, that's a 1.181 OPS. He banged out three homers, scored eight runs and drove in nine. Meyers has now started in center field the last 12 games for the Astros. 

The Astros have been looking for a winning combination in their lineup, and Meyers appears to be slated for starting duty for the near future. FAAB: $4

Adam Duvall, Atlanta Braves (11%)
Someone has to try to fill the crater-sized hole left behind by Acuna's absence for the rest of 2024. Duvall and Jarred Kelenic are the players who should inherit the most playing time after the season-ending injury to the reigning NL MVP. 

Duvall has had his moments. Last year, playing for Boston, he started the season hitting .455 with four home runs and 14 RBI before he went down with an injury on April 9 that knocked him out of the lineup for two months. He still hit 21 home runs in 92 games last season. If the Braves don't trade for an outfielder, Duvall could have sustained playing time in what is still a talented Atlanta lineup. FAAB: $9

Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox (49%)
Abreu has followed up his 28-game audition in 2023 – when he sported a slash line of .316/.388/.474 – with a solid .283 average and .870 OPS through one-third of the season. The power and speed he flashed when he hit 19 homers and stole 31 bases in the minors in 2022 is very much there, as he's on close to a 20-20 pace thus far.

The native of Venezuela will still sit against most lefties, as in 25 plate appearances facing southpaws he's hitting just .174. Though he's hitting a robust .302 with all six of his home runs and an OPS of .943 when facing a right-hander, which the Red Sox will do in each of a four-game set against the Tigers starting May 30. FAAB: $10