AL FAAB Factor: Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups

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 upside on an A-E scale, prioritizing skills and talent above role and playing time outlook. Wyatt Langford 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.

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 or on our Discord.

Starting Pitcher

Mick Abel, Twins: Acquired from the Phillies in the Jhoan Duran deal, Abel should get a look in the Twins' rotation at some point, but it's not clear when that might be – they don't have a fifth starter at the moment, but Taj Bradley could be the one to fill it. As a result, for now he's just a deep-league stash. Abel has been outstanding at Triple-A this season and finally looks like a guy who deserved to go 15th overall in the 2020 draft, but his command hasn't held up yet against big-league hitters, and he'd served up seven homers in 25 for Philly before the trade. The 23-year-old joins David Festa and Zebby Matthews as pitchers who, on paper, should give Minnesota a formidable staff for the back half of the decade, but who haven't yet put it all together. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3 

Spencer Arrighetti, Astros: After getting stretched out to 79 pitches in his most recent rehab start, Arrighetti looks like he'll rejoin the Houston rotation this week during a road series in Miami. The results haven't been there for the 25-year-old righty on his rehab stint, but he's been out since early April with a thumb issue, so a lack of crispness shouldn't be a surprise. Arrighetti had some sleeper appeal coming into 2025, but he'll need to re-discover last year's strikeout rate (27.1 percent) to have real value. 12-team Mixed: $2 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Ryan Bergert, Royals: Picked up from the Padres in the Freddy Fermin trade, the 25-year-old righty will plug a hole in the KC rotation until Michael Lorenzen is ready to return, which likely means just one start. Bergert could stick around in a swingman role though, and his ratios in San Diego would make him solid staff filler in AL-only formats if he can keep up that pace. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Shane Bieber, Blue Jays: The centerpiece of arguably the most interesting deadline deal, Bieber netted a real prospect for Cleveland even though he hasn't pitched an inning this season, which just highlights his upside if he can regain something close to his peak form. He would immediately become Toronto's ace if he does. With a final (?) rehab start on tap Sunday at Triple-A Buffalo, the 30-year-old righty is poised to make his Jays debut this weekend in a road series against the Dodgers, in what will be billed in Toronto (and probably nowhere else, despite their AL-best record) as a potential World Series preview. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Joe Boyle, Rays: Tampa's deadline activity, in part, was designed to clear a full-time rotation spot for Boyle. The righty with the 98.5 mph fastball built up to 77 pitches in his last start Tuesday, and while the results weren't pretty, he was pitching in Yankee Stadium. Even if the control and command gains Boyle has shown this season begin to slip, he still has massive strikeout upside. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: Rostered

Slade Cecconi, Guardians: One of the impacts of the Bieber trade is that the two young arms at the back of Cleveland's rotation will no longer be looking over their shoulder, and should have secure spots for the rest of the year as the club evaluates talent for the post-Propgate era. Joey Cantillo was likely in more danger, but Cecconi is the more interesting fantasy target this week thanks to a two-step that includes a road start against the White Sox. (Also a road start against the Mets, but he just needs to survive that one.) The right-hander has worked at least six innings in six of his last seven outings, posting a 3.52 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 46 innings during that stretch. He isn't generating consistent strikeouts yer, but neither NYM nor CHW have particularly stingy K rates against RHP 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Rostered

Aaron Civale, White Sox: ChiSox pitching coach Ethan Katz probably deserves more credit than he gets. After turning Adrian Houser into an asset that netted the team Curtis Mead, Katz is having the same kind of success with Civale since he came to the South Side in June. Civale hasn't given up an earned run in three straight starts, posting a 20:3 K:BB in 17.1 innings over that stretch, and his ratios in Chicago (3.56 ERA, 1.21) are a big improvement over what Milwaukee got out of him (4.91 ERA, 1.36 WHIP). 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Bailey Falter, Royals: The Pirates cashed in Falter's career year at the deadline, and the 28-year-old southpaw will finish out the season with the Royals. Whether he's in the rotation that whole time probably depends on whether Cole Ragans can get healthy, and if Falter can out-pitch Michael Lorenzen. Falter's 3.73 ERA is more than a full run better than his 4.93 xFIP though, and he doesn't offer much in terms of strikeouts. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Luis Gil, Yankees: Gil will make his season debut Sunday, giving the Yankees the rotation upgrade they couldn't find at the trade deadline. The 27-year-old right-hander built up to 75 pitches in his last rehab start, so he shouldn't be under any kind of real workload limitation out of the gate, and his 2024 numbers speak for themselves. 12-team Mixed: $7; 15-team Mixed: $15; 12-team AL: $35

J.T. Ginn, Athletics: With JP Sears now in San Diego, Ginn appears set in the A's rotation, even with Jack Perkins (see below) finally getting a crack at starting. Ginn's been palatable of late, posting a 2.93 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over his last three starts and 15.1 innings, but his 8:6 K:BB highlights his lack of upside and volatility. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Adrian Houser, Rays: Houser got a nice boost in team context by being traded to Tampa Bay, although the veteran righty had somehow managed to win four of his last five outings for Chicago. He drops right into a two-step to begin his tenure with the Rays, getting road starts against the Angels and M's. He's been pitching above his head – over six starts since his last loss, he has a 2.06 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 25:12 K:BB in 39.1 innings – but the regression may not be as severe as you might expect. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

Cristian Javier, Astros: Javier built up to 64 pitches in his last rehab start as he inches closer to activation. Among the rehab set, he doesn't have the ceiling that someone like Bieber does, but a nearly Cy Young-caliber 2022 campaign (2.54 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 33.2 percent K rate over 148.2 innings) didn't occur all that long ago for the 28-year-old right-hander. He might fly under the radar this week as well, with the big bids headed the way of Gil and Merrill Kelly. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $5

Merrill Kelly, Rangers: The biggest-name starting pitcher to come over from the NL at the trade deadline, the veteran right-hander could attract some furious bidding as a result, as all the folks who were hoping to land someone like Dylan Cease to bolster their staff will have to make do with Kelly instead. There's a real Winner's Curse risk here, but if you really, really need an arm who can make an impact, you don't have a lot of options in AL-only. Kelly just missed a quality start in his Texas debut Saturday, and he's having a strong campaign. Even if he lacks truly elite upside, worse pitchers than him have gone on ace-like heaters over the final weeks of the season. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $25

Dustin May, Red Sox: Boston's rotation is quickly becoming the Dodgers' junk drawer, as May joins Walker Buehler as guys who once had bright futures on the west coast but are now trying to find themselves back east. May has been struggling to go five innings of late, reaching that mark in just one of his last five outings with a 6.04 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, but his 25:11 K:BB during that span is at least a bit encouraging. His power sinker no longer sits in the high 90s though, averaging 94.9 mph this year, and it's possible he never regains his pre-injury promise. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $7

Jack Perkins, Athletics: OK, third time's the charm. I've highlighted Perkins as an upside play the last two weeks while he remained trapped in a long relief role, but the A's have finally announced he'll be joining the rotation in the wake of their trade deadline housecleaning, and he'll take the bump Sunday against Arizona. How the 25-year-old righty looks in that outing could have a big impact on his bidding if he's still available in your league, but I'll try to split the difference between 'gets chased early' and 'looks like the next Sonny Gray.' Perkins posted numbers that shouldn't be possible at Triple-A Las Vegas prior to his promotion (2.86 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 68:20 K:BB in only 44 innings) and his ratios got even better in the majors, although he hasn't run through a lineup three times yet. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Cade Povich, Orioles: Povich is expected to come off the IL on Monday and drop right into a two-start week, facing the Phillies on the road (ick) and the A's at home (less ick, but still not great since they're a top-12 offense against LHP by wRC+ and wOBA). He's had a bumpy start to his big-league career since debuting in 2024, but his minor-league strikeout numbers suggest there's some upside here once he begins to figure things out. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Luis Severino, Athletics: The A's couldn't find a taker for Severino's contract, but that might end up working out in their favor. The right-hander had a brutal beginning to the season at Sutter Health Park, but he's begun to solve that bandbox, serving up just two homers in his last four home starts. Over his last four starts total (two home, two road) he's got a 2.49 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 25:6 K:BB over 21.2 innings. Severino delivered useful fantasy numbers as recently as 2024, and he could be gearing up for a solid finish to 2025. He also gets a good two-step this week, with road outings against the Nats and O's. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Rostered

Brandon Young, Orioles: With Charlie Morton in Detroit and neither Zach Eflin nor Kyle Bradish quite ready to come off the IL, Young should get at least two more turns in the rotation, including Sunday against the Cubs. He gave Baltimore a quality start his last time on the mound and has interesting numbers at Triple-A, but his 6.63 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 36.2 MLB innings highlights the risk here. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Other two-start options, Mon-Sun (12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $1)

Via RotoWire's Probable Pitchers grid

Jason Alexander, Astros (at MIA, at NYY)
Patrick Corbin, Rangers (vs. NYY, vs. PHI)
Davis Martin, White Sox (at SEA, vs. CLE)
Zebby Matthews, Twins (at DET, vs. KC)

Relief Pitcher

Keegan Akin / Yennier Cano / Corbin Martin, Orioles: One of the messier AL closer pictures, the O's traded away all the likely fill-ins for Felix Bautista, who now looks like he has a chance of not pitching again in 2025. Martin got the save Tuesday but then pitched the sixth inning Saturday while Akin handled the ninth. Cano has more closing high-leverage experience than either, but he's also been shaky of late with a 6.39 ERA and 8:6 K:BB in 12.2 innings since the beginning of July. Martin's the most interesting name in the group given his long-ago pedigree as a prospect in the Astros' system – he was once the headliner in a Zack Greinke trade – but his current stuff doesn't register as closer-worthy. Then again, neither does Akin's or Cano's. A committee until/unless someone seizes the job might be the most likely scenario, with Akin the safest bet for some saves as a lefty. If you need to bet on someone to take the full-time gig though, Martin's the play. Akin – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4 / Cano – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2 / Martin – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Elvis Alvarado / Michael Kelly, Athletics: Baltimore's situation looks like a vintage Tony LaRussa bullpen compared to the current A's, though. With Mason Miller in San Diego, the closer job is wide, wide open. Perkins got some buzz before his move to the rotation was announced, but he's off the board. Relievers like Justin Sterner, Sean Newcomb and Eduarniel Nunez have various things to vaguely recommend them and might pay off a $1 dart throw, but I'm going to limit myself to just two names. Kelly have been shockingly effective this season, and based on pure surface numbers (0.95 ERA, 1.05 WHIP in 19 innings) he seems an obvious choice. He's a 32-year-old journeyman though, and those ratios come with no strikeout upside, a massively lucky LOB rate and a 4.86 xFIP. He seems more like a ticking time bomb than a reliable source of saves. The intriguing stab in the dark is Alvarado. Over the last two seasons at Triple-A, he sports a 12.43 K/9 (104 Ks in 75.1 innings between Jacksonville and Las Vegas), and he pairs a 98.5 mph fastball with a slider that's gotten a 46.4 percent whiff rate in the majors this year, which is about as classic a closer arsenal as you could ask for. Alvarado's control isn't great, but hey, neither was Miller's. Alvarado – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5 / Kelly – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Kyle Finnegan, Tigers: Of all the closers traded to the AL at the deadline, who expected Finnegan to be the first one to get a save? Will Vest is still the closer for the Tigers, mind you, but Finnegan seems to have moved into Tommy Kahnle's role as the next man up when Vest gets the call in a highest-leverage spot, as he did in the eighth inning Saturday against the top of the Phillies' order. There's no shame in giving up a homer to Bryce Harper, but Vest has been scuffling in general of late (4.82 ERA since the beginning of July with a 12:5 K:BB), and if his performance continues to decline, Finnegan could benefit. There's also a real chance Saturday's save was the only one he gets for Detroit, though. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $7

Hunter Gaddis, Guardians: Cleveland's once-stocked cupboard of high-K relievers is looking a little bare these days. Emmanuel Clase's paid vacation isn't the only culprit, as injuries to prospects like Andrew Walters and Franco Aleman (who's healthy now but trying to find his form at Triple-A) sprung a big leak in the pipeline. That leaves Cade Smith as the obvious Clase replacement – so obvious in fact he was rostered weeks ago in a great many leagues, once Clase trade rumors started sprouting up. Someone's got to be the No. 2 guy though, and right now that looks like Gaddis, who got his first career save Saturday after Smith had thrown 23 pitches the night before. Gaddis doesn't throw the kind of smoke we're used to seeing from late-inning Guardian arms, but he's perfectly competent, and who knows, maybe Smith crumbles in the ninth. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Cole Sands, Twins: Minnesota's order of succession seems nearly as clear as Cleveland's with Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax. Louis Varland and Brock Stewart all now pitching elsewhere. Sands doesn't have big-time stuff and has seen his K rate decline badly (from 29.1 percent last year to 18.9 percent in 2025), but Rocco Baldelli has already all but named him the guy, with Justin Topa (who has a similarly meh arsenal) as his caddy. The organization hasn't given up on developing Marco Raya as a starter yet, but if he moved to the bullpen he might be the best long-term solution as the closer. That's a decision that probably won't get made until next spring, though. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Cade Smith, Guardians: If you need saves, and he's available in your league, Smith should be your top target this week by a huge margin. He's got impressive stuff and no real competition, and the only yellow flag is that his numbers have taken a step back over the last month-plus (4.61 ERA, 15:4 K:BB in 13.2 innings since the beginning of July.) If you're going to trust anyone to get the most out of a bullpen arm though, it should be the Guardians. 12-team Mixed: $11; 15-team Mixed: $21; 12-team AL: $35

Catcher

Samuel Basallo, Orioles: It may not happen until September, but Baltimore GM Mike Elias acknowledged after the trade deadline that yes, Basallo would probably make his big-league debut in 2025. There wasn't much more Basallo could have done to prove he was ready, putting up a .965 OPS and 20 homers in 68 games at Triple-A... as a 20-year-old. Adley Rutschman still has him blocked behind the plate, but his bat will play at 1B/DH, although losing catcher eligibility for 2026 could be a complicating factor in keeper leagues. In redraft formats though, if you have a bench spot to churn, he's worth stashing now. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $3

Dillon Dingler, Tigers: Dingler's roster rate has eroded since Jake Rogers came off the IL in late May, but he's still the starter for the Tigers and has been raking since the All-Star break. Over his last 11 games, Dingler's batting .342 (13-for-38) with three doubles, a homer, six runs and six RBI. Even in one-catcher formats, he's got an argument to be one of the top 12 options out there right now. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Hunter Feduccia, Rays: Out from Will Smith's shadow, Feduccia will get a chance to claim the starting job in Tampa over the final two months of the season. The 28-year-old has a career .278/.387/.452 slash line with 33 homers in 291 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City, and his only competition for playing time comes from Nick Fortes with Logan Driscoll still mysteriously on the shelf and having not played at all this year after injuring his ankle in the spring. Feduccia's got upside and a clear path to a starting job. Not much more you can ask for at catcher. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7

Nick Fortes, Rays: Fortes, on the other hand, offers nothing but the potential for semi-consistent at-bats if Feduccia struggles. He's got a career .223/.276/.341 slash line in over 1,000 big-league plate appearances, but maybe the change in home ballparks will allow him to run into an extra homer or two. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Carter Jensen, Royals: Jensen's even more of a spec stash than Basallo, but he too seems positioned to debut late in 2025. With the Royals trying to find ways to keep 35-year-old Salvador Perez from wearing down by using him at 1B and DH, Luke Maile simply isn't going to cut it as a Freddy Fermin replacement. Jensen, meanwhile, has launched eight homers in his first 24 games since being promoted to Triple-A Omaha, although his K rate has spiked from 22.9 percent at Double-A to 35.9 percent in that small Triple-A sample. If he gets that under control, the 22-year-old could get another promotion in September, or maybe even sooner, to fill Fermin's old role and begin Kansas City's transition to a post-Perez era. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $2

First Base

C.J. Kayfus, Guardians: A third-round pick in the 2023 draft out of the U of Miami, Kayfus has made a quick ascent through the Guardians' system and made his MLB debut Saturday. Kayfus has mainly played first base in the minors but will get a crack at filling the void in right field for Cleveland after slashing .283/.367/.526 with 13 homers and a 27.3 percent K rate over 68 games for Triple-A Columbus. He may not have a sky-high ceiling, but it also won't take much to be better than Nolan Jones. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Second Base

Adam Frazier, Royals: Frazier's been a nearly everyday player for Kansas City in a super-utility role, seeing action at four different positions (second base, third base, left and right field) while starting the last five games. The 33-year-old offers little upside, but he'll swipe an occasional base, and the offense around him may be better than advertised down the stretch. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Andy Ibanez, Tigers: Called up Monday, Ibanez has filled his usual short-side platoon role as a versatile bench piece, going 5-for-11 with two doubles and a homer in four games. He has the most value as a DFS punt play against southpaws, but he can be useful in daily moves season-long formats as well. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Edouard Julien, Twins: Someone's got to stand on the infield for the Twins in the wake of their fire sale. Julien has started two straight games at second base, but he'll likely get bumped into the 1B/DH mix once Luke Keaschall gets healthy. Julien put together a nice July at Triple-A, slashing .309/.423/.568 with five homers in 23 games, but he's 818 plate appearances deep into his big-league career and has yet to have much success. This could be his last chance to prove he's part of Minnesota's future, but that fact should ensure he gets consistent playing time down the stretch. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Luke Keaschall, Twins: Keaschall has been out since late April due to a fractured forearm, but he's closing in on his return, batting .267 (12-for-45) over 13 rehab games for Triple-A St. Paul with seven steals and more walks (eight) than strikeouts (six). The 22-year-old could move the needle in stolen bases over the final two months, with a good BA/OBP and some modest power, but his long-term upside is much higher. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Third Base

Kody Clemens, Twins: Clemens suddenly finds himself as the last man standing at first base for Minnesota after Ty France was flipped to Toronto. The 29-year-old offers some low-BA power, slugging 12 homers in 211 plate appearances this season but with a .215 batting average. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: Rostered

Darell Hernaiz, Athletics: With Jacob Wilson and Max Muncy both sidelined, there are at-bats available on the left side of the infield for the A's. Hernaiz has started four straight games at shortstop, going 5-for-14 with a homer and a steal, but his Triple-A numbers this season (.305/.384/.423 with four homers and a 12-for-12 showing on the basepaths in 95 contests) point the speed being a lot more sustainable than the power. Once the starters get healthy though, Hernaiz will likely head to the bench, or back to Vegas. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Coby Mayo, Orioles: With Baltimore officially playing for 2026 and Ryan O'Hearn in San Diego, Mayo has taken over as the starting first baseman and held his own, slashing .269/.424/.577 over his last 10 games with two doubles, two homers and a 6:6 BB:K. The 23-year-old could face a playing-time squeeze when Ryan Mountcastle finally returns, and a Basallo promotion would also present issues for Mayo, but between DH and the infield corners, there should be enough at-bats for him to stay relevant as long as he's hitting. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Rostered

Eugenio Suarez, Mariners: If you were waiting for a big bat to get traded between leagues in an AL-only format, you have exactly one target for your FAAB hoard. Suarez is fifth in the majors in homers and tied for second in RBI, and his .881 OPS would be his highest mark since 2019. His first stint in Seattle didn't go great from a fantasy perspective, but he's at least got a better lineup around him this time, and T-Mobile Park hasn't done much this year to suppress Cal Raleigh's power. Suarez should be fine, but even if he isn't, who else you got to bid on? 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $75

Shortstop

Jeremiah Jackson, Orioles: Jackson is actually getting playing time in his second MLB stint this season, going 3-for-6 while starting two straight games since getting called up Thursday. The 25-year-old started the year at Double-A and profiles as a utility player, but the O's could use one of those after trading away Ramon Urias. Jackson has some power/speed potential, but his .377/.404/.673 slash line in 40 Triple-A games overstates his fantasy upside. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Brooks Lee, Twins: Lee was seeing regular run already while bouncing around the infield as needed, but the Carlos Correa trade should allow him to settle in and get comfortable at shortstop for the Twins. The 24-year-old's offense has come in dribs and drabs this season, but he could contribute in batting average and power down the stretch if he finds a groove. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered

Taylor Walls, Rays: With Jose Caballero out of the picture, Walls should see more action, and he's been making a contribution since the All-Star break, slashing .279/.295/.488 in his last 14 games with six doubles, a homer and two steals. Tampa still views him as its best defensive option at shortstop and Ha-Seong Kim can slide elsewhere on the diamond, so if Walls can add anything at all offensively, he'll get playing time. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Outfield

Dylan Beavers, Orioles: The Cedric Mullins and Ramon Laureano trades open up playing time for Dylan Carlson in the short term, but that's the wrong Dylan to target in keeper formats. Beavers is slashing .284/.458/.556 since the beginning of July for Triple-A Norfolk with six homers, four steals and a dynamic 24:15 BB:K in 23 games, and like Basallo he should make his MLB debut before the season is over. Baltimore's mainly used him in an outfield corner this year at Norfolk, but the clearest path to a big-league job in in center, unless the organization thinks Colton Cowser will be the better defender there. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $3

JJ Bleday, Athletics: Bleday has been raking at Triple-A Las Vegas with a .348/.402/.587 slash line in 22 games since his early-July demotion, but there's still no clear path to a starting job for him with the A's even if Denzel Clarke's hip injury lingers. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1 

Dylan Carlson, Orioles: For now, Carlson is Baltimore's center fielder by default. That state of affairs likely won't last much longer, though – the 26-year-old has gone 2-for-21 since rejoining the big-league roster after the All-Star break. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Sam Haggerty, Rangers: Evan Carter's back on the IL, which puts Haggerty back in a more prominent role in the outfield for Texas. The 31-year-old switch hitter could nab a few steals before Carter returns. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Corey Julks, White Sox: The 29-year-old Julks is getting another look in the majors after posting an .843 OPS with 10 homers and 13 steals in 87 games at Triple-A Charlotte, but with Luis Robert still in Chicago, he's probably stuck in a bench role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1 

Austin Martin, Twins: Martin got a surprise start in center field as the leadoff hitter Friday while Minnesota tried to piece together a lineup in the aftermath of the trade deadline, but it's hard to see where he fits once Byron Buxton is back, other than as a short-side platoon option off the bench. Martin's hit .319 with a .431 OBP this season for Triple-A St. Paul, but with just one homer and two steals in 32 games, his fantasy upside is very limited. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Alan Roden, Twins: Roden has a similar skill set to Martin, but he hits left-handed and is seemingly better at stringing together hits and getting on base, so he has a stronger chance of emerging as the Twins' primary left fielder and hitting at the top of the order after being acquired from the Blue Jays. That said, the 25-year-old has struck out six times in his first 10 at-bats for his new club, and despite a .320/.411/.505 slash line over 102 Triple-A games the last two years, Roden's no sure thing. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Jesus Sanchez, Astros: If you miss out on Eugenio Suarez, Sanchez is a distant No. 2 in terms of bats that came over from the NL at the trade deadline. The 27-year-old should solve the Astros' left-field issues though, offering a decent all-around offensive profile. He has some sneaky upside at Daikin Park too, as he typically sports a plus hard-hit rate and an oppo air rate north of 20 percent (although it's been down to 17.6 percent in 2025), which could mean regular souvenirs in the Crawford Boxes. Having a better offense around him than he did in Miami won't hurt, either. 12-team Mixed: Rostered; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $25

Bryce Teodosio, Angels: Undrafted out of Clemson in 2021, Teodosio has done well just to make it to the majors. The 26-year-old was shut down in mid-April, but now that he's healthy he'll get a look on the Halos' bench after the front office basically stood pat at the trade deadline. Hey, they're 5.5 games back in the AL wild-card race and would only have to pass four other teams to chase down the Mariners, so why would you trade your veteran rental closer just because the late-inning reliever market was hotter than it's ever been? Being an Angels fan must carry all the weary resignation of Daniel Craig introducing the Weeknd at this point. "Ladies and gentlemen, Andrew Chafin." Anyway, Teodosio probably wouldn't be any worse than Gustavo Campero or Scott Kingery in a bench role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Daulton Varsho, Blue Jays: Finally back from the IL, Varsho will give the Jays Gold Glove defense in center field and run into some long balls, and anything else would be gravy. He's launched eight homers in only 25 games this season, but his .200 batting average is about what you should expect. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15 

Mike Yastrzemski, Royals: Yaz the Younger is what he is as a hitter, and moving from San Francisco to Kansas City doesn't offer a real upgrade in either home park or supporting cast. He'll fill a strong-side platoon role in an outfield corner though, and that has value in deeper AL-only formats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: Rostered; 12-team AL: $7

Designated Hitter

Kyle Manzardo, Guardians: Manzardo's been very streaky in his first full big-league campaign and sits against tough lefties, but in 12 games since the All-Star break he's slashing .366/.426/.634 with three homers and 11 RBI. He went yard in his last two games before the break too, and while he still strikes out too much to think he's about to really break out down the stretch, it wouldn't be surprising if he stayed hot along with the weather. The Guardians could use a win right about now, too. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Rostered