AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your free-agent budget you should bid on them.

This year, we're incorporating 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. Carlos Correa would have been an "A" grade player last year -- that mark will be reserved for similar high-impact prospects stepping into 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.

Starting Pitcher

Andrew Albers, Twins: Albers has bounced around a bit the last few years, pitching in the KBO in 2014 and in the Jays' organization last year, but he returned to the team that drafted him in the offseason and after pitching decently in Triple-A now has a chance to take one of the Twins' open spots in their starting rotation. There's not a lot of upside here, as he's your run-of-the-mill soft-tossing lefty, but he could give you some innings. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jharel Cotton, Athletics: Truth be told, there aren't a lot of new, exciting faces among the likely September call-ups in the American League. Our own James Anderson did an excellent roundup of the possible names and unless the Red Sox decide to pull the trigger on Yoan Moncada (which seems highly doubtful), it's mostly guys like Joey Gallo and Byron Buxton who will be the headliners, prospects who have had multiple major league stints already. Cotton is the glaring exception. As the big prize in the Rich Hill/Josh Reddick deal with the Dodgers he isn't going to be on a roster in most AL-only formats and with 149 K's in 130 Triple-A innings this year his upside is tremendous. The 24-year-old has a good fastball and nasty changeup and could become the top starter for Oakland as soon as next year if he hits the ground running. That makes him worth a somewhat aggressive bid despite the risk that he'll struggle after a promotion, or even that he doesn't get promoted at all if the A's don't want to start his service clock. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Pat Dean, Twins: Part of the reason Albers will get a look in the rotation is the Twins' lack of alternatives. Dean got the start Friday and was shelled by the Jays, which isn't so unusual, but it followed a 5.56 ERA in Triple-A which bodes poorly for his chances of any success in the majors. Like Albers, Dean is a lefty who throws junk but a poor man's Tommy Milone isn't something you want on your fantasy roster. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Derek Holland, Rangers: Holland came off the DL early this week and looked a bit like his pre-injury self, handcuffing the Reds for six innings Tuesday. There's probably a 50-50 chance he gets hurt again before the end of the year, but the Rangers' offense does give him a better shot at a win than some other arms and his shoulder might have a few bullets left in it. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Ubaldo Jimenez, Orioles: Chris Tillman's injury puts Jimenez back in the Orioles' rotation and while he managed a quality start against the Nats on Thursday it would be foolish to expect him to deliver another one any time soon given that it'd been over two months since his last one. As with Holland, the O's bats might get Jimenez a win or two though if he can manage to last past the fifth inning. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Brett Oberholtzer, Angels: Oberholtzer got pressed into the Angels' rotation Saturday after they jettisoned Jhoulys Chacin (again) and he was able to give them three decent innings after spending all year in long relief. The team doesn't need a fifth starter again for another week or so, but the lefty – who was once a semi-interesting Astros prospect – is probably their best option when the spot comes around again. As with most of this week's weak crop of SPs he's got little strikeout potential though. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

James Paxton, Mariners: The power lefty came off the DL on Thursday with less than inspiring results, giving up three runs over five innings to the White Sox, but Paxton's improved control held up as he walked just one batter against five K's. When healthy his development has been dramatic this season, as he's halved his BB/9 rate (3.90 in 2015, 1.97 this year) without losing any strikeouts and the only thing standing between him and a future as Seattle's new ace is his inability to stay on the mound. If he was cut loose after his latest injury, pounce. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: Owned

Andrew Triggs, Athletics: The unheralded 27-year-old righty has been a pleasant surprise since moving into the A's rotation, holding the mighty Rangers and Indians offenses to just one run on five hits over 11.2 innings in two starts. Triggs doesn't have a big fastball but he put up good K rates in the minors thanks to his unusually low arm angle and five-pitch arsenal and while his long-term profile suggests he's a better fit in the bullpen as a Chad Bradford-like ROOGY, it's possible that his ceiling is a little higher than that. Pitchers like Mike Fiers have carved out some value with similar profiles, so maybe Triggs can do the same. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Taijuan Walker, Mariners: Walker returned to the majors after a less-than-impressive stint at Triple-A that saw his walk more batters than he struck out, but he should stick in the Mariners' rotation for the rest of the season. His main issue this year has been homers and he gave up another one Tuesday, so while he still has a big fastball and tremendous upside, until he shows signs of solving his current issues he'll be a dangerous pitcher to roster. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Relief Pitcher

Dan Altavilla, Mariners: The latest power arm for the Seattle bullpen, Altavilla touches triple digits on radar guns and struck out 65 batters in 56.2 innings for Double-A Jackson before whiffing Todd Frazier in his big league debut. He won't be supplanting Edwin Diaz as the closer any time soon, but he could provide you with K's and holds down the stretch. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Matt Bush, Rangers: Sam Dyson's recent struggles and Jeremy Jeffress' placement on the restricted list due to a DWI suddenly makes the Rangers' bullpen an interesting place to look for value. Bush has been the best of their middle relief crew as of late and if Dyson loses his grip on the closer role while Jeffress is unavailable, Bush would be the most likely beneficiary. If you need saves, he could be your last, best option to find a closer cheap for the rest of the year. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

Alex Wimmers, Twins: Wimmers was a first round pick of the Twins way back in 2010, but injuries and ineffectiveness have prevented him from making his big league debut until now. He's been solid in a relief role at Triple-A this season and that's likely how the club will use him, but given his draft pedigree there's always the chance they try to convert him back into a starter at some point. For now though, consider the 27-year-old righty a lottery ticket at best. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Catcher

Alex Avila, White Sox: Avila homered Saturday in his first game off the DL, which might be about the only thing that's gone right for him this season. With Dioner Navarro now back in Toronto he's technically the White Sox's No. 1 catcher but it wouldn't be surprising to see Avila share time equally with Omar Narvaez for the next month as the team takes a look at the youngster. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Dioner Navarro, Blue Jays: The aforementioned Navarro is a Blue Jay once again after a waiver deal and he'll fill a bench role with his new/old club, spelling Russell Martin behind the plate and maybe seeing the occasional game at DH. The improved offense around him does perk up his fantasy value a smidge, but barring an injury to Martin he's still a deep league option only. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Roberto Perez, Indians: Perez has emerged over the last couple of weeks as the Indians' starter behind the dish, racking up 32 at-bats to Chris Gimenez's six. Perez isn't necessarily doing much with those at-bats, hitting just .250 with half of his eight hits coming in one game, but in deep leagues playing time is king so if you need catching help, he might well be your best option. Having a good offense around him doesn't hurt, either. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4

First Base

Dae-Ho Lee, Mariners: Called back up after destroying Triple-A pitching for a week or so, Lee's window for playing time even in the short end of a platoon could close rapidly assuming Dan Vogelbach joins Seattle's roster in September. At 33 years old, Lee just isn't a long-term asset for the club and they're just as likely to steal a wild card spot with Vogelbach leading the charge as they are with Lee. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Dan Vogelbach, Mariners: Vogelbach has been one of the best power-hitting prospects in the minors the last couple of seasons, but defensively he's limited to first base and even that's a stretch. The kid's a born DH, so it was no surprise when the Cubs flipped him to an American League team for bullpen help prior to the trade deadline. If he gets the call expect him to get regular at-bats somewhere, probably at DH with Nelson Cruz moving to right field, but he could also get a look at first base as well. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Second Base

Arismendy Alcantara, Athletics: The good news for Alcantara is that with roster expansion looming, he's really unlikely to be sent back down to the minors again this season. The A's are unsettled enough at second base that he might also pick up some real playing time, especially if Chad Pinder continues to hit .167. More than likely he'll sit on the bench though and try to make a good impression for 2017. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Shortstop

Starlin Castro, Yankees: While the Yankees' rookies garner all the headlines Castro's quietly been on a tear of his own, hitting .367 with six homers, 12 RBI and 12 runs scored in the last 14 games. He's the kind of player you pick up when he's hit and drop when he's cold in shallower formats, but with all that youthful joie de vivre in the clubhouse right now he might just stay locked in for the rest of the season. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Owned

Marco Hernandez, Red Sox: Hernandez gets Andrew Benintendi's spot while the Red Sox are restricted to 25 players for the next few days, but he won't see anything near his playing time. Even in the deepest of leagues, Hernandez is just roster filler. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Jose Iglesias, Tigers: Iglesias returned from his hamstring injury in near-minimum time but in his absence the Tigers went and traded for Erick Aybar, which complicates Iglesias' outlook for the rest of the season. He's the better defender at shortstop by far but his .623 OPS on the year leaves the door wide open for Aybar to steal at-bats if he can supply any kind of offense. If Iglesias is going to get back to his .300-hitting ways, now would be an excellent time to do it, both for Detroit's sake and for the sake of his fantasy value. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Outfield

Nick Buss, Angels: Buss has emerged as the Angels' starting left fielder by default despite hitting just .220 over the last two weeks with a 1:11 BB:K in 50 at-bats. His competition is mostly converted first basemen though, so simply by being a competent defender he should be able to hang onto the job down the stretch. There's not much upside here, but if you need outfield depth he'll at least be cheap. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Avisail Garcia, White Sox: Garcia is getting what feels like his last chance with the White Sox to prove he can be an everyday player, slotting into right field while Adam Eaton shifts back to center. He's responded with a tidy little five-game hit streak, hitting .421 with a homer, four RBI and five runs scored in those five games. While the "baby Miggy" rep he got saddled with in the Detroit system now seems laughable, Garcia isn't without some upside. He's a gamble, but sometimes you just have to roll the dice and hope they come up box cars. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $7

Carlos Gomez, Rangers: Speaking of gambles, the Rangers are taking a huge one by seeing if Gomez has anything left in the tank. He homered in his first game with his new team but then promptly went 0-for-8 with five K's in the next two, which is going to seem depressingly familiar to Astros fans. If he can put it together he could still be an asset in HR and SB, and hitting in the Texas lineup will provide him with plenty of opportunities for runs and RBI, but expecting him to be anything but a drain on your batting average at this point seems like a pipe dream. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $7

Guillermo Heredia, Mariners: The 25-year-old Cuban's been getting semi-regular playing time since his latest promotion but has gone just 2-for-14 this week and he'll have plenty of competition once rosters expand. He has hit .312 in 35 games at Triple-A this season but it was a fairly empty .312, so while his international reputation makes him a somewhat intriguing flyer as a keeper, don't expect much production for the rest of 2016. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Kevin Pillar, Blue Jays: Pillar jumped right back into the starting lineup after returning from his thumb injury, going 4-for-16 in his first four games back. Last year increasingly looks like it'll be his career peak, but Pillar's still got some speed, a bit of pop and a thunderous offense around him. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: $11

Justin Upton, Tigers: If you added Upton in desperation at your league's trade deadline, congrats, you may end up getting his best production of the season. How long his current hot streak (.357 with four homers and 11 RBI over the last week) lasts is anyone's guess, but he was awful for long enough that in shallower formats he's probably been cut loose entirely. If you need to gamble to make up ground in the power categories he'll likely be less expensive than any of the hyped-up prospects that will get promoted in September. 12-team Mixed: $4; 15-team Mixed: $9; 12-team AL: Owned

Melvin Upton Jr., Blue Jays: The new Jays starting lineup has Jose Bautista at DH to try and save wear and tear on his knee, which has shifted Michael Saunders to right field and installed Upton as the new everyday left fielder. He hasn't regained the magic of his early season heater in San Diego but the veteran has been contributing, hitting .294 with three homers and 12 runs scored in the last two weeks. Regular at-bats in the Jays' lineup can make anyone a viable fantasy asset, so if Upton is still available you need to add him pronto. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Owned

Chris Young, Red Sox: Young came off the DL just in time for Benintendi (knee) to go on it, leaving left field wide open. A starting job might not be the best thing for his batting average, as Young is better suited for the short end of a platoon, but unless Brock Holt heats up Young might be Boston's best option. Extra at-bats in a loaded lineup certainly won't hurt his production in the counting stats either. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Designated Hitter

Billy Butler, Athletics: Butler was in the middle of his best stretch of the season when he suffered his concussion, hitting .348/.434./565 in 46 July at-bats and following it up with a .333/.368/.389 line in 36 August at-bats. The A's may want to look at younger players in September but if Butler picks up where he left off when he comes off the DL, which could happen as soon as Monday, he'll be a useful bat for your final push. He's also regained first base eligibility this season so he won't be clogging up your Ut spot the way he does the basepaths. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $7