This article is part of our AL FAAB Factor series.
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.
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.
| PLAYER | TEAM | POS | GRADE | 12-Team Mixed $ | 15-Team Mixed $ | AL-Only $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Harrison | BOS | SP | B | No | No | 3 |
| Eric Lauer | TOR | SP | C | No | 1 | 3 |
| Jacob Lopez | ATH | SP | C | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Kumar Rocker | TEX | SP | B | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Trevor Rogers | BAL | SP | C | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Max Scherzer | TOR | SP | C | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Allan Winans | NY | SP | D | No | No | 1 |
| Logan Allen | CLE | SP | C | 1 |
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.
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.
| PLAYER | TEAM | POS | GRADE | 12-Team Mixed $ | 15-Team Mixed $ | AL-Only $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Harrison | BOS | SP | B | No | No | 3 |
| Eric Lauer | TOR | SP | C | No | 1 | 3 |
| Jacob Lopez | ATH | SP | C | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Kumar Rocker | TEX | SP | B | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Trevor Rogers | BAL | SP | C | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Max Scherzer | TOR | SP | C | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Allan Winans | NY | SP | D | No | No | 1 |
| Logan Allen | CLE | SP | C | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Taj Bradley | TB | SP | B | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Walker Buehler | BOS | SP | C | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Patrick Corbin | TEX | SP | C | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jack Kochanowicz | LA | SP | C | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Chris Paddack | MIN | SP | C | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Luis Severino | ATH | SP | C | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Shane Smith | CHI | SP | C | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Luke Jackson | TEX | RP | D | No | 2 | Rostered |
| Chris Martin | TEX | RP | D | No | 1 | 4 |
| Greg Weissert | BOS | RP | D | No | 1 | 4 |
| Gary Sanchez | BAL | C | C | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Luke Raley | SEA | 1B | C | No | 2 | 5 |
| Zack Gelof | ATH | 2B | C | No | 1 | 3 |
| David Hamilton | BOS | 2B | C | No | 1 | 4 |
| Colt Keith | DET | 2B | B | No | 3 | Rostered |
| Lenyn Sosa | CHI | 2B | C | No | No | 3 |
| Ezequiel Duran | TEX | 3B | C | No | 1 | 4 |
| Luis Urias | ATH | 3B | C | No | 2 | Rostered |
| Ha-Seong Kim | TB | SS | C | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Gustavo Campero | LA | OF | D | No | No | 1 |
| Sam Haggerty | TEX | OF | D | No | No | 2 |
| Ramon Laureano | BAL | OF | C | No | No | 3 |
| Justin Foscue | TEX | Ut | C | No | No | 1 |
| Giancarlo Stanton | NY | Ut | C | 3 | 7 | 15 |
Starting Pitcher
Kyle Harrison, Red Sox: The biggest on-field piece coming back to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade (depending on which MLB executive you talk to, the true prize in the deal was apparently either clearing Devers' contracts off the books of those poor small-market Red Sox, or the peace that will reign in the clubhouse by getting rid of a well-liked teammate who'd cranked out a .998 OPS since the beginning of May), Harrison will begin his tenure with the organization at Triple-A, so he's just a stash for now. The 23-year-old southpaw was one of the top pitching prospects in the game after a dazzling 2022 campaign at Double-A Richmond, but Harrison is still trying to find that form in the majors. There have been some encouraging signs this year – his velocity's trending back up, and while Stuff+ isn't a fan of his fastball/curve/changeup arsenal (nothing graded higher than a 98, and a 96 overall rating), a 118 Location+ would cure a lot of ills. Boston's got no room in the rotation right now with Hunter Dobbins holding his own, and it will only get more crowded when guys like Tanner Houck get healthy, but then again Walker Buehler has a 5.95 ERA. If a spot opens up, expect Harrison to get the call. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3
Eric Lauer, Blue Jays: Max Scherzer (see below) is about to come off the IL, but Toronto still has a spot open in the rotation with Bowden Francis now on the shelf. Lauer's more than made his case to fill it, posting a 2.89 ERA and 12:2 K:BB over his last two starts and 9.1 innings. The Jays still have him on a short leash – he didn't throw more than 75 pitches in either outing – but that's enough to give him a shot at lasting five innings and qualifying for a win. If the team elects to use him behind an opener again, so much the better for the lefty's win chances. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3
Jacob Lopez, Athletics: I wrote up Lopez last week, and since then all he's done is strike out nine Astros in another quality start. The Ks aren't anything new, as the southpaw posted a 27.9 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A Durham in the Tampa system last year, but the A's seem to have unlocked another level for Lopez. Over four appearances in June, he's got a 2.66 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 32:7 K:BB in only 20.1 innings, numbers that are starting to get hard to dismiss as a small sample fluke. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7
Kumar Rocker, Rangers: Added back to the big-league roster last Sunday to take the spot of Tyler Mahle, Rocker has delivered good numbers (1.74 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 10:4 K:BB in 10.1 innings) against bottom-feeder offenses in the White Sox and Pirates. Nathan Eovaldi could come off the IL this week, but that only gets Texas up to five healthy starters, and Mahle's track record doesn't provide a lot of optimism that he'll make a quick return from shoulder soreness. Rocker should get at least one more turn, but I'd bet the over on how long he sticks around. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: $7
Trevor Rogers, Orioles: With Cade Povich on the shelf, Rogers was called up last week and was downright awful against the Rays, recording only seven outs on 71 pitches. The 27-year-old lefty remains erratic, but he gets a two-step this week (against Texas and a Tampa Bay rematch, both at Camden Yards) and he flashed his upside in his first MLB start of the season when he blanked the BoSox over 6.1 innings in late May. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3
Max Scherzer, Blue Jays: Scherzer finally seems ready to make his second start for Toronto after he lasted just three innings and 45 pitches in his first outing March 29. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer has dealt with thumb trouble ever since, an issue he said would affect him once he'd thrown about 50 pitches, so it was encouraging that he built up to 75 in his last rehab start. Scherzer could fall right into a two-start week once he's activated, lining up for road starts in Cleveland and Boston, but that might be asking too much of him from a fantasy perspective. The Jays also have guys like Spencer Turnbull around for spot start/bulk relief/piggyback duties if they want to lessen Scherzer's load out of the gate. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5
Allan Winans, Yankees: The 29-year-old right-hander has been absolutely filthy at Triple-A this season, posting a 0.90 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 59:13 K:BB through 50 innings, and with Ryan Yarbrough headed for the IL, Winans will make his Yankees debut Monday. That sets him up for a potential two-step, in Cincy and at home against the A's, but Marcus Stroman could also be ready to return by next weekend. Winans' four-pitch arsenal wasn't effective in his previous looks against big-league hitters however, so he's a gamble even by dart throw standards. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1
Other two-start options, Mon-Sun (12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $1)
Via RotoWire's Probable Pitchers grid
Logan Allen, Guardians (vs. TOR, vs. STL)
Taj Bradley, Rays (at KC, at BAL)
Walker Buehler, Red Sox (at LAA, vs. TOR)
Patrick Corbin, Rangers (at BAL, vs. SEA)
Jack Kochanowicz, Angels (vs. BOS, vs. WAS)
Chris Paddack, Twins (vs. SEA, at DET)
Luis Severino, Athletics (at DET, at NYY)
Shane Smith, White Sox (vs. ARI, vs. SF)
Relief Pitcher
Luke Jackson / Chris Martin, Rangers: Robert Garcia hasn't recorded a save since June 13, and in the meantime both Jackson and Martin have collected one. It's not entirely clear if either or both of them are fully back in the ninth-inning mix however, as Garcia had worked two straight days prior to each of their save chances and wouldn't have been available. On the other hand, Garcia has a 6.00 ERA, 1.89 WHIP and 11:5 K:BB over his last 10 appearances and nine innings, while Jackson has turned things around with a 1.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 5:2 K:BB over his last 10 appearances and nine frames. Martin has yet to allow a run since coming off the IL in early June, firing up a 5:0 K:BB in 4.2 innings. Jackson already flopped once in the closer role, which could work against him, but Garcia has never really felt like anything but a temp, so it feels like another shift is coming. I'm just not sure in which direction. Jackson – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered / Martin – 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4
Greg Weissert, Red Sox: Aroldis Chapman remains the main man in the Boston bullpen, but manager Alex Cora has started using the seemingly ageless lefty flamethrower in highest-leverage spots rather than holding him back for the ninth inning, and Weissert looks as though he'll be the big winner if that usage pattern continues. The right-hander has a 2.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 7:4 K:BB over nine innings since the beginning of June with six holds and three saves in 11 appearances, and while Justin Slaten could eventually take over the role Weissert currently fills, he's still working his way back from shoulder inflammation. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4
Catcher
Gary Sanchez, Orioles: Wait, Gary Sanchez is only 32 years old? I would have guessed mid-30s, easy. Huh. With Adley Rutschman on the IL with an oblique strain, Sanchez seems in store for a fairly lengthy run as the O's starting catcher. He's been on a nice little roll in June, hitting safely in five straight starts since returning from his own wrist injury and batting .412 (7-for-17) with two homers and seven RBI. That's not a pace he'll be able to keep up, but with only the unproven Maverick Handley (80-grade name, at least) backing him up, Sanchez should handle a big workload. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5
First Base
Luke Raley, Mariners: Raley was activated from the IL on Friday and dropped into a strong-side platoon role at first base, as Rowdy Tellez was cut loose to make room for him. Raley's always been a solid platoon bat – 42 of his 46 career homers have come against RHP, and he's got an .808 OPS in that split compared to a .543 mark against lefties – but the M's could also use him in right field, so it's not clear if his current assignment is permanent or temporary. First baseman Tyler Locklear is slashing .309/.411/.580 since May 27 for Triple-A Tacoma, but outfielder Rhylan Thomas is slashing .375/.423/.568 during roughly that same stretch, so the front office has some flexibility on which prospect it wants to give another chance to next. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5
Second Base
Zack Gelof, Athletics: Gelof re-started his rehab stint this past week after straining his ribs while recovering from a broken hamate bone, but he's looked pretty healthy at Triple-A Las Vegas – while he's only gone 1-for-6 in three games, he's drawn four walks against only one strikeout and has swiped two bags. Contact has been the biggest issue for the 25-year-old in his career, but he does have some intriguing power-speed upside if he can get to it in game situations, and the A's still seem to view him as a potential building block for their never-ending rebuild. Gelof has yet to play back-to-back games, so he's likely at least a few days away from activation, but he's close. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $3
David Hamilton, Red Sox: With Kristian Campbell back at Triple-A learning to play first base and Marcelo Mayer still needed at third base, Hamilton has started five straight games at the keystone. Unfortunately, he's doing very little with his playing time. The utility infielder is batting .167 (4-for-24) in June, and he hasn't stolen a base since June 3, although he did homer Friday. The allure of some short-term speed is still hard to ignore, but just remember that Hamilton will be headed back to the bench as soon as Alex Bregman gets healthy. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4
Colt Keith, Tigers: The 23-year-old is getting a chance to claim the starting third base job for Detroit, and he's also been hitting leadoff against right-handed pitching over the last week, which is a nice combo for fantasy value. Keith had a sluggish start to the season, but over his last 21 games he's slashing .303/.365/.500 with two homers and 10 RBI. He still sits against most lefties however, limiting his ceiling in shallower formats, and Matt Vierling could be back (again) soon. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Rostered
Lenyn Sosa, White Sox: Sosa missed a couple weeks with a hip flexor issue, and since returning he's gone 4-for-17 (.235) with three of the hits going for extra bases. The 25-year-old is the top option at second base for the White Sox, and while he doesn't offer a lot of upside, his occasional hot streaks still give him some deep-league value. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3
Third Base
Ezequiel Duran, Rangers: With Jake Burger joining Joc Pederson on the IL, first base and DH are a bit of a wasteland for Texas right now. Duran appears as though he'll be the primary option at 1B, but whether that means something like 51 percent of the starts or 80 percent isn't clear yet. The 26-year-old utility player has had a rough season so far in the majors, but he's torn up Triple-A (1.063 OPS with four homers and five steals in 59 PAs) and has gone 3-for-12 with three doubles since he started getting consistent playing time last week. Duran was a real fantasy asset as recently as 2023, and he could still regain that form or even improve on it. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $1; 12-team AL: $4
Luis Urias, Athletics: His 2021 semi-breakout was a long time ago in baseball years, but Urias is still only 28 years old and might be putting things back together after bouncing through four different organizations over the last three seasons. He's slashing .288/.373/.390 in June with more walks (seven) than strikeouts (five), which is an incredible improvement for a guy who posted a 31.2 percent K rate in Seattle last season. He's not hitting the ball particularly hard, mind you, but he never did, and Sutter Health Field has the best overall Park Factor for right-handed hitters (115, ahead of even Coors) in 2025, and the sixth-best HR factor. What kind of playing time Urias gets when Zack Gelof is healthy is the big question, but contact issues are catching up to Max Muncy the Younger at third base once again, so he could simply shift back to the hot corner. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: Rostered
Shortstop
Ha-Seong Kim, Rays: Kim resumed his rehab assignment this weekend, playing DH on Friday before getting in a full nine innings at shortstop for Triple-A Durham on Saturday. He also stole three bags between the two games, an excellent sign that his hamstring strain is behind him. Once his surgically repaired shoulder is deemed ready for everyday work, Kim should take over as Tampa's shortstop – Taylor Walls has had a few moments, but his .605 OPS is right in line with his career performance at the plate. Kim should be able to provide fantasy GMs with a big second-half speed boost (the Rays leads the majors in steals) without being a zero in the power categories, and given how George Steinbrenner Field seems to be playing, the 29-year-old might even be an asset in homers once he fully shakes off the rust. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $3
Outfield
Gustavo Campero, Angels: With Jorge Soler on the shelf, the Halos are mixing and matching at DH and in right field, which could open up playing time for Campero at least in a short-side platoon role. The 27-year-old switch hitter has posted a .320/.389/.477 slash line at Triple-A Salt Lake this season with seven steals in eight attempts, but the Angels haven't been running much this season (second-last in steals, ahead of only the Tigers) so even if he gets on base consistently, Campero might not see many green lights. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1
Sam Haggerty, Rangers: Haggerty's started four of the last seven games in left field while Wyatt Langford nurses a stiff back, and there's playing time to be had at DH even if Langford shows he's 100 percent. Haggerty's taken advantage of his opportunities in June, slashing .306/.390/.444 in 42 plate appearances with a homer, a steal, four RBI and seven runs, and when he does get onto the lineup card of late he tends to hit near the top of the order. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2
Ramon Laureano, Orioles: Laureano has been a nearly everyday player since coming off the IL in early June, slashing .245/.345/.429 with three homers and 11 RBI in his last 14 games. Tyler O'Neill's stop-start rehab stint is gearing up again Sunday, but I'll believe he's ready to contribute to the big-league roster when he's actually on the field and makes it through a full nine innings. Once (if?) O'Neill returns, Laureano should still be the primary platoon partner for Colton Cowser and Cedric Mullins, and there's always the chance Baltimore starts selling off veteran pieces like Mullins. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3
Designated Hitter
Justin Foscue, Rangers: Called up when Jake Burger landed on the IL, Foscue was showing his usual power and plate discipline and Triple-A Round Rock, slugging 10 homers with a 26:31 BB:K in 50 games. The 26-year-old still has to prove he can make that profile work in the majors, but he could work his way into the 1B/DH mix if he gets a chance. In theory, the likes of Ezequiel Duran shouldn't be much of an obstacle. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1
Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees: The veteran slugger made his season debut Monday after recovering from elbow troubles, and while Stanton hasn't homered yet, he has gone 5-for-15 with a double and his typical barrage of hard-hit balls – his average exit velocity so far is 95.1 mph, which would rank fourth in the majors if he had enough balled balls to qualify. Stanton can't stay healthy and is a batting average risk at 35 years old, but he still has plenty of power if that's what you need. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15
