FAAB Week 26: Please Make Sure Your Trey Is In Its Full Upright Position

Well, we did it, Razzballers. We’ve reached the end of another season together (my third around these parts!) and weathered the ups and downs of six months of the greatest sport known to man.

We laughed. We cried. We celebrated when the offense-focused youth movement at catcher led to a new option to cover often instead of being stuck in the doldrums of analyzing the likes of a Mitch Garver or Kyle Higashioka week in, week out. We wallowed when our golden boy, Michael McGreevy, floundered when finally given an opportunity (Although… McGreevy is 7-3 while settling into a 4.08 ERA, 3.75 FIP and 1.20 WHIP over 86 innings. What? What do you mean by “why is mention of strikeouts skipped?”).

You’ll notice that the suggestion format changed again this week. No bid levels because all of the bidding is going to be subjective to your remaining FAAB dollars and the league environment. Find a player to fill the gap in your roster for the final week, as I wish you good luck for those chasing head-to-head ‘ships and roto points!

Thanks again to Grey, Rudy, and Truss for giving me this platform and format to muse about whatever every week – it’s truly been an honor to be a part of the Razzball fam. And don’t fret (or maybe do if you are a hater) because I’m not going anywhere during the offseason. I’ll still be podding weekly on Cards & Categories with Jeremy, gabbing out baseball, fantasy strategies, and, of course, baseball cards.

The stats and roster rates below are updated as of noon central time on 9/19.

As always, if you want advice on specific roster decisions you might have, feel free to leave a comment. You can also find me on BlueSky (@mcouill7.bsky.social).

CATCHERS

10/12 Team Adds

Kyle Teel (CHW, 45% CBS Rostership) – Teel has been mashing in September, posting a .250/.368/.542 (152 wRC+) slash line with four homers, 11 RBI, and eight runs across 14 games. That production has been supported with a superb 15.2% Barrel rate while the Chicago backstop has usually been hitting in the two hole. Add in that the Sox get a pretty nice schedule for bats with road series at the Yankees and Nationals, and you’ve got the best decently available catcher in Teel. The 23-year-old has fulfilled every promise since coming over in the Garrett Crochet trade and will be hot offseason “breakout” pick for 2026 even though Teel has already shed breakout consideration in mind with a 128 wRC+ in his 70 total games.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER: Samuel Basallo (BAL, 48% CBS Rostership), Gabriel Moreno (ARI, 40% CBS Rostership), Francisco Alvarez (NYM, 29% CBS Rostership)

15 Team Adds

Carter Jensen (KCR, 6% CBS Rostership) – As the Royals hover on the outside of the AL Playoff race looking in, they’ve tried everything to inject some offense into a lineup that is getting some all-time historic production from its corner outfield spots (derogatory). The best option for KC has been to incorporate the rookie Jensen by having him yo-yo catcher and DH back and forth with Salvador Perez. The results have paid off handsomely, with the 2021 third-round selection putting up a .320/.452/.650 (197 wRC+) and two taters in his first 31 plate appearances. The Royals have a great week for bats lined up with contests in Anaheim and Sacramento (Houston has the same schedule but flip-flopped). Just like Teel, the 22-year-old Jensen is going to be a hot commodity at the 2026 draft table, especially considering the worst wRC+ he’s produced at any level is a 107 when he was 18 at Single-A in 2022.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER: Moises Ballesteros (CHC, 15% CBS Rostership), Patrick Bailey (SFG, 14% CBS Rostership), Edgar Quero (CHW, 12% CBS Rostership), Freddy Fermin (SDP, 4% CBS Rostership)

INFIELDERS

10/12 Team Adds

Sal Stewart (1B/2B/3B, CIN, 31% CBS Rostership) – Akin to the Royals plugging and playing Jensen, Cincinnati has realized that Sal Stewart provides their best opportunity at generating offense, with the rookie taking over the first base job recently from Spencer Steer. The 21-year-old looks legit (when qualified) with a Savant page that would anger any bull with its swathes of red. The power is legit for Stewart, only who hits absolute nukes apparently – check out that Savant page again to see the spray chart with the landing spots of his homers! Another great bonus is that he should qualify at three positions and fit on any roster next week.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER: Jose Caballero (2B/3B/SS/OF, NYY, 47% CBS Rostership), Caleb Durbin (2B/3B, MIL, 45% CBS Rostership), J.P. Crawford (SS, SEA, 38% CBS Rostership), Jeff McNeil (2B/OF, NYM, 36% CBS Rostership), Brett Baty (2B/3B, NYM, 36% CBS Rostership), Jordan Lawlar (2B/3B/SS, ARI, 32% CBS Rostership), Wilmer Flores (1B, SFG, 28% CBS Rostership), Bryce Eldridge (1B, SFG, 27% CBS Rostership), Spencer Horwitz (1B/2B, PIT, 21% CBS Rostership), Ha-seong Kim (2B/SS, ATL, 20% CBS Rostership)

15 Team Adds

Otto Kemp (1B/3B/OF, PHI, 3% CBS Rostership) – Since Alec Bohm went down with a cyst in his shoulder, Kemp has stepped in to man the hot corner and looks ready to just outright take Bohm’s job for 2026. Kemp has hit .294/.342/.588 (148 wRC+) with two round trippers in 10 games, flashing same promise shown during his bonkers Triple-A performance that yielded a 158 wRC+ over 74 games. The Philly rookie has that gnarly mustache (typed in a fit of jealousy as this Millennial couldn’t grow a lip caterpillar to save his life) all Gen Z-ers rock and looks bound for Eastern Seaboard legend status during October, so invest in his limited card stock now if a collector.

OTHER TO CONSIDER: Jared Triolo (1B/2B/3B/SS, PIT, 19% CBS Rostership), Chase Meidroth (2B/SS, CHW, 18% CBS Rostership), Blaze Alexander (2B/3B/SS, ARI, 17% CBS Rostership), Connor Norby (3B, MIA, 16% CBS Rostership), Christian Moore (2B, LAA, 15% CBS Rostership), Gabriel Arias (2B/3B/SS, CLE, 10% CBS Rostership), Nick Gonzales (2B/SS, PIT, 8% CBS Rostership), Thomas Saggesse (2B/3B/SS, STL, 5% CBS Rostership)

OUTFIELDERS

10/12 Team Adds

Daylen Lile (WSN, 32% CBS Rostership) – Yet another rookie, as the fresh bats hitting our fantasy player pool have been surprisingly solid considering that the general consensus is we are in a prospect lull right now. It’s not like Lile came out of complete obscurity considering that he was a second-round pick for the Nats in 2021, but I don’t think anyone foresaw him becoming a crucial part of the Washington lineup and batting cleanup. The D.C. outfielder has been scorching hot since the All-Star break, mashing to the tune of a .319/.370/.533 (148 wRC+) slash line with four homers, nine doubles, nine triples (!), and five steals over 50 games.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER: Austin Hays (CIN, 47% CBS Rostership), Colton Cowser (BAL, 41% CBS Rostership), Harrison Bader (PHI, 40% CBS Rostership), Mike Yastrzemski (KCR, 37% CBS Rostership), Dylan Beavers (BAL, 31% CBS Rostership), Jake Meyers (HOU, 22% CBS Rostership), Jake Mangum (TBR, 20% CBS Rostership)

15 Team Adds

Austin Martin (MIN, 5% CBS Rostership) – Unfortunately, Martin exhausted his rookie eligibility in 2024, ending our run of all rookies. But the former number five overall pick is finally flashing the skills that made him such a hot draft commodity, slashing .327/.431/.418 (145 wRC+) in 16 games this month while moving his way up to the two spot in the order. The power will be lacking for Martin, who hit only 16 homers in his minor-league career, but the batting average, speed, and volume will all be there for the final week as the Twins have no reason to remove him from the top-of-the-order.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER: Wenceel Perez (DET, 17% CBS Rostership), Brandon Marsh (PHI, 17% CBS Rostership), Nathan Lukes (TOR, 8% CBS Rostership), Dominic Canzone (SEA, 6% CBS Rostership), Alek Thomas (ARI, 5% CBS Rostership), Zach Cole (HOU, 5% CBS Rostership), Heriberto Hernandez (MIA, 4% CBS Rostership), Troy Johnston (1B/OF, MIA, 1% CBS Rostership), Alejandro Osuna (TEX, 1% CBS Rostership)

STARTING PITCHERS

10/12 Team Adds

Trey Yesavage (TOR, 32% CBS Rostership) – Speaking of rookies, the march of the arms making debuts added another cohort this week with Yesavage. The 2024 first-round pick shredded the Rays in his first appearance, generating an off-the-charts 46.4% CSW (called and swinging strike rate), to punch out nine and set a new Toronto record for a pitcher debut. We covered Tyler Wells’ great release point last week (which paid off handsomely once again), and Yesavage’s is even higher. I’m not sure the release point will always lead to success here as the league adjusts, but there’s no time for adjustment this late in September. If needing help in pitching rates and Ks, Yesavage should get two more starts this season, tomorrow at Kansas City and next weekend against Tampa Bay.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER: Jonah Tong (NYM, 50% CBS Rostership), Connelly Early (BOS, 49% CBS Rostership), Tyler Mahle (TEX, 48% CBS Rostership), Ian Seymour (TBR, 43% CBS Rostership), Slade Cecconi (CLE, 42% CBS Rostership), Colin Rea (CHC, 42% CBS Rostership), Brandon Sproat (NYM, 37% CBS Rostership), Michael McGreevy (STL, 29% CBS Rostership), Joey Cantillo (CLE, 29% CBS Rostership), Ryan Weathers (MIA, 27% CBS Rostership)

15 Team Adds

Tyler Wells (BAL, 17% CBS Rostership) – Another win for Wells this past week with a six-inning, one-run outing against the White Sox, and he’s now pumped out a 2.04 ERA, 0.62 WHIP and 20.6% K-BB in 17.2 innings. Wells isn’t an ace, but this run is impossible to ignore, and he’s going to be a heavy draft target for me in 2026. I guess I’m the Tyler Wells guy now.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER: Joey Wentz (ATL, 18% CBS Rostership), Yoendrys Gomez (CHW, 9% CBS Rostership), Andrew Alvarez (WSN, 6% CBS Rostership), Kai-Wei Teng (SFG, 2% CBS Rostership)

RELIEVERS

10/12 Team Adds

Shawn Armstrong (TEX, 31% CBS Rostership) – Armstrong, an Immaculate Grid cheat code with eight teams played for in his 11-year career, continues chugging along in his 2025 renaissance. The 35-year-old has been stingy since the All-Star break, firing a 0.99 ERA, 0.66 WHIP and 24.8% K-BB across 27.1 frames while notching six saves and four holds. The most moolah Armstrong has made in a season is $2.05 million with Tampa in 2024, so he’s going to easily eclipse that total when reaches the free-agent market this offseason.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER: Jose Ferrer (WSN, 40% CBS Rostership), JoJo Romero (STL, 37% CBS Rostership), Andrew Kittredge (CHC, 25% CBS Rostership), Calvin Faucher (MIA, 24% CBS Rostership)

15 Team Adds

Brad Keller (CHC, 19% CBS Rostership) – STOP TOYING WITH US, CRAIG COUNSELL!! First it looked like Keller would be the option for saves after Daniel Palencia went down, thanks to the former Royal’s 2.16 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 9.6 K/9 over 66.2 total innings. Then Andrew Kittredge rattled off three straight saves. Now Keller has picked up the two latest Cubs saves. We all know that Craig Counsell is an untrustworthy person, so who knows where this leads. All I know is that Keller has been really good and should be of great use for any fantasy squad out there during the season’s last week.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER: Victor Vodnik (COL, 15% CBS Rostership), Jordan Leasure (CHW, 13% CBS Rostership), Hunter Gaddis (CLE, 13% CBS Rostership), Keegan Akin (BAL, 12% CBS Rostership), Andrew Saalfrank (ARI, 9% CBS Rostership), Riley O’Brien (STL, 7% CBS Rostership), Sean Newcomb (ATH, 3% CBS Rostership), Hogan Harris (ATH, 2% CBS Rostership), Jake Woodford (ARI, 1% CBS Rostership), Kody Funderburk (MIN, 0% CBS Rostership)