Here we are again with our summary of the top free agent bids in each of the five Tout Wars leagues, with links to the detailed bidding action following our 8 p.m. ET deadline each Sunday evening. All prices are on a $1000 base.
After you review the detail below, please join our live chat, starting at 9 p.m. ET Sunday evening, to discuss these results with Todd Zola of Mastersball and other Touts.
American League
In the AL, it was a week of quantity and quality bidding (as measured by large bids). 25 players were rostered, led by a pair drawing offers over $100.
Former Milwaukee prospect and more recently failed Met Keon Broxton fetched a winning bid of $152 from Larry Schechter. The outfielder joined the Orioles this week and already hit a mammoth long ball for the worst team in the AL.
Middle infielder Lourdes Gurriel is back with the Jays and Mike Gianella of Baseball Prospectus got his man for $131. The Cuban’s 4-for-4 Sunday return for a Toronto team going nowhere had to increase interest.
National League
21 players joined NL Tout rosters this week.
Slugger Kevin Cron has joined Arizona, but playing time would seem to depend on Christian Walker’s performance. Andy Behrens of Yahoo did not wait, making a winning bid of $161.
Despite a crowded Padres outfield, prospect Josh Naylor was called up for interleague play and the 21-year old has performed well in early duty. Tristan H. Cockcroft of ESPN was all-in – or more appropriately in for $87.
With Colorado closer Wade Davis out with an oblique injury, Scott Oberg has been anointed as the Rockies’ interim closer. Scott Wilderman of onRoto spent $78.
I took a $32 flyer on a first-time MLB starter. St. Louis is bringing up lefty Genesis Cabrera to take a tough assignment in Philly on Wednesday. The 23-year old with the 98 mph fastball is the best prospect from the Tommy Pham trade with the Rays and takes Michael Wacha’s rotation spot.
Mixed Auction
25 was also the quantity of players who fetched winning bids this week in Mixed Auction, however, a trio of players were acquired for triple digits.
Leading the way is Derek Dietrich of the Reds, going to Derek Van Riper of RotoWire for $127. It is amazing that not only did the Marlins not ask the utilityman back for 2019, but that he had to settle for a minor league deal. With 13 long balls in 48 games, Dietrich is just three short of his career high.
Craig Biggio’s son Cavan was called up by Toronto and hit his first MLB home run on Sunday. Though not a national top 100 prospect, Biggio should play, as it is clear that his club isn’t going to win the powerhouse AL East. His new owner is Scott Engel ($125). Engel had a busy Sunday, also acquiring Cron for $111.
Review all 5/26 Mixed Auction bids here.
Mixed Draft
23 free agents were added via FAAB in Mixed Draft this week.
The top price in the league was the $251 Tim McCullough spent on Cron. That topped the Angels first baseman’s next-best offer of $181.
Biggio joined the roster of D.J. Short for an even $150. The same owner who just missed out on Cron, Greg Ambrosius of the NFBC, again came in second at $121.
Seth Trachtman picked up Oberg for $50 and new Pirates starter Mitch Keller for $45.
Review all 5/26 Mixed Draft bids here.
Head to Head
In the lowest level of action, just 14 free agents were picked up this week in the Tout Head-to-Head league.
Even so, the top dollar amount across all five leagues is the $290 Joe Pisapia spent on Biggio. He also dropped $220 on Cron, spending more than half of his full-year $1000 budget here on Memorial Day weekend. Perhaps Joe took stock of his team and decided to go big on offense. Of note, in two of the three leagues in which both were eligible, Biggio went for more money than Cron. Mixed Draft is the exception.
Ian Kahn added Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber for $74.