Just like that, we’re past the All-Star game and a little over a week away from the trade deadline. Trades can drastically change player values, especially relief pitchers who go from closing to setup options. Also, when a trade happens look at who fills the vacated position from the first team. That can be a fruitful way to find at-bats for the deepest leagues.

We didn’t have any major trades this week with the All-Star game festivities dominating the week. With most teams only playing three games, we still saw our fair share of injuries, but we also have new players who may be breaking out late. Injury questions, breakout questions, and more are answered in this week’s edition of the 10 Burning Questions.

• Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
• Fantasy Baseball Trade Advice
• Fantasy Baseball Start/Sit Lineup Advice
• Rest-of-Season Rankings

Fantasy Baseball 10 Burning Questions

What can we expect from Jacob Wilson?

Jacob Wilson was selected by the Oakland Athletics at pick six last year. The pick was considered safe but unexciting compared to the selections above him. Yet, he has already made his major league debut after a tremendous minor league season.

Wilson had seven home runs and two stolen bases in the minors this season. That does seem unexciting, but then you see the .438 batting average and the excitement swells. He had struck out 13 times in 200 plate appearances, equating to a 3% rate. He had a 99.1% z-contact percentage which is truly remarkable. Unfortunately, the debut was short-lived. Wilson had a single in his first at-bat but injured his hamstring running the bases. When he’s healthy, he will get every opportunity to play with the Athletics with a similar fantasy skillset to Luis Arraez. It’s unclear how long it will be before we see Wilson again.

Where is Kyle Tucker?

On June 3rd, Kyle Tucker fouled a ball off of his shin. At the time, it was considered not serious and there was a chance that he wouldn’t even go on the injured list. Considering he hasn’t played in a game since then, that didn’t happen.

We did receive an update, but it wasn’t encouraging. While Tucker is back doing some on-field drills, he is not yet running. That leaves us with no clear timeline for ramping up the activity and eventually returning. He will need to go on a rehab assignment since he missed over a month of action. Hopefully, he is back sooner rather than later, but that seems unlikely to be in July.

Who replaces Bo Bichette?

The only way to lead the league in hits in back-to-back seasons is to accumulate a lot of plate appearances. Bo Bichette has had over 600 plate appearances in each of the last three seasons. A calf injury will stop that streak.

On Friday, Bichette exited his game early. He was later diagnosed with a moderate calf strain that will keep him out for multiple weeks. It’s been a disappointing season for Bichette. He is batting only .223. Some of it is being unlucky as he has a .266 BABIP; considerably lower than his .338 career BABIP. That’s strange because he also has the highest line drive % of his career at 31.4%. He is only barreling the ball at 4.5%, which is half what we’re used to seeing from him. In his absence, the Blue Jays will turn to a combination of Addison Barger and Leo Jimenez. Neither are fantasy options at this point.

What about Carlos Correa?

Over the weekend, we lost another shortstop to injury. Carlos Correa was placed on the injured list retroactive to July 16 with plantar fasciitis; the same injury ended his season early last year.

Correa was seen in a walking boot, but this case of plantar fasciitis doesn’t sound as serious, so we may see him before August. The team recalled Edouard Julien to fill his absence and Julien has played second base in both games since he has been back. Utility option Willi Castro has filled Correa’s shortstop position and he has been sensational this season. Castro should be in fantasy lineups especially since it seems that he has taken over the leadoff spot.

Is Johnny Cueto going to be a fantasy option?

Johnny Cueto was one of the best pitchers for fantasy baseball a decade ago. However, two seasons ago, he had a 3.35 ERA over 158 innings with the White Sox. On Saturday, he agreed to a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

This is where his name value will carry more than his actual value. Cueto struggled mightily with the home run ball last season in his 52 innings with the Marlins. He surrendered 17 long balls in 52 innings, the highest rate of any pitcher with at least 50 innings. Considering that his strikeout rate has been below average for nearly a decade, that’s a recipe for disaster. Plus, there is a solid likelihood he won’t make it to the major leagues with the Angels.

Is Luis Ortiz worth a pickup?

Luis Ortiz transitioned from a bullpen role to a starter at the end of June. Since then, he has made four starts and one relief appearance with a minuscule 1.01 ERA over that timespan.

His 1.01 ERA isn’t all that different from his 1.78 FIP over that same period. He has pitched 26.2 innings since moving into the rotation with 23 strikeouts to only three walks. The walks have held Ortiz back in his Major League career. If he can keep those in check, he is a fantasy option. I took the chance and added him in a few leagues to see if it continues.

Why did the Mariners place Ty France on waivers?

On Sunday evening, the Seattle Mariners surprised everyone by placing their starting first baseman, Ty France, on irrevocable outright waivers. That means that any team can claim him and he joins their team. If no one claims him, he can be sent to the minor leagues if he accepts the assignment.

While it has been a disappointing season for France’s standards, there are still teams that should take a chance on him. When we know where he is playing next, we can analyze that situation. Even if he isn’t claimed by another team, it’s hard to envision a scenario where he plays again with the Mariners. The Mariners have a few options to replace him at first base, including moving Luke Raley from left field to first base or recalling Tyler Locklear. Locklear is likely to get the first opportunity.

How will the Braves replace Ozzie Albies?

What a tough season it has been for the Atlanta Braves with injuries. The list grew longer over the weekend when Ozzie Albies broke his wrist adjusting to an errant throw on a steal attempt. The timeline we were given was eight weeks which makes him droppable if you need the roster spot.

The Braves have two new options to fill Albies’ spot in their infield. One is rookie Ignacio “Nacho” Alvarez Jr. With seven home runs, fourteen stolen bases and a .293 average in the minor leagues this season, you can see the fantasy appeal that he offers. Their other new option is Whit Merrifield. Merrifield was released last week from the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. Merrifield struggled this season with Philadelphia, but he was useful in fantasy for a long time before that. Whichever option the Braves decide to prioritize will be usable in fantasy leagues that include a middle infielder. Nacho Alvarez received the first start on Monday.

Is Kenley Jansen injured?

You may have seen the reports that Kenley Jansen is missing the first series of the week against the Colorado Rockies. That is true, but it’s not due to an injury. Rather, it’s due to a heart condition that affected him at Coors Field before.

Jansen deals with atrial fibrillation which is adversely affected by the elevation. If you’re playing in a weekly league, that limits him to three games. In that case, unless you’re lacking in options, sitting Jansen on your bench is advisable, especially in a points league. If you’re looking to speculate on a Red Sox reliever who could pick up some saves, Cam Booser has pitched best out of their bullpen as he last allowed an earned run on June 2nd.

Has George Springer turned his season around?

George Springer’s season-long production looks far different than the slugger we are accustomed to. Yet, over the last month, he looks like the slugger that we’ve come to know and appreciate for fantasy baseball.

Springer’s season-long average sits at .231. That would be his lowest average since his rookie season a decade ago. His average bottomed out at .188 on June 24th. Some quick math shows that he has raised his batting average by nearly 50 points since then. To do that, he has batted .377 since June 25th. It’s not that he is just hitting singles either. He has eight of his 13 home runs during that span. If an owner isn’t paying attention to his recent production and is instead focused on the season-long statistics, you may be able to still buy low on him.

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