You won’t see a burning question below on Joey Votto, but his retirement has to be mentioned. Last week, Votto announced on his Instagram that he was retiring. There has been a lot of debate about whether or not Votto is a Hall of Famer. While he did not reach the typical thresholds that we expect from Hall of Famers, he also led the league in on-base percentage in eight separate seasons. His career ends with a triple-slash line of 294/409/511 which is more than enough for me to think he is a Hall of Famer.

As we reach the end of the season, some players are surging and some are sinking. There are questions on those situations, bullpen situations, and Triple-A recalls that we address in this week’s 10 Burning Questions.

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Fantasy Baseball 10 Burning Questions

How concerned should we be with Adley Rutschman?

If you start at the beginning of July, Adley Rutschman is only batting .190. That’s not what we’ve come to expect from a unanimous top-three option at the position. Should we be worried though?

The surface numbers are discouraging, but it’s been a sustained period of poor luck more than anything. During that period, Rutschman has only struck out 18 times in 163 plate appearances. That’s still just an 11% rate. What has made it seem so much worse is the abysmally low 194 BABIP. When everything corrects, Rutschman should return to his typical position near the top of the catcher pool.

Can Spencer Schwellenbach be an ace?

Spencer Schwellenbach’s season-long ERA doesn’t scream ace as it sits at 3.94. However, it’s his WHIP at 1.03 that shows how good he has been at keeping runners off base.

If you drop the qualifications to 80 innings, Schwellenbach is in the top 12 in strikeout %, walk %, and strikeout-walk %. The only other starting pitcher who is top 12 in all three categories is the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Jack Flaherty. One thing to watch with Schwellenbach is a possible innings limit. He is already at 127 innings, which is substantially more than he has ever pitched. As long as he continues pitching, you should continue putting him in your lineup.

What changed with Yu Darvish‘s status?

You may not have noticed it, but something has changed with Yu Darvish’s status. It’s not that he is back to pitching yet, but he is back with the San Diego Padres, which makes him easier to stash in fantasy leagues.

It was nearly two months ago that Darvish was activated from the injured list, but it wasn’t because he was healthy. Instead, he was moved from the injured list to the restricted list. In many fantasy leagues, he became impossible to stash in an injured spot and needed to be stored on the bench. However, he is now back on the injured list so he can be stashed easier. He also threw a bullpen session on Friday, indicating that he should be back before the end of the season.

Is Spencer Torkelson worth a look in his return?

The answer to this question really depends on who you’re playing at first base now. While Torkelson has performed better after his recall, it’s still likely that you have a better option at first base.

Torkelson has played in eight games since his return. He has five runs, one home run, and three RBI and he is batting .290. It’s an extremely small sample size, but that’s encouraging production from someone who disappointed earlier in the season. If you play in a league that utilizes a corner infield position, Torkelson should be on someone’s roster. However, it doesn’t mean that it has to be on your roster.

Who is closing games for Tampa Bay?

After being on an impressive run, Pete Fairbanks had back-to-back bad outings; a few days later, he was placed on the injured list. With Jason Adam traded at the midseason, we are left to speculate on who the closer will be for the Rays.

It isn’t that the Rays don’t have good options. Edwin Uceta bounced around MLB the past few seasons before finding a home in Tampa Bay and he is one of only two pitchers with 30 innings pitched to have an ERA under one along with Emmanuel Clase. Manuel Rodriguez, Richard Lovelady, and Garrett Cleavinger also recently earned saves for the Rays. Uceta has the most tantalizing skillset, making him the one to roster in fantasy baseball, but don’t be surprised when the Rays mix and match their bullpen.

Is Bryson Stott droppable?

It’s been a strange season for Bryson Stott. His counting stats sit at 56 runs, nine home runs, 47 RBI, and 25 stolen bases. That’s not all that different from the pace he was on last season, but it comes with a much worse batting average.

Last season, Stott batted 280; this season, he is at 243. He also is now a platoon bat as he is consistently sitting against left-handed starting pitchers for Edmundo Sosa. It’s not that he has struggled in his career against left-handed pitching, as he has a career average of 263 against them. If you need speed, continue to start Stott and he’ll continue to steal bases. Otherwise, he has provided only four home runs and 17 RBI since the start of June. That’s replaceable.

What is fueling Osvaldo Bido‘s success?

Osvaldo Bido has been on a roll in August, with four quality starts this month. Over his last 23 innings, he has only allowed three earned runs. It’s a big change from a pitcher who had an ERA of 5.86 last season with Pittsburgh.

Hit prevention is what is fueling Bido’s success. Since August began, he has only allowed 11 hits. He has also walked nine batters, which is quite high for someone who has kept runs off the board at this level. There is some luck involved, and he’s been keeping hitters off base with a 204 BABIP during his hot stretch, but he is also a flyball pitcher which typically means a lower BABIP anyway. Bido will regress to the norm at some point, but he is pitching well right now.

What is fueling Bowden Francis‘s success?

Bowden Francis is among the few pitchers who have been more impressive than Osvaldo Bido. He was inserted into the Blue Jays’ rotation on August 7 and since then, he has a 1.33 ERA and flirted with a no-hitter over the weekend.

Some of his ERA success is boosted by luck with a BABIP under 100 since moving into the rotation. However, there are also some very intriguing skills that he is showing. Let’s start with the 34 strikeouts to only four walks. There is no better recipe for pitching success than getting strikeouts and limiting walks. He is throwing strikes at a 72% clip during his hot stretch, which is well above the league average. Francis’s breakout looks more realistic to last than Bido’s.

How will the Cardinals replace Willson Contreras?

Willson Contreras is heading to the injured list for the second time this season with a bone fracture. Earlier in the year, he broke his forearm with an errant swing from J.D. Martinez and this time it was an errant pitch broke his finger.

Considering what little time is left in the fantasy baseball season, you can move on from Contreras. We have an idea of what the Cardinals’ plan will be since we’ve already seen the Cardinals without Contreras. The team recalled Ivan Herrera from the minor leagues and will mix and match with him and Pedro Pages. Herrera has a more fantasy-friendly skillset if he were to get more playing time.

Is Jake Burger going to deliver the season we all initially expected?

A lot has happened since the fantasy baseball draft season. But if you can remember back that far, you’ll remember that Jake Burger was a popular mid-round selection for his power potential. It took half a season, but Burger is finally delivering on that promise.

At the All-Star break, Burger had hit 10 home runs, drove in 35 runs, and had a 225 batting average. Fantasy managers who had expected more had begun to move on. However, those who held tight have been rewarded with a scorching second half. In only 34 games, Burger has hit 15 home runs this half with a 292 batting average. Unfortunately, he only has 22 RBI to go with his 15 home runs, but the only batter with more home runs this half is Aaron Judge.

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