10 Burning Questions (2025 Fantasy Baseball)

Fantasy baseball is all about the long game. Players you drafted early who struggle are not suddenly untalented bums who should be dropped to the waiver wire at a moment’s notice.

There is a method to the madness of this game and baseball as a whole. Slumps happen, and when a talented player gets out of one, they typically do so in a glorious manner.

We have to be patient unless something substantive, like injury or age concerns, becomes evident. Without either of the two, we are merely two months into a grueling, 162-game season, which can only be conquered through a diligent process.

Fantasy baseball is all about the long game. Players you drafted early who struggle are not suddenly untalented bums who should be dropped to the waiver wire at a moment’s notice.

There is a method to the madness of this game and baseball as a whole. Slumps happen, and when a talented player gets out of one, they typically do so in a glorious manner.

Fantasy Baseball 10 Burning Questions

This week’s ’10 Burning Questions’ are below. For any questions or concerns, contact me on Twitter/X (@RotoSurgeon).

1. Is Brandon Walter for real?

The Astros may have done it again. Brandon Walter is having a very solid season thus far and should be picked up where you can get him. The 28-year-old lefty starting pitcher has a 3.98 ERA and 1.01 WHIP through seven starts this season, but if we look under the hood, his numbers are even better.

Walter’s SIERA is 2.97, his xERA is 2.90 and his xFIP is 2.91. He is generating strikeouts at a 24.2% rate while walking just two batters in 40.2 innings. Walter’s only flaw is home runs. When he doesn’t allow them, he is inducing hard contact and keeping runners off the base paths. This type of profile is dangerous, especially as a lefty in his home park, but it is difficult to find potential stud starting pitchers off the waiver wire midseason. He could be one of them.

2. When will Cole Ragans return? Is he worth holding until then?

Kansas City Royals ace Cole Ragans is recovering from a rotator cuff strain but has resumed throwing recently. The left-handed starting pitcher is not eligible to return until August 7th, yet Kansas City does not expect him back until after that date. The Royals are below .500 after 84 games and feel no need to rush their star starting pitcher back from a significant injury to his pitching shoulder.

If they continue to skid, there is a possibility that his return is pushed further. If Ragans is taking up an injured list (IL) spot, there is no risk in holding him until he returns, but if you have no IL slots or multiple injured players, he can be cut. The likeliest scenario is that Ragans will be slow-played upon return and on a pitch count to preserve his arm. If he returns and looks good, there will be a great opportunity to buy in 2026, given how unlucky he was to start the season.

3. Is Andrew Vaughn back?

The Chicago White Sox did Andrew Vaughn no favors. The lineup they have trotted out in Chicago since their recent window of “contention” is egregious. Vaughn did not help his cause with a massive decline in performance since his first three seasons, but we can forgive a player stuck batting within the MLB’s worst offense.

Andrew Vaughn is now in Milwaukee and continues to show promise. He posted a quality 121 wRC+ in their Triple-A affiliate through 16 games and has a home run with five RBI after three games. Their home park is one of the league’s most pitcher-friendly, yet the Brewers’ offense ranks as league average by metrics like wOBA and wRC+. With Rhys Hoskins likely out for over a month, Vaughn should be picked up in all deeper formats. He can be considered in 12-team leagues if your offense needs a boost.

4. Who should we buy low?

Adolis Garcia appears ready for a strong second half. He has a modest 10 home runs and a .229 batting average halfway through the season, but his peripheral stats are strong. Garcia’s average exit velocity is the highest of his career, while his strikeout rate is the lowest. He is hitting the ball extremely well over the past 50 plate appearances, yet underperforming both his expected batting average and slugging percentage.

5. Who should we sell high?

Shota Imanaga is not the most valuable pitcher out there, but he is a quality “name” after his rookie season and posting a 2.80 ERA this season. Imanaga recently returned from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for seven weeks.

Imanaga’s performance in this span is on par with his season to date, but still lacking in strikeouts. His SIERA and xFIP are both above 4.85, which is very bad (league average closer to 4.00 yearly). With an uptick in walks and a decrease in strikeouts, Imanaga will struggle to continue his quality season into the second half.

6. Who can we drop?

Marcell Ozuna is bordering on a drop in shallower formats. The designated hitter-only batter is struggling in recent weeks. This could be linked to the hip injury he suffered in mid-April. Ozuna underwent an MRI that only showed inflammation at the time, but in early June, it was revealed this injury would linger and potentially require surgery. The team and Ozuna decided he is capable of playing through it, which is likely impacting his performance of late.

Ozuna is slashing .177/.268/.290 since June 1st with three home runs and five doubles in 143 plate appearances. He hit a home run this week, but it came in the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. Ozuna should be universally dropped if he returns from the All-Star break and continues slumping.

7. Who should we stash?

Bubba Chandler is regaining his groove. The Pirates’ top pitching prospect dealt with a few rocky starts midseason but has been much better of late. Chandler has 13 strikeouts, zero earned runs allowed and just four walks in 12 innings across his past two starts.

Chandler’s overall line in Triple-A looks great this season as well. His 2.82 ERA is backed by a 3.24 FIP with a solid 18% K-BB rate through 18 starts. The 22-year-old starting pitcher looks like a future stud and should be up shortly after the break if he continues dominating.

8. Where did the Dodgers’ offense go?

The Dodgers are struggling to hit, and it is a result of multiple factors:

Mookie Betts is the most notable, but we can somewhat forgive him due to his stomach issues resulting from the Dodgers’ trip to Japan. Betts lost significant weight after becoming ill and did not play in that series against the Padres. This sort of rapid weight loss is not easy to recover from with a full baseball season around the corner.
Freddie Freeman has a 50 wRC+ since June 1st, but this is likely due to an injury as well. On June 11th, the Dodgers announced Freeman has been managing a quad injury that was not severe enough for the IL.
Teoscar Hernandez looks more like the 2023 version of himself than the 2024 version. Unfortunately, he has been struggling since a groin injury popped up in early May. Hernandez is slashing .207/.259/353 with a 70 wRC+ since returning from the IL.
Even Shohei Ohtani is not himself. He began pitching again in mid-June, and since then, his OPS is a more human .851. Ohtani still has his power, yet his average since his first start on June 16th is .213.

Overall, the Dodgers need this upcoming break to rest and regroup. There is too much talent offensively to fail all season, and they have the upcoming trade deadline to add reinforcements.

9. How long should we hold Dylan Cease?

Dylan Cease will be fine. Yes, he has been atrocious of late, and managing him in fantasy is a pain, but the underlying numbers are all good. His 4.88 ERA is likely a result of bad luck. Cease’s 3.41 SIERA, 3.43 xFIP and 3.62 xERA all suggest incoming regression.

Unless there is a report of an injury, Cease should be started weekly and trusted for the rest of this season. Trade for him if possible.

10. Who is the Diamondbacks’ closer?

A.J. Puk? Hurt.

Justin Martinez? Hurt.

Shelby Miller? Hurt.

Every closer option for the Diamondbacks to begin this season is either out for the season or set to miss significant time. Shelby Miller is the most recent victim of this curse and will be shelved for the foreseeable future due to a forearm strain.

Kevin Ginkel appears to be the next heir to this role and just secured his second save of the season on Monday. Typically, an 8.57 ERA would not be fit for a ninth-inning role, but Arizona is desperate for a closer, and Ginkel has some history as a trusted relief option.

Ginkel has a 2.00 ERA since June 20th with a fantastic 2.96 xFIP. He appears to have turned a corner and could have a stranglehold on the closer role moving forward. Pick him up if needed.