Mound Musings: See You in September

Hopefully, you're heading into the fantasy season's final month with your sights set on a league title. This is a tricky time because some teams will back off on the innings pitched for key arms they want fresh for the playoffs, while other teams, especially those out of the playoff picture will want to see what they have coming into next season. These guys are a mix of arms who could help now, or they might be deserving of your attention next spring. Let's briefly see who might be worth a look during the season's final month:

Shohei Ohtani (Angels) – He hasn't really been missing. He has served regularly as the Angels' designated hitter since being shut down from mound work in June, but pitching junkies want to know when he'll be back in the Angels' rotation. I'm going to spend a little extra time on this one, because he's a potential impact pitcher, even over the relatively short time remaining this season.

Ohtani is a top tier pitcher when healthy, and as much as the team likes his production capabilities in the batting order, they want him on the mound. The big question will be whether they want to risk any further damage to his elbow with nothing to play for this season. He's throwing off a mound, and things are reportedly going well, but it will take time to build his arm strength up to allow him to pitch deep into games. If that happens, he could provide a huge boost to fantasy teams chasing a title, however I have my doubts. The Angels have to ask whether it's worth the risk. So, what about another role – perhaps for September and going forward? Maybe the Halos would consider a key relief role. Pure speculation, but here's a wild idea. Let Ohtani play the outfield; he certainly has the ability to do that. His bat plays full time. The ninth inning rolls around, and the Angels hold a two-run lead. Double switch. A position player takes Ohtani's spot in the outfield, and he takes the mound to close things out. I like it. But, I like him in the rotation more if his arm can hold up. In a keeper/dynasty, he's pure gold.

Chris Sale (Red Sox) – Sale has a (reportedly) minor shoulder injury, and with the Red Sox pretty much on autopilot heading for the playoffs, they are understandably taking things slow with his rehab. That said, he is their ace. He might be the best one-game starting pitcher in the sport. The Sox will need him in the postseason, and they will need him in midseason form. My guess is he will return around mid-September, which will give him a handful of starts to get back in stride. They are unlikely to let his pitch counts soar, but he'll still give you quality innings, plenty of strikeouts and probably a couple of wins. I do, however, question whether he will be allowed to go deep enough into those games to qualify for a quality start unless he's being exceptionally efficient.

Michael Wacha (Cardinals) – Wacha's September outlook is a little cloudy, and it got fuzzier when he departed a rehab start in the second inning this past Tuesday due to "fatigue." The Cardinals continue to lurk in the playoff picture, and as long as that is the case, they work on getting Wacha back on the mound. If they fall out of contention, his return is less critical. Keep in mind, the clock is ticking. He will need time to build up arm strength, and stamina, to function effectively as a starter. Fatigue is pretty vague, but if Wacha is on your roster in a disabled list spot, I think he needs to be kept until his September status is clarified. He's too valuable to cut if there is a chance.

Julio Urias (Dodgers) – This is probably more of a scouting assignment for next spring than a contribution evaluation for this September. Just a couple years ago, Urias was right at the top of the blue chip prospect list. Injuries, particularly a shoulder ailment, have sidetracked his progress, but we need to see where he is. The Dodgers are saying he will pitch with the big team next month, albeit out of the bullpen. He's unlikely to pitch all that much in high-leverage situations, and some rust is to be expected, so his command might not be all the way back, but if the shoulder woes are behind him, his future is in the rotation, and he could be something of a bargain on draft day 2019.

Mitch Keller (Pirates) – September used to be a great month for scouting because teams often brought their top kids up for a look when rosters expanded. That's not so much the case these days, as the horrendous shortage of quality arms forces teams to give their prospects a shot earlier than they would otherwise. Keller is a bit of an exception because he's realistically not quite ready. He has a very lively fastball, but his secondary pitches are still a work in progress. He has struggled since being promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis in late June, but the Pirates aren't going anywhere this year so I'm hoping they give him a taste. He could actually fare well if not overexposed.

Lance McCullers (Astros) – McCullers has been out with a forearm strain since early August, and the Astros announced he would work out of the pen upon his return, presumably in mid-September. It made sense. He would probably not be part of their playoff rotation. However, with Charlie Morton just being put on the disabled list, that plan could change. It will depend on whether McCullers can be stretched back out enough to function as a starter and how long Morton is expected to be on the shelf. This is a situation that should be monitored as both pitchers work their way back. If he comes back in the rotation, McCullers could help teams.

Touki Toussaint (Braves) – This spot on the list originally belonged to Mike Soroka, even though I had doubts that the pitching-rich Braves would push him to return after missing most of the season with a shoulder strain. The team made it official Wednesday. He won't be back with Atlanta this year. That provides an opportunity to talk a little about Toussaint, who isn't too far behind Soroka on the food chain. Toussaint has already had a look in a very successful six-inning start against Miami a couple weeks ago. He has a big arm with a very lively mid-90s fastball and improving secondary stuff. He could theoretically get a spot start or two during September, and he has the ability to retire hitters if he gets ahead in counts and throws strikes.

Some Notable Rotation Ramblings:

• If you've ever wondered just how much impact command can have on a pitcher's long term performance, spend some time watching the Mets' Jacob deGrom. He has very good stuff, but others have better. He is working on a 1.68 ERA in a time when offense is everything, and it's because he always hits his spots.

• A pitcher I have tracked since he was in college is now rehabbing after shoulder surgery. The Angels' Alex Meyer, experienced a little setback recently, and while we won't see him this year, I'm hoping this is just a bump in the road and he'll be ready to go next year. If he could just stay healthy, he'd be a good one.

• The Rockies are in the hunt in the NL West because they have been able to find pitchers capable of keeping them in games, even in Coors Field. At the top of that list is southpaw Kyle Freeland, who does it with finesse and focus. He's much better on the road, but he's at least reasonably effective at home.

• Boston's Nathan Eovaldi got off to a blazing start after coming over from Tampa Bay, but he's fallen on hard times lately. He has struggled in the past with locking in his release point and commanding his secondary pitches. He just received a little coaching from Pedro Martinez. I'm betting that advice makes a difference.

• Quick. Who's been arguably the best starting pitcher in the National League over the past month? If you answered the Cubs' Cole Hamels who has allowed just three earned runs over 39 innings since coming over from Texas at the trade deadline, it would be hard to argue. Love those changes in latitudes.

• The Twins Michael Pineda was originally on the September list above, but it was just announced he will be out until next year with a torn meniscus. He was close to returning from Tommy John surgery before the knee injury. He impressed me before all the injuries started piling up. We'll check in on him next spring.