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Hitter Profile/Projection
| Shohei Ohtani | LA - DH | ||||||||||||
| Bats: L | Age: 30 | Mixed 5x5: $3 | NL 5x5: $6 | |||||||||||
| 2024: - | Mixed 2026: $9 | 2027: $7 | ||||||||||||
| Outlook: Ohtani put together a historic season last year on the way to his third unanimous MVP award in four years. Putting pitching aside for the year, Ohtani improved his strikeout rate for the third straight season and hit the ball harder than ever, trailing only Aaron Judge in hard-hit and barrel rates. It led to the first-ever 50/50 season with 54 homers and 59 steals while posting a 1.036 OPS. The 30-year-old star is set to return to the mound in 2025. However, the timeline remains in question after Ohtani underwent shoulder surgery (non-throwing) to repair a torn labrum he suffered during Game 2 of the World Series. These factors bring on two questions regarding his outlook at the plate. Can he surpass 700 plate appearances again, and how much will he run on the bases? Still, he’s well worth the first or second overall pick in all fantasy formats, even with some expected and logical pullback in the steals department. | |||||||||||||
Spencer Strider, Cristopher Sánchez, and Christian Yelich are on the rise while Thairo Estrada’s injury takes him off the board.
Pitcher Profile/Projection
| Shohei Ohtani | LAD - SP | ||||||||||||
| Throws: R | Age: 30 | Mixed 5x5: $3 | AL 5x5: $6 | |||||||||||
| 2024: Started: - Relieved: - | Mixed 2026: $9 | 2027: $7 | ||||||||||||
| Outlook: When he wasn’t going 50-50 at the plate and on the basepaths last season, Ohtani was rehabbing from elbow surgery in anticipation of getting back on the mound this year. The three-time MVP had his first Tommy John surgery in 2019 and needed another procedure in Sept. 2023, though what exactly took place during that subsequent surgery wasn’t revealed. There was some talk of Ohtani returning as a reliever last October, but that was never in the cards. He figured to be full go as a pitcher this spring, but surgery for the left (non-throwing) shoulder he injured during the World Series will push that back now. The Dodgers are probably pleased to have such an excuse anyway. Ohtani should join a six-man rotation at some point during May. If he remains healthy from there, something like 110-130 innings seems realistic. With a 3.01 ERA and a 31% strikeout rate in his last three healthy seasons, he’s been an ace while on the mound. Still, he might be a little rusty, and the Dodgers will be especially careful with him. In leagues that count him as two separate players, he should be something like the 50th SP off the board. | |||||||||||||
