Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Mookie Betts got off to a torrid start in 2024 before a hand injury took out a chunk of his season and left him with only 116 games played. As hand injuries are wont to do, it sapped a bit of his power (19 HR), but he still reached 75 runs and RBIs while stealing 16 bases, his highest total since 2019. Betts's Statcast profile is one of a player who is simply really good at hitting baseballs. He is in the 90th percentile or higher in xwOBA, xBA, squared-up percentage, chase rate, whiff rate, strikeout percentage, and walk percentage. His 11% strikeout rate stands out in particular. Betts will have shortstop and outfield eligibility in all leagues and, depending on the format, may carry 2B as well. One of the most solid draft strategies in 2024 was "just draft all the Dodgers," and 2025 doesn't look much different. Betts is the table setter and a star in all fantasy formats.

Teoscar Hernández capitalized on his contract year with an impressive season. The 32-year-old joined the Dodgers and filled their need for a right-handed power bat to complement the top of their lineup. He delivered 33 home runs, 99 RBIs, 84 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases while slashing .272/.339/.501. Hernández continued to dominate left-handed pitching, hitting .290 against southpaws. However, his strikeout rate remained elevated at 28.8%, though his power mitigates some of the downside. Now that he is returning to L.A. to continue batting in the middle of the best order in baseball, Hernandez offers a solid return as an OF2/OF3 in fantasy.