Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani silenced any skeptics questioning his value after he was ruled out as a pitcher for 2024. The 30-year-old phenom delivered an unforgettable season, making a strong case as the top fantasy asset for managers who used him in their UTIL slot. Ohtani introduced the unprecedented 50/50 club, racking up 134 runs scored, 130 RBIs, and an extraordinary slash line of .311/.391/1.039. His .336 ISO and 9.1 WAR further highlighted his dominance. As a key piece of the Dodgers' lineup, he played a pivotal role in their championship run, earning his first World Series title. Expected to resume pitching in 2025, Ohtani offers an added bonus to his already unmatched fantasy value. Drafting him at 1.1 is a no-brainer, as his upside is unparalleled barring any unexpected injury.

Shohei Ohtani’s stolen bases to dip in 2025

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated earlier this spring that Shohei Ohtani won’t see as many plate appearances or stolen bases this season, per team reports.

Fantasy Impact

Roberts expects the NL MVP’s per-plate-appearance brilliance to hold—despite scaling back DH duty for pitching and curbing his 59-steal 2024 pace (vs. 57 over prior three years) to preserve his legs post-shoulder surgery—he’ll DH in Tokyo March 18-19 vs. the Cubs and join the rotation by May. Fantasy managers should tweak his top-tier value; elite production stays, but volume and speed take a hit.