Shohei Ohtani Bats Leadoff For First Time In Career Wednesday
Shohei Ohtani has been shifted to the leadoff spot for the first time in his career ahead of Wednesday’s contest against the Padres and right-hander Dinelson Lamet. Ohtani has been primarily holding down the No. 2 spot in the order, but he’ll slot in ahead of Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon for the time being with David Fletcher (ankle) unavailable. Despite the potential for an increase in DFS usage due to the shift upward on the lineup card, Lamet presents a formidable matchup, while Ohtani has hit just .189 so far in 2020. He will likely slide out of the top spot once Fletcher is cleared to return, which could be as soon as this weekend.
Source: Jeff Fletcher
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Source: Jeff Fletcher
Shohei Ohtani Homers in Third Straight Game
Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Friday's 6-2 loss to the Angels. The reigning NL MVP has now homered in three straight and has five multi-hit efforts in his last seven games. That gives him 16 home runs on the season and pushes the 4x All-Star's season-long slash line to .316/.416/.690 with a .459 wOBA and 197 wRC+, which also puts him at the top of the NL MVP race again. The left-handed slugger ranks behind only Aaron Judge in fantasy scoring so far this season, and although the Dodgers face a lefty on Saturday, Ohtani could be used in DFS as he surprisingly has a better batting average against LHP this season than he does against RHP (.352 vs. .299). This particular lefty, Tyler Anderson, Ohtani is 4-for-7 off of in his career, with three triples and a home run.
Source: ESPN
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Source: ESPN
Shohei Ohtani Smashes Two Homers, Drives In Six
Shohei Ohtani had another huge day at the plate on Thursday, going 2-for-5 with a pair of homers and six RBI in a 19-2 demolition of the Athletics. Ohtani hit a three-run blast in the third and a two-run shot in the fourth, helping to put this game out of reach early. He has been scorching hot at the dish in May, going 19-for-53 with eight homers and 18 RBI. So much for the early-season "slump" he had. Ohtani is now up to a .310 AVG, 48 runs, 15 homers, 28 RBI, and 10 steals on the season. The 15 homers tie him with Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber for the league lead. He is well on his way to a fourth MVP.
Source: MLB.com
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Source: MLB.com
Shohei Ohtani Sets The Tone With Leadoff Homer
Shohei Ohtani got his team off to a strong start against the Athletics by taking the third pitch he saw from rookie Gunnar Hogland into the right field bleachers. He finished the night 2-for-4 with an intentional walk, two runs scored, and an RBI. Ohtani has five home runs in his last nine games and seven in his last 14. He is hitting .307 on the season after hitting .351 over his last nine games with a .541 ISO, a .540 wOBA, and 10 barrels during that nine-game stretch. Ohtani is on pace for 49 homers and 38 stolen bases in an impressive follow-up to his historic 2024. He remains an elite producer in all fantasy formats.
Source: ESPN.com
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Source: ESPN.com
Shohei Ohtani Completes Up-Down Bullpen Session
Shohei Ohtani (elbow) completed his first up-down bullpen session on Saturday. This was a significant step in his recovery process as Ohtani has yet to simulate a break between innings during his previous sessions. The right-hander is working his way back from Tommy John surgery. During the entire 2024 season, Ohtani was only able to see time as a DH, but that did not slow him down as he ran away with the NL MVP Award and established the 50/50 club. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Ohtani's progression as the 30-year-old could be cleared to begin facing live hitters. However, given his slow progress, fantasy managers should not expect him back on the mound for at least a few months. However, while he remains a DH, fantasy managers should continue to view him as a high-end fantasy asset in all formats. Through 38 games this season, Ohtani has held a .305/.410/.649 line with 12 home runs and 10 stolen bases.
Source: MLB.com
Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher Source: MLB.com
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