In the Los Angeles Dodgers' 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs to conclude the two-game Tokyo Series, designated hitter Shohei Ohtani went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and two RBI for his first round-tripper of the 2025 season. The 30-year-old two-way Japanese superstar went 3-for-8 with a double, home run and three runs scored in L.A.'s two-game sweep of the Cubs. After becoming baseball's first-ever player to hit 50-plus home runs and steal 50-plus bases in a single season, Ohtani's home run in Tokyo will be the first of many for the Dodgers and fantasy managers. In addition to his 54 homer and 59 stolen bases in 2024, he had a league-high 130 RBI and 134 runs and also led in on-base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.646) and OPS (1.036) in 159 regular-season games. It's why Ohtani was probably the first player taken in your fantasy draft.

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani was the center of attention throughout this week in Japan, as he and the World Series champion Dodgers opened the season with a two-game series against the Cubs. On Tuesday morning, he delivered a solid performance in his team's 4-1 victory, going two-for-five with a pair of runs scored and a double. He scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning on an error and doubled and scored an insurance run in the ninth inning. While he didn't homer or steal a base, it was still a solid start to the regular season for the reigning MVP, who looks poised to be an absolute fantasy beast again this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) last threw a bullpen session in camp on Feb. 25. He continues to play catch, but manager Dave Roberts said on Thursday that the team is giving Ohtani "a little respite" from ramping up as a pitcher as he ramps up as a hitter for the start of the 2025 regular season this month. The 30-year-old right-hander won't face live hitters before the team leaves for the two-game season-opening series in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18 and 19 against the Chicago Cubs, and it's to be determined on how it will impact his timeline. Ohtani didn't pitch at all in 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and then had surgery last fall on his left (non-throwing) shoulder. The Dodgers aren't rushing him at all to make his 2025 debut on the mound, which isn't expected to come until sometime in May. As a hitter, though, he should be the first player off the board in fantasy drafts.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) will make his Cactus League debut on Friday against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels, according to the Los Angeles Times' Jack Harris. Ohtani, who had surgery in November to fix the labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, will serve as the designated hitter and will be ready to go as a hitter for the March 18 opener in Tokyo, Japan, against the Chicago Cubs. The 30-year-old three-time MVP didn't pitch at all in 2024 in his first year with the Dodgers after having Tommy John surgery, and he's unlikely to make his 2025 debut on the mound until early May. Ohtani's right elbow certainly didn't give him problems at the plate last year, as he clubbed over 50 homers and stole over 50 bases to make major-league history. As a DH, the Japanese sensation will be the first player off the board in most fantasy drafts.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) touched 95 mph during his 25-pitch bullpen session in camp on Saturday while also adding cutters. Roberts said that Ohtani adding cutters was "a big step." The 30-year-old Japanese right-hander didn't pitch at all in his first season with the Dodgers in 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Ohtani is also recovering from surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder and isn't expected to make his pitching debut in 2025 until early May. He will not pitch in any Cactus League games as a precaution in spring training. Ohtani wasn't slowed down at all by his elbow surgery last year as a hitter and won his third MVP award after hitting 50-plus home runs and stealing 50-plus bases. He'll eventually be a high-upside fantasy pitcher, but not before missing at least the first month of the season.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) touched 95 mph during his recent bullpen session on Saturday. He also added his cutter, which was a "big step" for the 30-year-old. His cutter was his third-most used pitch during the 2023 season. Ohtani is slowly ramping up his pitching workload, as he was unable to take the mound at all during the 2024 campaign. Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2023. However, his recovery as a pitcher did not inhibit his performance in the batter's box. Last season, the 30-year-old established the 50/50 club as he held a .310/.390/.646 line. Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that Ohtani is targeting a return to the mound in May. However, fantasy managers should continue to expect him to operate as the team's DH during the campaign's opening month. During the 2023 season, Ohtani held a 3.14 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP with 167 punchouts across 132 innings.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) will face live pitching -- either off a Trajekt machine or a pitcher -- for the first time in camp on Friday. Ohtani didn't pitch at all in his first season in L.A. in 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, and he also had surgery to fix the labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder last November. His elbow injury clearly didn't slow him down at all as a hitter, as he set a new MLB record as the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season. We don't think the 30-year-old three-time MVP will have any trouble coming back from his shoulder injury this year as a hitter. He'll be delayed from making his pitching debut in 2025 until May, but Ohtani will continue to serve as the team's regular DH and leadoff hitter and is the consensus No. 1 overall fantasy pick after his monstrous campaign a year ago.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) has thrown mostly out of the full windup in his first two bullpen sessions this spring after pitching almost exclusively out of the stretch in his time with the Los Angeles Angels. "As part of being a baseball player, I do want to explore different options ...different avenues, to see if I could grow as a player. I do that on the pitching side as well as a hitter," Ohtani said. The 30-year-old three-time MVP plans to continue using the windup once he begins pitching in games to see how his body responds. The change probably won't make much of an impact on Ohtani's fantasy value as he returns to pitching in 2025 after not pitching at all in his first year with the Dodgers while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers are slow-playing him as a pitcher, and he's unlikely to make his pitching debut for the Blue until sometime in May.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will remain in the leadoff spot heading into his second season with the team, according to manager Dave Roberts. Roberts said a lineup that starts with Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman "makes the most sense." Ohtani won his third MVP award and first in the National League in 2024 in his first year with the Dodgers by becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases. The four-time All-Star finished with league-highs in WAR (9.2), plate appearances (731), runs (134), homers (54), RBI (130), on-base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.646), OPS (1.036) and total bases (411) while also helping the Dodgers win the World Series. It's no surprise that he'll be the first player off the board in most fantasy drafts as a hitter in 2025.

The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya reports that Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) threw another bullpen session in camp on Tuesday. It's the second bullpen session at spring training for Ohtani, who also threw a 14-pitch session of two- and four-seam fastballs last Saturday. The 30-year-old Japanese hurler didn't pitch at all in his first year in L.A. after recovering from right-elbow surgery. He also had surgery last fall to fix a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder. Despite his elbow injury, the superstar became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single season in 2024. It's good to see Ohtani throwing again, but he's not expected to pitch in Cactus League games and isn't expected to make his 2025 debut as a pitcher until sometime in May. Ohtani will once again be much more valuable in fantasy as a hitter this year.

According to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter/starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) threw his first bullpen of the spring on Saturday. Ohtani tossed 14 pitches and only threw four- and two-seamers. His velocity reached 92-94 mph. Manager Dave Roberts noted that this was a "great" first bullpen. Ohtani was unable to pitch during the 2024 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September of 2023. However, this did not inhibit his performance in the batter's box, as he established the 50/50 club with a stellar .310/.391/.646 slash line. He generated an elite .442 xwOBA, .314 xBA, and a .660 xSLG. Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that the 30-year-old was hoping to return to the bump sometime in May. During the first month of the season, fantasy managers should expect Ohtani to continue to serve as the designated hitter. He's viewed as the top pick in all formats as a hitter.

Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said on Friday that he expects the team to use a traditional five-man starting rotation until right-hander Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) returns, at which point the Dodgers will move to a six-man rotation. It means that L.A. will roll with an eight-man bullpen for the start of the 2025 season. Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and rookie Roki Sasaki are locked into the top four spots in the Dodgers' rotation, with Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, Bobby Miller, Landon Knack, ... [More]

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts doesn't have a start date yet for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (elbow, shoulder) to starting throwing full bullpen sessions this spring. Roberts says that Ohtani will be pitching "sooner rather than later," but he won't pitch in any Cactus League games. The 30-year-old Japanese hurler is recovering from surgeries on his right elbow and his left (non-throwing) shoulder and isn't expected to join the Dodgers' starting rotation until sometime in May, which obviously makes him much more attractive as a hitter than a pitcher again in 2025. Ohtani didn't pitch at all in 2024 after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in September of 2023. In addition to his elbow surgery, Ohtani tore the labrum in his left shoulder during the World Series, but it shouldn't affect his timetable to return as a pitcher.UPDATE: Ohtani said he's expecting to throw his first bullpen session this weekend. He has been throwing all of his pitches on flat ground and also hit on the field at camp on Wednesday.

According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (shoulder) is targeting to return to the mound in May. When asked about Ohtani's pitching timetable, manager Dave Roberts said that May "sounds about right." Ohtani operated exclusively as a designated hitter during the 2024 season as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. However, that did not stop his hitting production as he won the NL MVP award, becoming the first player to establish the 50-50 club. He posted a stellar .310/.390/.646 slash line. Under the hood, he generated an impressive .442 xwOBA, .314 xBA, and a .660 xSLG, all of which were within the 99th percentile. Throughout the offseason, the Dodgers have signed several starting pitchers, such as Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, to add depth to their rotation and to ease Ohtani's workload. When he does return to the mound, fantasy managers should expect the Dodgers to limit his innings. As a result, he will likely carry most of his fantasy value in 2025 with his bat.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he expects two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (shoulder) to be ready to hit in the season-opening series in Tokyo, Japan, against the Chicago Cubs, but he's unlikely to pitch in the series. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery in 2023 and did not pitch at all during the 2024 campaign, but it didn't stop him from winning his third MVP award in the last four seasons by making history with 54 home runs, 130 RBI and 59 RBI while also leading the league in runs (134), on-base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.646), OPS (1.036) and total bases (411). The Japanese superstar will be more attractive as a hitter in fantasy in 2025, but he still has ace potential on the mound in his first year back from TJ surgery. Ohtani is a unicorn on the baseball field and became the only player in MLB history with 50-plus homers and 50-plus steals in a single season.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (shoulder), who was just named the 2024 National League MVP unanimously on Thursday night, is in the early stages of his recovery from arthroscopic surgery to fix a labrum tear in his left shoulder. "We've already removed the stitches," Ohtani said. "The current goal is to bring back my range of motion. Today we started working on core and we're slowly ramping up right now." He had surgery on Nov. 5. Ohtani didn't pitch at all in 2024 after rehabbing from right-elbow surgery in September of 2023. The 30-year-old's goal is still to be ready for Opening Day in 2025 as both a pitcher and hitter, although he's taking his time in his rehab this offseason. Ohtani became the first 50-homer, 50-steal player in MLB history in 2024 and will also be highly coveted in fantasy as a starting pitcher in 2025.

As expected, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani was named the 2024 National League Most Valuable Player on Thursday night, his third MVP award in the last four seasons. If not for Aaron Judge's amazing season in 2022 in which he set a new American League mark for home runs in a season, Ohtani would have four straight MVP awards under his belt. Ohtani is the first DH to win the award after becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in the same season. The Japanese two-way player (he'll return to pitching in 2025) becomes the 12th player ever to win three MVPs and the second to do so within his first seven seasons, joining Stan Musial. After signing an unprecedented $700 million deal with LA, Ohtani led the Dodgers to a World Series title and led the NL in homers (54), RBI (130) and OPS (1.036).

Major League Baseball announced the 2024 National League Silver Slugger winners on Tuesday on MLB Network. The winners in the NL were Phillies 1B Bryce Harper, Diamondbacks 2B Ketel Marte, Mets SS Francisco Lindor, Padres 3B Manny Machado, Padres OF Jackson Merrill, Dodgers OF Teoscar Hernandez, Padres OF Jurickson Profar, Brewers C William Contreras, Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani, and Dodgers UTIL Mookie Betts. This is the third time Ohtani has won a Silver Slugger award in his career. The two-way superstar became the first player in MLB history to hit at least 50 homers (54) and steal at least 50 bases (59) in the same season. The tremendous feat will likely also earn the Japanese sensation his third career MVP award (and first in the NL). In addition to all the hardware, Ohtani won his first World Series championship with the Dodgers in October.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (shoulder) is expected to be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season in Tokyo next March as a designated hitter after undergoing surgery on the labrum in his left shoulder after he partially dislocated it during the World Series, but it will add complications to his offseason throwing program and will probably push back his timeline to join the starting rotation. Ohtani did not pitch at all in 2024 in his first year with the Blue after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2023. General manager Brandon Gomes said Ohtani's left-shoulder surgery isn't expected to have any "big-picture" impact on his ability to pitch in 2025. Entering October, he was close to facing live hitters for the first time since September of 2023, but the team decided to delay the rest of his throwing progression until the offseason.

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (shoulder) underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to repair a labrum tear, according to the team. Ohtani is expected to be ready in time for Spring Training. The superstar suffered this injury due to a dislocated shoulder during the World Series. However, he was able to play through it en route to winning his first championship. Fantasy managers should monitor his progression leading up to Spring Training in case he faces a setback. Operating as a pure hitter in 2024, Ohtani established the 50-50 club with an impressive .310/.390/.646 slash line. The 30-year-old will likely be a consensus top selection this year in drafts as he is expected to return to the mound, providing elite fantasy production both as a pitcher and a hitter.