For a little more than a month, the baseball world was waiting for something, anything coming from Shohei Ohtani’s camp to guess where he’d be signing for the upcoming MLB season. Rumors were rampant; many were unfounded.
Then came the news on Dec. 9, 2023 via Ohtani’s own Instagram that he was signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and since then it seems like the Dodgers have been getting whatever baseball players they wanted via trade or free agency.
Really, it only seems that way, but it’s close and there are fantasy implications far and wide with the players moving teams.
Signing with the Dodgers 13 days after Ohtani was Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the star pitcher of the Nippon Professional Baseball League who will instantly become one of the top starters for LA and likely a strikeout machine in MLB. And the Dodgers STILL weren’t done (more on all those deals below).
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While it only seemed like the Dodgers were acquiring every available player during the Hot Stove League, other teams were plenty busy, and that will impact fantasy baseball quite a bit in 2024.
For fantasy managers who have been concentrating on football the past couple of months, here’s a quick rundown on some of the major (and minor) offseason acquisitions, and their fantasy impacts.
As mentioned above, you may notice a particular shade of blue on the first few names in this lineup.
NOTE: This story will be updated when stars like Blake Snell, Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman and Jordan Montgomery sign with new teams.
Big Moves, Dodger Division
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
The best player in the game steps to an even bigger stage in Chavez Ravine, making this the most impactful free agent move for an athlete in any sport since LeBron James signed with the neighboring Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. The only downer amidst all this excitement is that Ohtani won’t be able to pitch until 2025, but he’ll still move the needle plenty with a bat in his hands nonetheless.
Hitting at the top of the Dodgers lineup with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, Ohtani’s 2023 numbers of 44 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 102 runs, 95 RBI with a 1.066 OPS could be just the starting point. The RBI opportunities for Will Smith and Max Muncy behind him will be plentiful, and without having to take the mound once a week, could Ohtani be even better at the plate in 2024? Even as a DH, Ohtani will be an early first-round pick with his elite power-speed combination.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers had to do something to shore up a pitching staff hit hard with departures, so they signed Ohtani’s teammate from Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. The 25-year-old won the last three Sawamura Awards — the Japanese League’s equivalent of the Cy Young Award — with a pitch mix that will transition well to the major leagues. In his most recent season, he flashed a 1.16 ERA with a 17–6 record.
There will be some getting used to a different baseball and pitching more regularly than once a week, but to add an elite arm in a pitcher’s park, backed with a good defense and an explosive lineup, Yamamoto will be a great source for wins, ERA, WHIP and strikeouts.
And he’ll have some company in LA’s rotation too.
Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles Dodgers
One of the most talented pitchers in baseball, Glasnow has a checkered injury history. Last year’s 120 innings were the most in his eight-year career by more than 30, but in that workload, he posted a dominant 162 strikeouts.
He finished the season healthy, which is a great sign, and the Dodgers’ recent history with pitchers has been very good. Again, with that ballpark and that lineup, Glasnow will do a lot of good when he is on the mound.
Just one warning for fantasy managers: don’t make him your ace. If you do, be ready to draft a deep pitching staff to prepare for any missed time.
Teoscar Hernández, Los Angeles Dodgers
This one came out of, pun intended, left field. That happens to be where Hernandez is slated to play, and to bolster a Dodgers lineup that is an embarrassment of riches. With the loss of J.D. Martinez to free agency (replaced by Ohtani), the Dodgers could use another right-handed bat in the lineup.
Hernandez hit 26 home runs with 93 RBI for the Mariners last year, his fifth consecutive full season with at least 20 home runs. Projected to hit after Smith and Muncy, Hernandez will still have a lot of RBI opportunities and is my nomination for Scott Pianowski’s 2024 Raul Ibañez All-Stars, the players past age-30 who, without fanfare, will put up solid numbers on fantasy rosters.
Hard to imagine a Dodger without much fanfare, but Hernandez might be him considering who else is in the lineup.
Big Acquisitions, Non-Dodger Division
Juan Soto, New York Yankees
Is there a better all-around hitter in baseball than Soto? Six seasons with more walks than strikeouts, five seasons with at least 20 home runs and a lifetime OPS of .946. And he’s shuffling into his age-25 season.
Soto will fit nicely in the Yankees lineup after being traded by the Padres, teaming up with Aaron Judge to become arguably the most powerful duo in baseball. Even though he has power to all fields, that short porch in right field will be so inviting for Soto. Same for the several band-box ballparks in the AL East. Mark him down for 40-plus home runs, 100-plus runs and RBI, and a sneaky double-digit-steals mark. He’ll be an early first-round pick in fantasy drafts.
One note on what the San Diego Padres got in return: Michael King was the main piece going back to the Padres, who looks to build upon a season with a 2.75 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 104.2 innings. He could be worth a late-round flier in drafts.
Josh Hader, Houston Astros
Even with 90 saves over the past three seasons, Ryan Pressly will be placed in a setup role with this move. Hader comes in off a three-year run with 103 saves, 268 strikeouts, 2.45 ERA in 165 innings. In a word: dominance.
Pitching for a team with 291 wins in the past three seasons, there should be plenty of save opportunities, so expect Hader to be one of the first relievers taken in fantasy drafts.
And just projecting beyond the regular season, imagine Hader facing Ohtani in the World Series. Get the popcorn ready.
Major Acquisitions, International Division
Two other players are coming to the major leagues after being stars in Asia, and they could have prominent roles that make them players fantasy managers need to keep an eye on.
Jung Hoo Lee, San Francisco Giants
Known as “Grandson of the Wind,” Lee was one of the premier hitters in the KBO with a .340 average, .407 on-base percentage and .898 OPS in his seven-year career. He’s just 25 and hit 23 homers with 113 RBI in 2022.
Shōta Imanaga, Chicago Cubs
Imanaga joins the North Siders coming off a pair of dominant seasons in Japan, where he went 12-4 with a 2.04 ERA in 2022 and followed that up by going 7-5 with a 2.66 ERA last year. The lefty struck out 339 hitters in 317.2 innings over those two seasons.
Other transactions with fantasy relevance
Rhys Hoskins, Milwaukee Brewers
Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals
Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
Marcus Stroman, New York Yankees
Eduardo Rodríguez, Arizona Diamondbacks
Jeimer Candelario, Cincinnati Reds
Mitch Garver, Seattle Mariners
Eugenio Suárez, Arizona Diamondbacks
Jarred Kelenic, Atlanta Braves
Vaughn Grissom, Boston Red Sox
Justin Turner, Toronto Blue Jays
Jorge Polanco, Seattle Mariners
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
