I really do wonder how Los Angeles Angels manager Brad Ausmus would have handled playing time for Shohei Ohtani if first baseman Justin Bour was hitting as expected. Alas, Bour is hitting .169, so Ohtani's pending activation from the injured list this week -- it could happen Tuesday, actually -- and its lineup effects are relatively simple to explain. Ohtani cannot pitch this season, but he has recovered enough from offseason Tommy John surgery to hit, and oh boy, Ohtani showed in 2018 he can hit. Albert Pujols will unsatisfactorily stand near first base so Ohtani can handle designated hitter duties, and Bour might be cut, but what should fantasy managers expect?
Initially, do not expect
The Angels are scheduled to face left-handed starters in half their games this week and Ohtani is no lock for early-week activation anyway, so leave him firmly on your bench. He is rostered in 77 percent of ESPN standard leagues and eligible offensively solely at DH. That is fine. Eagerly add him to lineups for the week starting May 13. I have little doubt Ohtani, even in a platoon role -- ideally with what is left of Hall of Famer Pujols, who is just terrible against right-handers -- can aid fantasy managers and probably hit like he did in 2018. He cannot throw a baseball anytime soon, and his SP eligibility does nobody any good in 2019, but he can hit, and I am a bit surprised those not relying on Nelson Cruz and Khris Davis -- also DH-only -- do not add him.
Ohtani spent most of his time hitting in the Nos. 4 and 5 lineup spots last season, with Trout hitting second roughly 60 percent of the time. This season, with a new (but still old-school) manager, Trout has hit exclusively second. That makes sense ... and good for Ausmus. Christian Yelich, Mookie Betts and Paul Goldschmidt also bat second. The best hitters should go there. The lefty-hitting Ohtani should bat third, pushing Goodwin out of the role he is currently overachieving at. Since Trout reaches base nearly half the time, and it is not a fluke, that bodes well for Ohtani.
I really have no reservations here. Sure, I admit to being skeptical a year ago when Ohtani struggled to make contact in spring training, but that was clearly a ridiculous viewpoint. Trout and Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Martinez were the lone hitters to post a better OPS against right-handed pitching in 2018, minimum 250 PA. Ohtani was better versus right-handers than both MVPs, Yelich and Betts. He can do it again.
As for other Angels on my mind, well, there aren't many. Trout is awesome, still No. 1 on my board, despite the efforts of Yelich, Cody Bellinger and others. Ohtani, shortstop Andrelton Simmons and injured Justin Upton are the only other Angels batsmen rostered in more than 25 percent of ESPN standard formats. Simmons could sneak his way into the top-15 fantasy shortstops by hitting for average and reaching double-digits in home runs and steals. Upton could be a top-20 outfielder after the All-Star break, if his injured toe ever heals, but I am skeptical. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy improbably homered twice off Justin Verlander on Sunday, doubling his paltry season total. Goodwin has a .403 BABIP. Ignore him. Pujols and Bour combined versus right-handers: .180 batting average. At least Trout gets some help this week!
Sunday recap
Box scores
Highlights:
• Kris Bryant, 3B/OF, Chicago Cubs: 2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI
• Paul DeJong, SS, St. Louis Cardinals: 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
• Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B/SS/3B, Texas Rangers: 2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI
• Pablo Lopez, SP, Miami Marlins: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• Spencer Turnbull, SP, Detroit Tigers: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Lowlights:
• Luke Voit, 1B, New York Yankees: 0-for-4, 3 K
• Odubel Herrera, OF, Philadelphia Phillies: 0-for-4, 3 K
• Clay Buchholz, SP, Toronto Blue Jays: 4 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Archie Bradley, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks: 0 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Kenley Jansen, RP, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Sunday takeaways
Ballgame. pic.twitter.com/YVl6m2DCCb
- MLB (@MLB) May 5, 2019
• San Diego Padres outfielder Hunter Renfroe celebrated his pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam against Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen in style, but there remains little clarity for fantasy managers on this outfield. Through 35 games, Renfroe, hitter of a team-leading 26 home runs last season, ranked fourth among the club's outfielders in plate appearances, behind Wil Myers, Franmil Reyes and center fielder Manuel Margot, who can't hit much, but he can defend. Myers is striking out at an alarming 37 percent rate, and only Kansas City Royals outfielder Jorge Soler has more whiffs. Reyes is better than that, but with a lower OBP. Renfroe boasts a .281 OBP. Myers needs to be rostered in case, when he manages to make contact, he produces 20-plus home runs and steals. Reyes could hit 30 home runs. Renfroe, who greeted Jansen as a pinch hitter, needs a real-life trade. Keep Myers and Reyes rostered, but not Renfroe. More on Jansen and the many home runs he allows in Tuesday's closer report.
• Fantasy managers have to love the first weekend for Cincinnati Reds second baseman Nick Senzel, as he homered in his second game and stole a base in his third. He should have had a second home run, but Kevin Pillar jumped over a fence to prevent it. Of course, it is one weekend. Original expectations for Senzel have not changed, nor have they for slow-starting Blue Jays third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Senzel will add outfield eligibility the day after his 10th game there. If you are looking for the next hotshot prospect hitter to stash, how about Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez, hitting a mere .398 and slugging .867 at Triple-A Round Rock. The Astros are rotating at designated hitter because Tyler White is, much to my chagrin, doing nothing.
• Walking is good when you are a hitter. When you are a pitcher, however, I want no part. I dropped Blue Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez in an experts league, and as I have noted repeatedly in this space and on the Fantasy Focus Baseball podcast (all shows can be found here), I ignored Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish all offseason. Darvish is one walk away from the big league lead, though Royals right-hander Brad Keller has thrown 14⅔ more innings! Darvish has a 1.71 WHIP. Sanchez has a 1.49 WHIP. Michael Wacha has a 1.63 WHIP. The strikeout upside is simply not worth it.
Health report
• The battered Yankees offense will get outfielder Clint Frazier back on Monday, with Aaron Hicks perhaps a week behind. Frazier is hitting .324 with power and should assume a run-producing lineup spot as well. Hicks, who surpassed 400 PA last season for the first time, and hit 27 home runs with 11 steals, should be on fantasy rosters ahead of his activation, but durability is not a strong point.
• Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jameson Taillon, ranked among the top 20 starting pitchers, hit the injured list with a flexor strain, but early indications are he will not need Tommy John surgery. Taillon had the surgery in 2014. The Pirates say Taillon will not throw for at least a month, and fantasy managers should be patient for this is a pitcher who can win us leagues. Then again, no pitcher is safe from arm trouble.
Closing time
• Keep an eye on Oakland Athletics right-hander Blake Treinen, for he is dealing with tendinitis in his valuable elbow. An injured list stint, after Monday's deadline of course, seems likely. Treinen, like most every relief pitcher coming off a career season and ultimately over-drafted by fantasy managers, is not having the same season, mainly due to the walks. He did not pitch last week but remained on the active roster. I would add right-hander Lou Trivino to your bench today. Check out the ESPN Fantasy closer chart for more. I see saves in Trivino's future, even with Joakim Soria and Fernando Rodney in the bullpen.
W2W4
• The week started early in Cincinnati, so hopefully you got your lineups in. ESPN will show the Phillies in St. Louis, with fantasy managers already giving up on Miles Mikolas due to his slow start. Mikolas thrived last season thanks to impeccable control and a strong ground ball rate. He has already permitted eight home runs through seven outings, half of his total from 200 innings last season, and his strikeout rate is way down, which is a problem. Still, he is a two-start option this week and deserves more time before being punted for the likes of Martin Perez and Chris Bassitt.
• The Padres turn to right-hander Chris Paddack, arguably the current leader for NL top rookie honors, thanks to a 1.91 ERA, against Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets, and you can see it on ESPN+. Paddack boasts more strikeouts than innings, only two home runs allowed in 33 frames, and it's not all because of his home ballpark. Some would argue Paddack is a smart trade option because the Padres are unlikely to let him approach 150 innings this season, and his current ERA is greatly aided by a .160 BABIP, and that makes perfect sense. Keep him around in dynasty formats, though, because this sure looks like a future top-10 option.
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