Fantasy Baseball 2026: Does Ohtani Not Hitting on Start Days Change Your Strategy?

It's clear that Shohei Ohtani will not always hit on days he pitches. Ohtani was on the pitcher's mound, but not in the Dodgers' lineup, during his Wednesday start and per manager Dave Roberts, he'll only be available to pinch hit on Thursday. With Ohtani scheduled to make at least one start as a pitcher per week, fantasy baseball managers playing in leagues that set their lineups weekly could potentially have a huge two-day hole in their fantasy lineups moving forward. This new approach by the Dodgers will also affect daily lineup leagues, forcing managers to re-think their roster construction strategy.

The New Reality: How Ohtani's No-Hit Rule Affects Daily Lineups

Ohtani the hitter is only UT eligible in most fantasy baseball leagues, which makes it easier for daily league managers to replace him in their lineups for the days that Ohtani pitches.

However, daily lineup managers may have to adjust their rosters and carry more hitters than pitchers as reserves. Having extra hitters at their disposal will help them avoid having multiple reserve hitters inactive on the same day that Ohtani is inactive.

On a positive note, many daily lineup leagues also allow daily waiver wire moves. That can help a daily lineup manager add and start a top streaming hitter option on the days that Ohtani the hitter is unavailable.

Ohtani's Usage Cycle and its Impact on Weekly Lineups

Ohtani is scheduled to pitch on each of the next three Tuesdays, and the Dodgers have one day off in each of those weeks. If Roberts continues to keep Ohtani out of the lineup on days he pitches, and the following day as well, fantasy managers rostering him could miss out on up to 12 of his potential at bats, if the Dodgers' off days are factored in.

Trade Value and ADP Implications of the Pitching-Day Rule

Fantasy baseball managers drafting Ohtani the hitter used their first overall pick this preseason and having Ohtani sit at least once, and possibly twice, per week is not what they bargained for. With approximately 20 weeks left in the regular season, the chance of Ohtani potentially missing up to 80 to 160 at bats can be the difference between a fantasy baseball manager winning or losing their league championship.

With Ohtani averaging 637 at bats, 55 home runs and just under 40 stolen bases over the past two seasons, his preseason upside was huge and justified fantasy players using their first pick on a UT only player. But, if the Dodgers continue to keep him out of the lineup on days he pitches for the foreseeable future, his in-season trade value will likely decrease and heading into next season, some fantasy baseball managers might shy away from drafting him.

Is Ohtani's Overall Value Rising or Falling?

Based on recent trade activity in Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues, Ohtani's trade value hasn't yet taken a hit. He has recently been dealt in one-for-one trades for players such as Jacob deGrom, Bobby Witt Jr., Christopher Sanchez and, ironically, Ohtani the pitcher.

Advanced Roster Construction Strategies for Ohtani Owners

Planning ahead for Ohtani's pitching days will take work, but the payoff could be worth it. For instance, Ohtani's next start is scheduled for May 19th. The Rockies will be home playing in their hitter friendly park and depending on the size of your league, TJ Rumfield or Troy Johnson may be available on the waiver wire.

Turning the Rest Day Into an Edge

Roberts is known as a manager who avoids sharing news about his players with the media unless he really must. There's an underlying reason why the Dodgers are adopting a new strategy of not allowing Ohtani to hit on days he pitches, but Roberts is not yet ready to share it with us.

Ohtani has been slumping at the plate and in his first 39 games, he's batting just .240 with a .796 OPS. He has just seven HR and 17 RBI. That puts him on pace to hit 27 HR with 66 RBI based on a 162 game average. Almost all of his power metrics are significantly lower than his career averages. The chart below shows that Ohtani's Statcast MLB Percentile Rankings are much lower this season compared to 2025.

Perhaps Roberts' strategy of resting Ohtani on days he pitches, and possibly the day after, can be a positive for fantasy baseball managers who've been disappointed in Ohtani's lackluster offensive production.

Maybe the extra day(s) rest will help revitalize Ohtani and his offensive stats will bounce back. Extra rest can also help Ohtani remain at his peak physically and avoid injury and future trips to the IL.

The Bottom Line: Does the Rule Change How You Use Ohtani?

Final Verdict and Action Steps for 2026

Despite Ohtani's recent struggles at the plate, he's been the Dodgers' best starting pitcher so far this season. If you drafted Ohtani the pitcher you're thrilled with his 0.82 ERA.

If you drafted Ohtani the hitter keep putting him in your fantasy baseball team's lineup. A hot streak is potentially right around the corner. If Roberts continues to rest Ohtani on days he pitches he'll still be in the Dodgers' lineup about 80% of the time. Even at that rate his upside is often better than what most fantasy hitters can offer.

Questions About Shohei Ohtani's Pitching Days, Answered

Does Ohtani not hitting on pitching days change his fantasy value in 2026?

Yes, especially in daily lineup formats where missing one or two games weekly can impact cumulative offensive production. His elite pitching value and long-term health outlook still preserve most of his overall fantasy value.

How should I build my lineup around Ohtani's pitching schedule?

Managers should carry extra active hitters or plan waiver wire streamers ahead of Ohtani's scheduled starts. Daily transaction leagues provide the most flexibility for replacing his missing at bats.

Is Ohtani still a first-round pick with the new usage rule?

Yes. Even with fewer projected at bats, Ohtani's combination of elite pitching and offensive upside still supports first-round value in most formats.

Should I trade Ohtani because he doesn't hit on start days?

Only if another manager is willing to pay full superstar value. The reduced at bats are concerning, but his ceiling remains league-winning when healthy.

How many at-bats does Ohtani realistically lose per season under this rule?

If he misses one or two games weekly while pitching regularly, the total could range from roughly 80 to 160 lost at bats over a full season.

Does this rule affect Ohtani differently in OBP vs. standard 5x5 leagues?

Yes. OBP formats feel the loss more because Ohtani's on-base ability carries additional value beyond traditional batting categories.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 10:14 AM.