Opening Day is finally here. Let's examine some players, themes and teams that will define the fantasy baseball season.
How seriously will the Dodgers take the regular season?
The Dodgers are the most automatic playoff team there is. They've won 11 N.L. West titles in 12 years, and haven't missed the playoffs since 2012. Last year they only allowed two pitchers to get past 90 innings, with an eye towards a healthy October. How much will Shohei Ohtani pitch? Will he even pitch at all? Is this the year Dave Roberts pulls back on heavy workloads for his daily lineup guys? How soon will Mookie Betts be feeling right again?
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Los Angeles is the most fun and watchable team in baseball. It's a traveling circus. But it's also going to be a source of constant fantasy worry.
Can Paul Skenes handle a heavy six-month workload?
Skenes was a video game for his 2024 debut — 1.96 ERA, 0.947 WHIP, 170 strikeouts in 133 innings. Those are backyard Wiffle Ball stats. Will the Pirates let Skenes cut loose for six months if the team is not in the playoff hunt?
Another Pittsburgh player I'm curious about is Oneil Cruz. His batted-ball page is a delight. He was 15-for-15 on steals in the second half. He steps into his age-26 season when career years often pop. He's worth the daily price of admission.
Can the reinvented Jacob deGrom stay on the mound?
How I weep for the memory of deGrom on the Mets, the most dominant pitcher we've seen in at least 20 years. Black ink all over his baseball reference page. How can we ever unsee what he did in 15 starts back in 2021 — 1.08 ERA, 0.554 WHIP. All those stats read like misprints.
Of course, he's also had two Tommy John surgeries. He's entering an age-37 season. DeGrom hopes he can dial back his velocity a bit and still be effective — while taking fewer chances with his health. I throw my coin in the fountain and make a wish. I want to believe.
Do the Yankees have enough around Aaron Judge?
I'm a believer in Austin Wells, but even I can admit he's an unorthodox leadoff man. Cody Bellinger is another player I want to draft, though his recent career form jumps around like some crazy stock chart. Anthony Volpe is an angelic fielder, but he's yet to provide offense metrics over the league average. If the Yankees are going to return to the playoffs, Judge needs a few running mates.
Can Clay Holmes reinvent himself as a starter?
We've seen this shift click in recent years — look at what Michael King has become in San Diego. Holmes has multiple plus pitches and landed in the Opening Day slot for the Mets. I always love an RP-eligible pitcher to make the rotation, especially in head-to-head leagues where they add extra value.
If Holmes stays in the rotation for a full year, the wins could flow easily. New York's lineup looks like a blast, 1 through 9.
Will a new park make the Athletics a true fantasy party?
Brent Rooker is coming off a monster year and Lawrence Butler was the OF5 in the second half of 2024. Those boons came despite the horrible batting backdrop in Oakland. It's not easy to project how the Sacramento park will play, but it can't be any worse than the previous home stadium. I could see the plucky Athletics being this year's version of the Tigers.
Can Kyle Tucker beat Wrigley Field?
Houston's park was a dream for left-handed power. Wrigley Field is a horrible place for a lefty slugger to hit. Tucker is a true five-category player so maybe he can overcome any environment, but this wasn't my favorite landing spot for him. He's also a year removed from free agency, adding more intrigue to his age-28 season.
Is Rafael Devers mentally and physically ready for the season?
I think the Red Sox are the plausible A.L. East favorite as the season opens. The Garrett Crochet trade looks like a steal and they smartly added Alex Bregman to a creative contract. But Boston needs Devers to be healthy and happy — his shoulders are an issue, and he's been shifted to DH, a move he passionately opposed. A healthy and engaged Devers has MVP upside. But this could also be an emotional drag on the season.
How healthy is the Atlanta roster?
Back in 2023, the Braves were almost too good to be true. Perfect lineup. Cy Young Award winner. But it quickly fell apart in 2024, when injuries ravaged the lineup and Spencer Strider didn't make it out of April. Ronald Acuña Jr. says he wants to run less this year, and I've faded him at the draft table. But most of the lineup felt reasonably priced to me this spring. Spencer Schwellenbach looks ready to take off.
Some other players and themes I can't wait to track this year: Hunter Brown, all the Seattle starters, Corbin Carroll, Jackson Merrill, Bryce Harper, Wyatt Langford, Byron Buxton (could we please get 130 games?), Hunter Greene, George Kirby, the defense of Pete Crow-Armstrong, the running of Xavier Edwards, the comeback of Robbie Ray, Terry Francona helming the Reds, the top three prospects in the Boston organization.
