Anthony Rendon’s hip surgery has kept him off the field as spring unfolds, leaving the Angels to navigate a crucial final season of his massive contract with little certainty about his 2026 viability. The organization is weighing whether to keep him through the 2025-ender and hope for a health return or clear a 40-man spot by letting him go, as the roster shifts push third base and center field to the forefront.

With Rendon sidelined, Los Angeles must replace significant production at third base—especially as Yoan Moncada and Luis Rengifo were the primary contributors at the position—and evaluate Bryce Teodosio as a potential center-field contributor. Free agency opens after the World Series, setting the stage for a cautious but decisive off-season to reshape the infield and outfield around an uncertain Rendon future.

The Royals used a late-inning surge to seal a 9-4 win in Los Angeles, taking the series behind a standout effort from Bobby Witt Jr. and key hits from Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez. Kansas City jumped early, endured a Angels’ rally, and then pulled away in the ninth with a decisive rally that capped their offensive night. The win strengthens KC’s offense as they wrap the season with a tough trip to Oakland looming.

Michael Lorenzen started strong for the Angels but Kansas City answered with timely hits and aggressive baserunning, including a review that ruled Pasquantino safe to extend a lead and a critical two-out double from Perez in the ninth. The Royals bullpen shut the door late, with Luinder Avila closing out the finale, keeping the offense rolling and the series in KC’s favor.

Fantasy angles rise from Witt Jr.’s multi-RBI night, Pasquantino’s clutch approaches, and Perez’s veteran late-game pop. Angels’ power came from Trout, but the series belonged to Kansas City’s offense and its late-inning execution, which should keep KC hitters on the radar as the calendar turns to the end of the season.

Shohei Ohtani advances a tightrope act in August as he blends a heavy two way workload with a keen eye on health. The Dodgers lean into his value as the engine of the lineup while tamping down innings as an onfield pitcher, a balancing act that comes amid a late season bullpen squeeze and a narrowing division lead. He pushes opportunities on the basepaths again, even as he inches toward pitching a fuller role, underscoring the dynamic pressure of maximizing two way production in real time.

Ohtani remains a top fantasy asset with his elite blend of power, speed and reliable two way production. Through 23 plus innings on the mound he sits with a 3.47 ERA and a near pain free return, while at the plate he thrives with a high on base clip and 43 homers, paired with 17 steals. His velocity and slider show standout indicators, including a 98.3 mph fastball and a 56.5 whiff rate on his slider, suggesting continued upside as he adapts to extended pitching appearances.

The Dodgers plan is methodical: protect Ohtani by avoiding excessive extra innings, rely on a shallow bullpen to cover extra frames, and structure daily prep around the pitcher hitter dichotomy. A one sheet scouting approach guides each start, and the mental shift on start days is real, with hitters and pitchers sharing load, aiming for sustainable, long term value rather than short term cliff diving. It is a delicate calculus but one the club believes is worth it given his unique impact.

In this context, fantasy rosters benefit when aligning Ohtani with a schedule that emphasizes his favorable start days and monitors inning caps. Even as his offensive output remains blazing, his pitching duties cap the upside on some lineups; savvy managers should balance rostering him with complementary bats and a bullpen friendly bullpen friendly schedule to maximize weekly fantasy returns.