Shohei Otani anchors the 2026 fantasy baseball landscape, offering elite multi-category value as both hitter and pitcher. Landing him in the top spot is a game-changer for any head-to-head or roto format, even with innings questions. Second- and third-round targets pivot around Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, who combine power with strong counting stats and top-tier plate discipline. Bobby Witt Jr., Ellie De La Cruz, and Jose Ramirez form the next crest of the ladder, each bringing unique mix of power, speed, and durability that fantasy rosters crave. The episode also glances at Paul Skenes as a ceiling-raising pitcher, Kyle Schwarber, Junior Caminero, and J-Rod as high-upside options, with captain-like value from Ronald Acuña Jr. and veterans like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman remaining relevant in early rounds.

Dodgers ride a four-game win streak into a three-game division lead (tiebreaker adds a half-game) as starting pitching continues to dominate, and the offense shows signs of turning a corner with Betts and Otani heating up. The bullpen remains a concern, with confidence-building innings prioritized down the stretch as Roberts leans on veterans and a burgeoning bullpen contingent. Will Smith’s hand issue and Dalton Rushing’s backup role add depth to the postseason puzzle, while the Arizona Fall League slate highlights the pipeline. The schedule tilt toward the Phillies, Giants, and Mariners looms as Dodgers aim to secure a top seed and avoid the wild-card grind.

Key names anchor the conversation: Betts and Ohtani anchor the lineup, Yamamoto and the rest of the rotation sustain elite innings, and Emmet Sheehan’s late-season emergence injects upside into the staff. The platoon talks around Edmund and Conforto add strategic depth to the roster, and the Rushing-Smith dynamic shapes postseason catching. Overall, talent remains abundant, but bullpen volatility could still swing outcomes in tight October games.

Dodgers roll to a 7-1 win as health returns fuel a much-needed offensive surge. Will Smith resumes his role with a double, Mitch–sorry, Mookie Betts drives in multiple runs, Teoscar Hernandez belts two homers, and Freddie Freeman rips a back-to-back shot with Hernandez in the eighth. The lineup lengthens with Edmond’s impending return, easing pressure on the bottom and elevating the top of the order. Emmet Sheehan shoves seven innings with near-elite whiff rates, and the bullpen closes it out as LA keeps rolling.

While the Rockies were in town, the Dodgers showed what they’re capable of when healthy: strong starting pitching, timely power, and a deeper, more dangerous lineup. The win tightens the NL West race and leaves fantasy managers eyeing a late-season surge from LA’s big bats and mid-rotation arms as October looms.

Mets sprint to the finish with 17 games left, facing a brutal stretch that exposes their offensive inconsistencies and bullpen gaps. The podcast zeroes in on the need for a late-season surge from Alonso and Lindor, while weighing the risk and reward of leaning on young arms in a high-leverage run. Fantasy managers should track matchups against Nola and Suarez, leverage the Mets’ depth in the minors, and pounce on any nuclear stretches from the lineup.

Discussion highlights the potential for a playoff pivot if Senga, Yamamoto, or Imanaga can stabilize the rotation and bullpen, and whether Soto or Schwarber’s presence reshapes the Mets’ planning in free agency or trades. The sense is a volatile but still plausible path to the postseason if the stars align in a tight, 3-game-set world.