Ohtani’s latest turn on the mound wasn’t what fantasy managers hoped for. Four innings, five earned runs and nine hits—the roughest line he’s posted in quite a while—set off alarms, even as he stayed in the game as the DH before being pulled. A comebacker off Orlando Arcia left him briefly shaken, and there’s no clear word yet on whether the leg issue will linger. The Dodgers had already planned a day off Thursday, and the weekend series with San Diego looms large for first-place implications. If he’s back in the lineup Friday, Ohtani’s two-way value remains enormous, but workload concerns could temper expectations.

Meanwhile, LA’s rotation and lineup will be under the microscope as they reset for a Padres series that could swing the division race. Alex Call drew the pinch-hit for Ohtani, a reminder that LA’s depth will matter if the superstar is limited. For fantasy owners, the takeaway is to monitor Ohtani’s health and how the Dodgers manage his exposure in the near term, because a healthy return could deliver ceiling-busting fantasy weeks, while any precautionary pauses may curb his upside until he’s fully locked in.

Ohtani endured a rough night at Coors Field, yielding five earned runs over four innings as the Dodgers fell 8-3 to Colorado. The slide worsened when a line drive struck his right thigh in the fourth, briefly forcing him to field the ball before exiting the frame. He remained in a bit longer but was pulled in the eighth after an at-bat.

He’s not expected to miss time long-term. Ohtani is hitting .285/.392/.621 with 43 homers, and his mound return has looked solid with a 3.47 ERA in 23 1/3 innings. With the Dodgers at 72-55 and leading the NL West, the MVP chase stays alive if he can keep up the two-way excellence. The plan is for him to be in the lineup Friday after Thursday’s off day.

For fantasy managers, the focus is on how the thigh issue and the heavy workload might shape his usage. Ohtani remains a marquee asset, but scheduling and health updates could influence daily lineup decisions in the short term. The Arcia moment underscores Rockies’ willingness to test Ohtani’s endurance at altitude, a reminder of why Coors Field can be as much a variable as the player involved.

Week 21 of the 2025 MLB season tightens the fantasy waiver-wire landscape as daily moves become a must for roto and H2H managers. Pittsburgh promotes Bubba Chandler, who’ll work in a bulk or bullpen role rather than a traditional starter, offering late-inning upside and possible long-relief wins if the pacesetters stay healthy. Milwaukee rides a hot streak from Sal Frelick, who’s slashing .361/.489/.500 across his past 45 plate appearances and could supplant the outfield mix down the stretch. Andrew Painter and Daniel Palencia join the radar as part of the wave of promoted arms and relievers, while Kristian Campbell flashes as a multi-position asset in deeper leagues. Shohei Ohtani’s thigh contusion adds a caution flag to one of the game’s most valuable players. The waiver-wire rankings update is a guide for priority adds in 10- and 12+ team formats as the season winds toward playoff push.

Beyond the five names highlighted, the piece points managers toward the broader weekly roster-ship list, with top sleepers and closer-depth considerations, and stresses monitoring for promotions, promotions-to-MLB, and injury updates. It also nudges readers to stay on top of MLB news alerts and to consult lineup-tools for PvB/BvP data, injury reports, and live scoreboard insights as the play clock tightens in late August.

Colorado jumped out to an early lead and chased Shohei Ohtani, tagging him for five runs on nine hits across four innings at Coors Field. A come-back liner off the leg by Orlando Arcia sparked the Rockies’ four-run fourth, and Ohtani was briefly checked by a trainer after limping off the mound following the hit. He still finished the frame but departed in the fifth with the thigh concern prompting Dave Roberts to pull him. The Dodgers, who had swept San Diego to snatch control of the NL West, fell 8-3 as Colorado surged, winning seven of nine and trimming the division gap to about 3.5 games behind LA.

Dodgers struggle to translate momentum into offense after a dominant win streak, dropping a 2-1 series lead to the Colorado Rockies. The skid isn’t fueled by late-inning bullpen issues but by quiet bats, even as Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound for L.A. The club rode an 11-run outburst the previous day, only to be stymied by a Colorado starter carrying a 15.00 ERA. Ohtani was scheduled for Thursday off, a smart precaution after a Wednesday night start and a mid-game comebacker scare that required treatment but didn’t end his night early. The shift to an off day comes at a critical moment, with the division on the line and the schedule turning favorable again only if the bats wake up. Arcia’s shot off the come-back was a reminder that Rockies’ pressure can swing games when Dodgers offenses stall. The mood in Dodgers-land now centers on healing and reset, hoping the injury isn’t serious and that a rested Ohtani can help keep the NL West from slipping away, especially with a rough matchup ahead against the league’s unpredictable clubs.

The series preview and subsequent updates tease a clarifying path: with a day of rest to regroup, Ohtani’s health and bullpen depth will be watched closely, while the lineup must rediscover its bite. The narrative remains tense for fantasy managers: if Ohtani can regain peak form quickly and the offense finds its timing, L.A. can stabilize the division; if not, the Rockies’ win two in a row could foreshadow a larger surge from Colorado and a tightening race with San Diego lingering in the rearview.