Kyle Schwarber’s four-homer game stood as a landmark, with a potential fifth off a position-player pitcher looming as a controversy blocker. He pushed to five in the eighth, but a 57.4 mph lob from Vidal Bruján produced an infield fly instead, muting debate about tainting the feat. Schwarber’s 49 homers on the year remain league-leading, and the moment underscored the surreal edge of MLB power numbers when a mop-up appearance by a position player is even considered in the record books.

The broader arc centers on the growing use of position players on the mound and MLB’s response: a rule restricting such appearances, and ongoing debates about the impact on statistics and fantasy-value. Dodgers standouts Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Miguel Rojas, Kiké Hernández and Clayton Kershaw are cited to illustrate the era’s pitching depth and the strategic chess match managers navigate in late innings.

V from BTS delivered the ceremonial first pitch as the Dodgers shut out the Reds 7-0 at Dodger Stadium.

Ohtani returned to mound duties this season and remains the Dodgers’ designated hitter, while Yamamoto flashed as a frontline arm in Sunday’s win over the Padres. Kershaw shared a moment with V in the dugout. The night underscored Dodgers’ star power and two-way depth—a boon for fantasy managers chasing Ohtani’s dual-threat production and Yamamoto’s breakout upside.

Dodgers 8, Padres 2: Freeman erupts for two homers, Dalton Rushing adds a decisive three-run blast in the seventh, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto earns his 11th win as L.A. rolls late to snap their skid. Ohtani even shares a playful high-five with a Padres fan, a moment that underscored the old-school Dodgers vibe as the lineup flashed power and emotion.

But the Dodgers remain an enigma: injuries sparked a revolving door of identities and inconsistent offense. With 31 games left, health from injured stars could swing October seeding—top-two seed = bye; else wild-card drama. Freeman keeps steering the ship, but the team must sustain offensive rhythm as they sprint toward September and a possible title run.

Fantasy takeaway: watch Dodgers’ health and late-inning production—Freeman and Rushing appear as strong power sources, Yamamoto a trustable rotation pillar, and Ohtani’s role as a catalyst for the lineup when he’s in the mix.