Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) has not pitched in a game since July 3 against the San Diego Padres due to inflammation in his left knee and occasional flare-ups of right-biceps discomfort, but he has remained in the everyday lineup as the designated hitter. According to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, manager Dave Roberts said he plans to talk with the four-time MVP and the team's training staff to gauge what is best for Ohtani going forward. The skipper said it is "unlikely" that the Dodgers will completely shut the Japanese superstar down and put him on the injured list, but he also left open the possibility that his stance could change. A day off could be coming for Ohtani, but Roberts does not think that an IL stint would guarantee that Ohtani can get back to 100% this season. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said this week that he still thinks Ohtani can pitch in a game this season, but fantasy managers hoping he can help them in the postseason should not be as optimistic. The reality is that Ohtani's health issues are now affecting him at the plate, as he posted a .795 OPS in August, the lowest mark in any month of his first three seasons with the Dodgers, and his worst since his opening month in the big leagues in 2022. Since Aug. 15, he is hitting .203 with a .742 OPS. In the extra-inning loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, Ohtani went hitless in six plate appearances with four strikeouts. He is clearly not himself right now due to nagging injuries, so fantasy managers should expect him to see some rest here soon.

Across 280 plate appearances since making his MLB debut in early June, Colorado Rockies outfielder/shortstop Cole Carrigg is hitting .262/.341/.439 with six home runs, 37 RBI, 39 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. The 24-year-old's power upside is limited, as he's logged subpar barrel (5.3%) and hard-hit (34.0%) rates. However, Carrigg has emerged as Colorado's near-everyday center fielder and often hits in a premium spot in the team's lineup. Carrigg was also a high-end base stealer in the minor leagues, swiping 46 bags across 123 games at Double-A in 2025. While Carrigg has not been quite as aggressive early in his big-league career, six of his eight stolen bases this year have come since the All-Star break. Between his speed upside and his hitter-friendly home environment in Colorado, Carrigg carries clear waiver wire appeal.

Since making his MLB debut in mid-May, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte has hit the ground running. Across 376 plate appearances this year, the 23-year-old is hitting .274/.350/.389 with eight home runs, 30 RBI, 41 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases. Swing-and-miss is a potential red flag in his profile, as he's struck out in 27.4% of his plate appearances. However, Bolte hits the ball hard (47.2% hard-hit rate) and on the ground a ton (62.4%). When combined with his elite speed, Bolte's mix has allowed him to consistently run high batting averages on balls in play throughout his time in the A's system. After posting a .407 BABIP across 488 minor league plate appearances in 2025, Bolte's BABIP in the big leagues this year is .372. If he can continue to improve his strikeout rate while also raising his launch angle just a bit, Bolte has five-category breakout potential. In leagues where he remains available, Bolte should be a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers.

After winning an MLB job in Spring Training, Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield has been a revelation this season. Across 552 plate appearances, the 26-year-old is hitting .291/.384/.442 with 14 home runs, 64 RBI, and 57 runs scored. Rumfield does not profile as a typical corner infield power bat, as he's posted just a 4.7% barrel rate and a 28.1% hard-hit rate. However, he owns an elite plate approach, logging an 11.6% walk rate while striking out in just 13.9% of his plate appearances. Rumfield is also in the middle of a hot stretch, as he's riding an eight-game hitting streak entering play on Thursday. While Rumfield's production at the plate is obviously boosted by his hitter-friendly home environment in Colorado, he's also hit .290 away from Coors Field this season. For fantasy managers in need of batting average and solid run production, Rumfield carries clear waiver-wire appeal.