Michel Otanez DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof (hand) and relief pitcher Michel Otanez (shoulder) were both officially placed on the injured list. Neither of these come as a surprise, with Gelof undergoing surgery to repair a broken hamate bone earlier this week. He's likely to be held out for six to eight weeks and will be a risky stash for fantasy purposes. Returning from a fractured hamate bone has been tricky for hitters looking to regain their power in the past. Otanez is dealing with a right shoulder impingement, and there is no current timetable for his return. When healthy, he will be a high-leverage option out of the bullpen to bridge the gap to Mason Miller in the ninth.

Athletics right-handed pitcher Michel Otanez (shoulder) will go through a 10-day shutdown period and is expected to open the season on the injured list. Otanez has been dealing with a right shoulder impingement and will miss at least the first few weeks of the regular season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the 27-year-old as the team has not provided a definite timetable. Last summer, Otanez made his MLB debut and logged 34 innings with the Athletics. Across this stint, Otanez held a 3.44 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP. He tallied punchouts at an elite 36.4 percent rate and generated an elite 2.49 xERA with a .150 xBA. In addition, Otanez generated an elite 4.1 percent barrel rate and 32.9 percent hard-hit rate, which suggests he should see significant positive regression during the 2025 campaign. When Otanez is cleared to return to the bump, fantasy managers should expect him to compete for a high-leverage role in the bullpen. He could be a viable target in deeper leagues that reward holds, as Mason Miller will likely see the vast majority of save opportunities.

Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports that Athletics pitcher Michel Otanez (shoulder) has been shut down from throwing, and his status for Opening Day is in doubt. Otanez made his debut in 2024 and was solid, pitching to a 3.44 ERA with one win and one save across 34 innings. He struck out 55 batters and allowed a .214 average against him. It's unfortunate news for the hard-throwing righty, as he was set to work in a high-leverage role for the A's bullpen. Even though he has not been ruled out for the start of the season, it's hard to imagine him being ready with his shoulder impingement coming so late in spring training. Otanez struck out batters at a 36.4% rate last season and underperformed his xBA (.150) and xERA (2.49) by at least 60 points.