Fantasy Impact of Universal DH

 Fantasy Impact of Universal DH

Drew Epstein

2/28/22

As of now we still have no CBA agreement with just hours before the deadline that would result in the season being pushed back. One of the things we already know from the discussions though, is that it looks like we will finally have a universal DH when baseball returns. This had been a hot topic of debate for years with strong opinions on both sides. Now that we have our answer, let's dive into the fantasy impact. 

The Designated Hitter position has been a weak link in fantasy baseball for years. Not too long ago it was seemingly David Ortiz and then the rest. With the way analytics have grown and how teams are more likely to give a player the half day off to maximize rest, the position has grown a bit. Even with that, the position still has been a thorn in the side of fantasy owners. With the likely implementation of the DH in both leagues, the position is set to continue to expand rapidly. 

From a production sandpoint, the universal DH will almost certainly make more players fantasy relevant than we've seen in years past. Most importantly, this opens up expanded roles on fifteen teams that had previously been seeing a pitcher take up the 9 spot in the lineup. I'll take Robinson Cano for example. With the Mets having a big offseason and Cano coming off a lengthy suspension, he likely would've found himself buried on the bench with too small of a role to consider in fantasy leagues. Now with the DH spot open, it's entirely possible we see Cano take the majority of at bats in that spot, potentially opening a role for him to make himself relevant again. This situation will be the case for a handful of players this season. 

Once the lockout is over, this will have a major impact on the rest of the offseason moves. Aging free agents primed to be a DH only in the coming years will now have interest from many more teams than they would have before. This will also open up the trade market a bit more for teams with those types of players as well. It's also important to note that this is not good news for National League pitchers as they will be facing more complete lineups and will essentially have to get extra outs as pitchers were usually a free out at the plate. I'm more focusing on the hitting side of the change for now, though. 

In general the universal DH is a crucial change in the fantasy baseball world, and one that will only benefit fantasy owners. We can now leave behind the days of only having one or two DHs worth rostering. Now we’ll see guys take advantage of their new opportunities and make names for themselves. Not everybody agrees that the DH is good for baseball, though I personally do, but it will be hard to argue the benefits at least in fantasy.