The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in a privileged position atop the NL West, even while going without Shohei Ohtani on the mound since July. According to Dave Roberts, as reported by MLB Network’s David Vassegh on X, Ohtani is not yet at 100% with his knee, making his start against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday uncertain.
His knee is not the only concern surrounding the two-way star, as his overall physical condition is also not quite at full strength. It now appears that his return to the mound could be delayed a little longer than initially expected following his shortened 20-pitch bullpen session on Friday.
Roberts knows he has several alternatives at his disposal, including the talented Tarik Skubal, although it is clear that Ohtani represents something more for this roster. Despite his current situation, the hope of having him back on the mound in the short term remains.
Dodgers need Ohtani on the mound
While Ohtani has continued to impact the lineup as a hitter, the Dodgers desperately need his elite arm back in their starting rotation ahead of October. Before a left knee injury shut him down from pitching in early July, Shohei was flat-out dominant, posting an 8-2 record with a blistering 1.79 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts over 85 2/3 innings.
Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With Los Angeles’ rotation depleted by injuries and consistency issues down the stretch, having Ohtani return to anchor the top of the rotation isn’t just a luxury—it’s the missing piece they need to make a deep, championship-caliber postseason run.
The Dodgers have their eyes on the playoffs
With 28 games left in the regular season, the Dodgers enter the final stretch with a singular goal in mind: securing their place in baseball lore with a historic three-peat. Standing between Los Angeles and postseason momentum are three crucial upcoming series—finishing out a road set against the Detroit Tigers before heading back home to Dodger Stadium to face the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals.
With the Division race tightening down the stretch, every single series matters; the Dodgers need to bank wins now to solidify their playoff seeding and prove they still have the depth to become MLB‘s first back-to-back-to-back World Series champion in over two decades.
