The latest report on Shohei Ohtani has put the Los Angeles Dodgers in a very tough dilemma. And still, that’s not the end of it. With the 2026 MLB regular season entering its home stretch, the Boys in Blue may have to make do without Ohtani in their rotation.
According to a report from MLB insider Jeff Passan, that’s the way things are looking for the Dodgers. Gearing up for the final month of the regular season and the postseason, it seems all but certain Los Angeles’ best player won’t be available on the mound.
“At this point, what’s becoming clear, and far likelier, is that we’re not going to see Shohei Ohtani pitch again,” Jeff Passan reported on SportsCenter. “While the Dodgers have plenty of starting pitching depth, they were hoping that one of their best starters and a guy who was in Cy Young mix when he was pitching would be around come October.”
Dodgers’ starting rotation faces setbacks
Although a household name and the best player in MLB, Ohtani is only another name added to the long list of injuries in the Dodgers’ starting rotation. Los Angeles has yet to decide whether Ohtani will be placed on the injured list. Either way, the IL is filled with Dodgers’ starters. Roki Sasaki and Eric Lauer are on the 15-day IL, while Gavin Stone remains on the 60-day IL.
Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As things stand, with Ohtani considered day-to-day, the Boys in Blue are rocking with a four-man rotation: Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow. Not too shabby, but being without Ohtani still hurts.
The Dodgers don’t always employ Ohtani as an ace, but it’s still nice to have the option. With the 32-year-old Japanese star dealing with injuries on more than one front, that seems to be off the table for LA. They will have to make do without Ohtani and chase a three-peat in MLB with him as a pure position player.
Ohtani’s injury
Ohtani has been inactive since his last appearance on Sept. 2. He is dealing with inflammation in his left knee and discomfort in his right biceps. Moreover, Passan noted that he isn’t fully healed from a neck strain that’s bothered him throughout the 2026 MLB season.
In his last five games, Ohtani has recorded just two hits, leading his batting average on the season to drop from .285 to .279. Ohtani’s OPS has also steadily declined from .927 to .901.
