“He came out of it well,” Roberts said after Ohtani hit coach-pitch batting practice on Friday. “I think for me, I’m just really waiting to hear when he’s going to get on the field, let alone take live BP or Trajekt. And he’s not there yet. But everything I’ve heard, it’s been a really productive last three to four to five days. He’s in a good spot.”

Days ago, the Dodgers clinched their spot in the postseason, and now all eyes are on making another trip to the World Series. For this team, having Ohtani available by then could be crucial.

Ohtani wants to return at 100%

Dodgers fans held their breath when Shohei Ohtani hit the 15-day injured list earlier this September after dealing with a pesky combination of right biceps inflammation and knee soreness. The two-way superstar officially went on the shelf on September 10 (backdated to September 8) after lingering discomfort kept him out of multiple lineups.

Fortunately, it looks like a short-term hit rather than a long-term disaster—Ohtani is eligible to return as early as September 23 for the final stretch of the regular season, though he’s putting his pitching program on pause to focus purely on bringing his massive bat back to the DH spot for October.

Dodgers’ final stretch

Before stepping into the October pressure cooker, the Dodgers are closing out the regular season with an all-NL West gauntlet that will test their postseason readiness. They wrap up their current home series against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on September 19 and 20, before staying put in Los Angeles to host a high-stakes three-game clash against the San Diego Padres from September 22 to 24.

Finally, Chavez Ravine gets a breather as LA travels up north to Oracle Park for one last three-game rivalry rematch against the Giants from September 25 to 27. It’s a pure divisional stretch run to fine-tune the roster and tune up the bats before the real drama begins.

Roberts said that Diaz is set to rejoin the team in Los Angeles, after his series finale against the Cincinnati Reds. Once activated, he will initially be deployed in low-leverage situations before earning opportunities in high-leverage spots.

With Roberts applying pressure on Diaz to step up, the right-hander has a chance to prove his acquisition wasn’t in vain after a regular season derailed by injuries.

With Edgardo Henriquez sidelined for the remainder of the regular season but expected to return for October, Diaz faces a critical window to solidify his case for a playoff roster spot.

Roberts’ comments on Shohei Ohtani

Speaking to reporters prior to the series finale against the Reds, Roberts offered an encouraging update on Shohei Ohtani’s recovery following his stint on the 15-day injured list.

“He is back to progressing today. He should be getting some coach pitch this week. There’s no pain. He’s doing everything he needs to do. Everything I hear is really positive,“ Roberts remarked.

As October approaches, Roberts is banking on both Diaz and Ohtani returning to form, giving the Dodgers two massive weapons as they push toward another World Series run.

However, manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Henriquez’s postseason availability hinges on upcoming MRI results on his back. The injury has already officially ruled the right-hander out for the remainder of the regular season.

Henriquez has developed into a reliable high-leverage power arm in Los Angeles’ relief corps. Known for his elite fastball velocity and rapid ascent through the farm system, he turned into a vital bridge late in games during a breakout 2026 campaign.

With key contributors like Edwin Diaz still uncertain for the postseason due to lack of performance, Roberts is eager for the rest of his roster to reach full strength heading into the stretch run.

Who can replace Henriquez on the roster?

Henriquez was providing standout relief performance for Los Angeles, making his injury a notable blow to a pitching staff already adjusting to Diaz’s struggles and Shohei Ohtani’s stint on the injured list.

Rookie left-hander Justin Wrobleski could step up to fill Henriquez’s vacancy for the remainder of the regular season while other key arms work their way back, including Roki Sasaki, who is currently undergoing rehab with the medical staff.

In the rotation, Roberts can rely on aces like Tarik Skubal and veteran Blake Snell to anchor the pitching staff. Even with the mounting injuries, the Dodgers hope their recovering stars can return in time for October to help secure that elusive third straight World Series title.

Roberts offered a blunt assessment regarding the veteran reliever’s potential return to the big league bullpen. “He needs to pitch better. It hasn’t been good,” Roberts said of Diaz’s ongoing effort to regain his rhythm ahead of the postseason.

In his initial outings with Los Angeles, Diaz struggled mightily with both velocity and command. Over 16 appearances, he was hit hard to the tune of an 11.85 ERA and a 2.56 WHIP, surrendering 18 earned runs in just 13.2 innings.

With Shohei Ohtani sidelined for the remainder of the regular season, Diaz was initially expected to play a key role out of the bullpen down the stretch. However, Roberts’ candid evaluation poured cold water on those expectations, making it clear that Diaz won’t return until he proves he can effectively execute his pitches.

Is there a realistic path to the playoff roster for Diaz?

Despite Diaz working diligently to rebuild his form, his role in the Dodgers‘ pursuit of a championship run remains deeply uncertain. Los Angeles simply cannot afford unreliability in high-leverage October situations.

Diaz’s chances of making the postseason cut will depend on a dramatic late turn of performance in Triple-A, or an unexpected opening in the bullpen created by an injury or fatigue to another reliever on the staff.

Diaz’s Triple-A rehab performance

During his rehabilitation stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Diaz has continued to battle severe command issues. Giving up multiple earned runs in key appearances, his minor league outings have raised serious red flags regarding his readiness to rejoin the Dodgers’ bullpen.

• Games Played (G): 11
• Wins – Losses (W-L): 1 – 1
• Earned Run Average (ERA): 8.00
• Innings Pitched (IP): 9.0
• Strikeouts (SO): 15
• WHIP: 1.78

“It’s the right thing to do; we tried to kick the can down the road as much as we could,” Roberts told reporters. In a corresponding move, the Dodgers are calling up top prospect Josue De Paula, who is set to step in at designated hitter Friday night against the Miami Marlins.

De Paula stands among the crown jewels of the Dodgers’ farm system. A top-five prospect in the organization according to MLB Pipeline, the power-hitting outfielder could offer immediate reinforcement for a franchise eyeing a historic three-peat this October.

While Roberts officially shut down Ohtani on the mound for the remainder of the year, optimism remains surrounding his bat. The hope is that the two-way phenom can recover in time for the regular-season finale against the rival San Francisco Giants.

Expected impact from De Paula

With Ohtani sidelined, Los Angeles is relying on De Paula to help absorb the void left by the two-time MVP. Though their skill sets and career profiles are vastly different, the rookie’s minor league production suggests he is capable of making a smooth transition against Miami.

De Paula is coming off a heavy workload in the minors, appearing in a career-high 124 games this season. He set personal bests across the board with 27 home runs, 106 runs scored, 152 hits, and 104 RBIs, numbers that have Dodgers fans eager to see how quickly his bat translates to the big leagues.

As the Dodgers put the finishing touches on another postseason berth, taking care of business against the Marlins remains a top priority. For De Paula, the series marks a crucial opportunity to prove that his four years of development in the system have fully paid off.

“You know all these other teams probably hate us. They think we’re like the new Dodgers or something like that,” Lake said, according to Gary Klein of the LA Times. The Dodgers are seen as the ‘team to beat‘ in the MLB given how many stars they have on the roster. The Rams have reached that level.

Lake, who is one of the team’s captains, will have new partners on the secondary with stars like Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. Add that pair to the fact that Aaron Donald is back and they traded for Myles Garrett, and you can see why people would actually compare them to the Dodgers.

The Rams are elite in every area of the roster

Offense is undoubtedly a top-tier unit for the Rams. They have the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford, elite WR duo in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, a top-tier running game with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, and solid tight end depth.

As for the defense, two future Hall of Famers are in the trenches with Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett, joined by the likes of Poona Ford and Byron Young. Then, Lake, Watson, and McDuffie round up a great secondary. Then, you have a highly-touted defensive coordinator in Chris Shula and arguable the NFL’s best head coach in Sean McVay.

How many games are the Rams projected to win?

Vegas odds have the Rams as the favorites to win the Super Bowl. The Rams are also projected to win the most games in the regular season. They are expected to win around 11-to-12 games according to the lines.

The Dodgers have had plenty of success with this method. The Rams hope their aggressive approach pays off just like it did for their MLB counterparts. After all, they are going all in for players in their prime, as opposed to a patient rebuild.

“Shohei Ohtani is not officially ruled out from pitching, ‘but we can all do the math,’ Roberts said,” as reported by The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. Ohtani is dealing with injuries to his knee, neck and biceps, so it’s easy to see why having him on the mound could do Los Angeles more harm than good in the home stretch of the MLB campaign.

Roberts’ statement allows Dodgers fans to hold on to a sliver of hope, but it doesn’t look like Ohtani will pitch again this year, and fans may not want him to do so, either. After all, there’s a reason the Boys in Blue went after Tarik Skubal and boast a rotation that is the envy of the rest of the league.

All that matters now is getting Ohtani back at the plate as soon and as healthy as possible. Someone else can take care of the mound, and Los Angeles has no shortage of elite options in its rotation.

Ohtani could be back soon

While the latest report on Ohtani put the Dodgers in a tough injured-list dilemma, it seems he won’t miss much more time. Before long, he will be back, as Roberts has now revealed.

“If all goes well [on Sunday], Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani will be in there [on the Dodgers’ lineup on Monday],” Ardaya reported on his X account.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will host the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, Sept. 7, and it appears Ohtani, who is considered day-to-day, could return to action in the series opener. Serving as a designated hitter, Ohtani could get key at-bats while not taking many re-injury risks.

Ohtani’s batting stats in 2026

Although what makes Ohtani such a magical and unique phenom in MLB is his two-way ability, he can still put on a show when focusing on one side of the ball. So far in the 2026 MLB season, Ohtani has played 129 games (only pitched in 14) and has recorded 89 runs, 139 hits, 30 home runs, 80 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Moreover, he has a .279 batting average and a .906 OPS.

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.

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.

Ohtani hasn’t played since Sep. 2, as he deals with injuries on several fronts. Soon, the Dodgers will have to make a decision about placing the Japanese superstar on the injured list, but it isn’t that easy. Moreover, insider Jeff Passan dropped a deflating update on where Ohtani stands health-wise. Based on the report, the Dodgers will lose Ohtani as a pitching option for the remainder of the season.

“Don’t forget about [Ohtani’s] neck strain, either. Shohei Ohtani is all kinds of banged up right now,” Passan stated on SportsCenter. “The Dodgers need to figure out whether they are going to put him on the injured list.”

Why IL means more for Ohtani, Dodgers

As Passan commented, an IL designation for Ohtani would be different from one for most players around MLB. That’s because Ohtani is a two-way player, not a mere position player. That distinctive trait that Los Angeles has exploited with Ohtani would come at a cost.

“Because if they do [place Ohtani on IL], because he is a two-way player that means he would have to go in for 15 days, rather than the 10 for a position player,” Passan explained. “At that point, you’re starting to push against the edge of the end of the regular season to get those at-bats and get him back in rhythm once he comes off the injured list.”

Dodgers need Ohtani in postseason

The Dodgers are first in the NL West with an 85-57 record and the third-best record across all of MLB. Barring an improbable disaster, their ticket to the postseason is punched. They could go the rest of the regular season without Ohtani and suffer no setbacks. However, they need to get Ohtani back in action and find his footing before the playoffs come around.

Indeed, Los Angeles is so stacked that one could make the case it’s a World Series favorite even without Ohtani, but having Ohtani healthy and—most importantly—firing on all cylinders just puts them on another level, one that no other team in the Show may be able to reach.

Dodgers must make IL decision

Thus, a decision about placing Ohtani on the injured list is crucial. The Dodgers could place Ohtani on the 15-day IL, making it retroactive to Sept. 3, meaning the pitcher-batter could return on Sept. 18, with nine games left on the regular-season schedule.

Whatever decision the team lands on, it must get moving and make it fast. The clock is ticking, the postseason is around the corner, and Ohtani needs as much rest and treatment as he can get.

Roberts confirmed that Ohtani remains “day-to-day.” While the club is holding out hope that he can avoid a stint on the injured list, the manager expressed a distinct lack of confidence, leaving the superstar’s immediate availability in serious doubt.

With the postseason rapidly approaching, the Dodgers now find themselves playing a waiting game with Ohtani, the generational talent whose presence in the lineup is pivotal to their stretch run and World Series aspirations.

While the Dodgers remain fixated on the pennant race, the front office continues to explore roster upgrades. A recent report revealed that Los Angeles targeted two New York Yankees catchers leading up to the trade deadline to bolster backstop depth.

How can Roberts manage Ohtani’s potential absence?

Offensively, losing Ohtani’s middle-of-the-order presence leaves a void, but Roberts can leverage an elite core anchored by Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernandez to absorb those lost plate appearances.

By sliding Betts and Freeman seamlessly into top-of-the-order roles, the Dodgers ensure consistent run production while turning the vacated Designated Hitter spot into a strategic rest tool.

The Dodgers’ roster construction gives the front office the flexibility to prioritize long-term health without sacrificing short-term divisional standings. Integrating versatile bench assets and utility options keeps defense tight while allowing key everyday players to cycle through DH duties.

Ohtani’s performance this season

While Ohtani’s offensive output hasn’t quite matched his historic pace from previous seasons, he remains a vital force in the lineup. Managing both hitting and pitching duties throughout the campaign likely accounts for the slight dip in his overall numbers.

Here is a breakdown of his statistics in the 2026 MLB season:

• Games Played (G): 133
• Plate Appearances (PA): 592
• At-Bats (AB): 499
• Batting Average (AVG): .279
• On-Base Percentage (OBP): .381
• Slugging Percentage (SLG): .525
• OPS: .906
• Home Runs (HR): 30
• Runs Batted In (RBI): 80
• Runs Scored (R): 89
• Hits (H): 139
• Doubles (2B): 25
• Triples (3B): 4
• Walks (BB): 81
• Stolen Bases (SB): 11

According to MLB insider Pat Ragazzo, the Dodgers are monitoring JC Escarra and Ali Sanchez to upgrade their depth behind the plate. Both backstops have put together productive campaigns that could make them valuable assets for Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, the Yankees face immense pressure to win a championship this year. General manager Brian Cashman’s future is reportedly on the line as New York desperate to snap a 17-year World Series title drought.

The Bronx Bombers are navigating several roster headaches, including rumors of Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s potential departure to the cross-town rival New York Mets. Still, it isn’t all doom and gloom in the Bronx, as rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler proved by matching a historic MLB feat.

What both catchers bring to the Dodgers

Acquiring Escarra would give Los Angeles a versatile, left-handed bench weapon who seamlessly covers multiple roster needs. Beyond his primary catching duties, Escarra’s experience at first base and in the corner outfield offers key tactical flexibility, allowing manager Dave Roberts to deploy him as a late-inning pinch hitter or defensive replacement without compromising depth behind the plate.

Additionally, his left-handed power stroke brings natural balance against right-handed pitching, giving the Dodgers a tactical edge during late-game matchup battles.

Sanchez, on the other hand, offers a steady, right-handed defensive anchor with proven big-league experience. Highly regarded for his game-calling, blocking, and handling of high-velocity pitching staffs, Sanchez represents a reliable, low-risk backstop capable of taking on spot starts to absorb the physical wear and tear of the position.

With plenty of issues to sort out and the postseason fast approaching, anticipation is building in the Bronx as New York makes its final push toward securing a World Series spot.