“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.

“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.

“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

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.

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.

“Felt good the next day, and I should be throwing another bullpen tomorrow, assuming everything feels good,” he said after Dodgers’ 11-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Dave Roberts can be hopeful about getting his biggest star back at full strength.

The Dodgers’ offensive struggles have been a concern for the manager during this stretch of the season. Now that Ohtani appears to be getting back to full strength, the future looks promising.

Elite pitching rotation for the Dodgers

At full strength, it’s clear that the Dodgers have one of the most formidable pitching rotations in the league. Alongside Ohtani, they have Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal, two elite pitchers in MLB.

In addition, despite dealing with various injuries, Dave Roberts has more options at his disposal. Blake Snell is back after missing an extended period, while Tyler Glasnow and Gavin Stone are working their way back through rehab assignments in the minor leagues. Meanwhile, Justin Wrobleski was recently added to the injured list.

Ohtani’s numbers on the mound

In 14 starts across 85.2 innings of work on the mound in 2026, Shohei Ohtani has posted an impressive 8–2 record alongside a dominant 1.79 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Armed with elite strikeout metrics—highlighted by 95 strikeouts (9.98 K/9) against just 26 walks—his overall pitching contributions have been worth roughly 3.0 WAR, anchoring the Dodgers’ rotation with true frontline performance.

Skubal won a historic salary arbitration case for the 2026 season, securing a $32 million salary. After completing the trade, the Dodgers assumed the remaining prorated portion of that deal, meaning they will pay approximately $10.3 million to $10.5 million through the end of the regular season.

Ohtani‘s annual salary situation is entirely different. Although he signed a 10-year, $700 million contract ahead of the 2024 season, he agreed to defer $680 million of the deal, receiving just $2 million in annual salary through 2033. The remaining deferred payments—worth $68 million per year—will begin in 2034.

Looking ahead, Skubal is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. After winning multiple Cy Young Awards, he is expected to pursue a long-term contract worth approximately $35 million to $40 million annually, without deferred payments.

The Dodgers-Tigers trade

As reported by Jeff Passan on X, the blockbuster trade sends two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for a three-prospect package heading to the Detroit Tigers: outfielder Zyhir Hope along with right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith.

In pursuit of a three-peat

With a dominant 69–42 record atop the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers have firmly cemented their status as clear favorites to capture a third consecutive World Series title. Bolstering an already elite roster, the addition of Skubal gives Los Angeles an unstoppable rotation alongside Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Blake Snell, positioning the franchise for a historic championship three-peat.

How much can Skubal give the Dodgers?

Before the trade, Skubal was once again performing as one of baseball’s premier left-handers for Detroit in 2026, posting a 2.79 ERA, a 7–5 record, and 114 strikeouts over 96.2 innings pitched across 16 starts. His ability to neutralize elite righty-heavy lineups provides Los Angeles with the ultimate rotation anchor, making their path through October virtually unassailable.

Following the 7-6 defeat at Dodger Stadium, Roberts explained that Ohtani’s throwing program was paused. “I think there is an effect from the lower half to the compromising of the upper half, the arm. Trying to mitigate that, we stopped the throwing, stopped the bullpens — hopefully, number one, take care of the knee and then not have him try to create velocity with the arm that’s not 100 percent,” Roberts said, according to MLB.com.

Despite the concerns surrounding his pitching return, Ohtani showed no signs of slowing down offensively. The Dodgers star hit a leadoff home run, his 23rd of the season, and later added an RBI single and an RBI double in the loss to Seattle.

What is the latest update on Shohei Ohtani’s injury?

After Roberts revealed the Dodgers’ trade‑deadline approach despite injury concerns, he detailed how Ohtani’s knee inflammation had already affected his running progression, while the biceps discomfort emerged after he adjusted his throwing mechanics to compensate for the lower‑body issue.

“If we look at him and his value for our ballclub, we need him in the lineup. The swing, the running of the bases, the knee, the arm — it doesn’t compromise that,” Roberts said after the game.

Will Shohei Ohtani pitch again this season?

Although Ohtani’s return to the mound has been delayed, Roberts said the Dodgers haven’t changed their expectation that he could pitch again if his recovery progresses as planned.

“If the World Series is next week, no [he would not pitch]. He hasn’t been off the mound in three weeks. Whenever that is, there has to be a buildup,” Roberts said. For now, the Dodgers remain focused on keeping Ohtani productive at the plate while carefully managing his return as a pitcher during the final stretch of the season.

Speaking after the win, Roberts pointed to a key moment in the seventh inning when Arizona elected to intentionally walk Ohtani rather than challenge him with a runner on third base. “You want there to be a tax when you walk Shohei,” Roberts said, according to MLB.com.

The strategy ultimately backfired for the Diamondbacks. Ohtani later scored during a two-run inning that proved decisive, helping the Dodgers improve their recent run of success even as manager Roberts, who recently opened up on Kike Hernandez’s injury update, continues to guide a roster managing various health concerns.

Ohtani continues to power Dodgers offense

Ohtani wasted no time making his presence felt. He opened the game with a double and later came around to score on Freddie Freeman’s ninth home run of the season. In the second inning, he delivered again, ripping a two-run triple to right field after Dalton Rushing and Alex Freeland reached base.

The Dodgers built an early advantage behind Ohtani’s production, and although Arizona mounted a late comeback attempt, Los Angeles held on for the victory. Ohtani finished the night with two extra-base hits and continued a stretch that has seen him reestablish himself as one of baseball’s most dangerous hitters.

Since May 12, Ohtani has been one of the hottest players in the league, batting .420 with 13 extra-base hits. That surge comes after a difficult opening stretch in which he hit .233 across his first 38 games while searching for consistency at the plate.

Dodgers thriving as Ohtani finds his rhythm

The timing of Ohtani’s turnaround has coincided with one of the Dodgers’ strongest stretches of the season. Los Angeles has won 15 of its last 19 games, using a combination of elite pitching and improved offensive production to remain among the National League’s top contenders.

As the Dodgers continue their push through the summer months, Ohtani’s resurgence gives the club another reason for optimism. And based on Roberts’ comments, opposing teams may continue to think twice before pitching to him in critical situations.