6-for-6, 3 home runs, 10 RBI, and 2 stolen bases- this was Shohei Ohtani two years ago, entering the 50/50 club. Since then, Ohtani has helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win two consecutive World Series titles. However, marred by multiple injuries, the story has been different for the best Dodger this season. The club is chasing a World Series three-peat with Ohtani on the IL. But they need him back in the lineup during the postseason, and as the regular season draws to a close, manager Dave Roberts finally shared a positive update.
“There’s a “good chance” Shohei Ohtani is activated against the Padres, Dave Roberts said. He is eligible on Wednesday,” Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported on X.
Returning to his two-way role full time this season has not been easy for the $700 million Japanese phenom. The season has been full of ups and downs for Shohei Ohtani. Early in the season, his bat took a step back even though he was pitching at Cy Young level.
After a prolonged hitting slump (mid-April to early May) when Ohtani finally found his rhythm at the plate, he could not carry on with his pitching duties for long. Following a lingering left knee inflammation that was aggravated every time he was on the mound, the Dodgers shut him down from throwing. The last time he threw was on July 3 against the San Diego Padres. He had logged a 1.79 ERA with an 8-2 record in 14 starts. The Dodgers began a throwing program with him, but discontinued it after August 28. Despite the reduced workload, Ohtani’s issues did not alleviate.
Ohtani posted a .902 OPS and led the team with 30 homers, per MLB.com, before knee and biceps issues affected his production. On September 2, Ohtani felt discomfort in his biceps and neck against the St. Louis Cardinals. He went 0-for-4, as the Dodgers lost 8-6, and was sidelined for four games. He returned against the Cincinnati Reds on September 7, but went hitless and tweaked his arm. The latest setback finally prompted the Dodgers to place him on the 15-day IL (retroactive to September 8) for the first time during his tenure with the franchise.
Ohtani is eligible to return on Wednesday, during Game 2 of the series against the San Diego Padres. He can return that day or in the finale of the Dodgers’ last home series. Ohtani will have four to five games to get postseason-ready. The four-time MVP has been working toward his return during his IL stint.
Ohtani has progressed well. On Saturday, he swung off a Trajekt Arc pitching machine, ran the bases with strength coach Travis Smith, and took 30-40 swings in the batting cage, per reports. Ohtani will face live pitching when he returns from the IL. He will not go through a minor league rehab assignment. According to Roberts, Ohtani looked “strong” and “fast.” According to hitting coach Aaron Bates, Ohtani will need some time to regain his footing. The Dodgers would hope it happens before the postseason arrives.
“Between (the) machine, live pitching, Trajekt, somewhere in between that, that’s the best you can do,” said Bates, per The Athletic. “Then you kind of fire them out there and see what happens. Just like spring training, it kind of takes guys a little bit of time to get their footing. But it depends on the person. Every guy is a little bit different with how much time they need.”
During Ohtani’s absence, the Dodgers have secured a postseason berth and the division title. But they will need him to boost the lineup in the postseason.
Dodgers secure division title, eyes top NL seed
Earlier in the week, the Dodgers officially secured a postseason berth, defeating the Cincinnati Reds 4-1. The victory confirmed their playoff appearance for the 14th straight year, tying the Atlanta Braves’ all-time record for the most consecutive postseason appearances.
Dave Roberts reportedly said, “We’re just as hungry, hungry as we were in ’24 and ’25. And this is a separate season, and our guys understand that.”
The Dodgers continued to progress throughout the week. They beat the Reds again on Thursday, 8-2, to clinch the fifth consecutive NL West title. It marked their 13th division title in 14 seasons. The San Francisco Giants edged them back in 2021 by just one game.
During this stretch, after a season of underwhelming performance, Kyle Tucker has stepped up. He homered in both games against the Reds, driving the offense in Shohei Ohtani’s absence. Tucker is 9-for-23, including 3 homers, 10 runs, and 5 RBI in his last 7 games.
Holding a 95-60 record, they are only two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. The Dodgers are now aiming for the top NL seed. A first-round bye into the postseason will give the Dodgers an extra five days of rest, as they will play straight into the division series next.