Shohei Ohtani’s season has hit a jarring pause at exactly the wrong time for the Dodgers.
Los Angeles placed its two-way star on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 9, and manager Dave Roberts made it clear the club waited as long as it could before making the move. Ohtani, who opened the year with a real shot at a fourth straight MVP, now has to sit out the next stretch as the Dodgers push toward October.
“It’s the right thing to do, we tried to kick the bucket as much as we could," Roberts said.
The latest setback comes after Ohtani was dealing with pain in his left knee, right biceps and neck. He had already been out of the starting lineup for three straight games last week before returning on Sept.
- In the Dodgers’ 6-3 win over the Reds that day, he went 0-3 with a walk and two strikeouts, then ended up back on the bench.
Roberts later confirmed Ohtani was going on the IL after Los Angeles’ 14-1 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday night.
This isn’t new territory for Ohtani during this season. On June 11, he came out of a game after feeling pain in his left knee while trying to steal a base against the Pirates.
Three weeks later, he was pinch-hit for after tightness showed up in his right biceps. He has not pitched since before the All-Star Break, and he told reporters he was not planning to try to return to the mound for the 2026 season.
Even with Ohtani sidelined, the Dodgers still sit in World Series-contending territory. But his absence changes the shape of the stretch run, especially with the postseason closing in fast.
The AL and NL Wild Card series begin on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with the Divisional Round starting Oct. 3.
Because Ohtani is still listed as a two-way player, the rules keep him out for 15 days rather than the usual 10. That means he cannot return to the Dodgers’ lineup until Sept.
- MLB’s current collective bargaining agreement with MLBPA requires pitchers and two-way players to remain in the dugout for 15 days before rejoining action.
Los Angeles also made a roster move to fill the spot, calling up outfielder Josue De Paula, MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 prospect.
The Dodgers now move through a packed final stretch without their biggest name in the lineup. Their remaining schedule runs through Sept. 27 and includes trips to Miami and Cincinnati, a home series against the Giants, three games against the Padres, and then a final set at San Francisco.
Ohtani’s injury record has included plenty of bumps over the years. He has dealt with nagging elbow trouble and occasional hand issues, and he missed three seasons because of Tommy John surgery, remaining limited to hitting in 2019, 2020 and 2023.
He stayed in the lineup through those stretches, and in 2023 he won NL MVP after what the source described as perhaps the greatest season ever for a designated hitter. He also had operations on his knee and ankle while with NPB’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Without him, the Dodgers’ lineup looks different, and Roberts may keep shuffling the pieces. One possible alignment has Tommy Edman leading off in center field, followed by Will Smith as the DH, Mookie Betts at shortstop, Max Muncy at third, Teoscar Hernandez in left, Kyle Tucker in right, Hunter Feduccia catching, Alex Freeland at second and Kike Hernandez at first. Smith could also catch at times, while Freeman and De Paula could see time as the designated hitter depending on the matchup.
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