Shohei Ohtani’s long-awaited trip to the injured list has finally arrived, and it lands at a critical moment for the Dodgers.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts announced on Sept. 9 that Ohtani was placed on the 15-day IL, pushing the two-way star out of action as the club enters the stretch run. Ohtani began the year with hopes of chasing a fourth straight MVP, and for much of the first half he looked like the clear favorite. But injuries have slowed him down, and now there’s a real possibility he finishes the season watching from the dugout.
The latest setback traces back to a cluster of issues: Ohtani is dealing with his left knee, right biceps and neck. He was held out of the Dodgers’ starting lineup for three straight games last week, then returned on Sept.
- In that game, a 6-3 win over the Reds, he went 0-3 with a walk and two strikeouts before heading back to the bench.
Roberts later confirmed after Los Angeles’ 14-1 win over Cincinnati on Wednesday night that Ohtani was going on the IL because of those injuries.
This isn’t the first time those body parts have given him trouble this season. On June 11, Ohtani was removed 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 experiencing tightness in his right biceps. He has not pitched since before the All-Star Break, and Ohtani has said he was not planning to return to the mound for the 2026 season.
Roberts said the Dodgers waited as long as they could before making the move.
“It’s the right thing to do, we tried to kick the bucket as much as we could," Roberts said.
Because Ohtani is a two-way player, the IL stint carries a 15-day restriction rather than the usual 10. Los Angeles brought up outfielder Josue De Paula, who is No. 6 on MLB Pipeline’s prospect list, to take his place.
Ohtani cannot return to the Dodgers’ lineup until Sept. 23. Even though he won’t pitch again this year, he still retains his two-way status, which means pitchers and two-way players must remain in the dugout for 15 days before they can return, per MLB’s latest collective bargaining agreement with MLBPA.
The timing matters with the postseason looming. The MLB playoffs begin on Tuesday, Sept. 29 with the AL and NL Wild Card series, and the Divisional Round starts on Oct. 3.
For now, Los Angeles will have to navigate the final weeks without its biggest name. Roberts’ lineup options are already shifting, with Tommy Edman, Will Smith, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Teoscar Hernandez, Kyle Tucker, Hunter Feduccia, Alex Freeland and Kike Hernandez projected in the nine spots. Smith could also move behind the plate at times, while Freeman and De Paula could factor into the designated hitter role depending on the matchup.
Ohtani’s injury history has been part of the story for years. He has dealt with elbow trouble and occasional hand issues, and he has missed three seasons because of Tommy John surgery, staying limited to hitting during the 2019, 2020 and 2023 seasons.
Even with those setbacks, he has usually stayed in the lineup, including in 2023 when he won NL MVP honors after what was described as perhaps the greatest season ever for a designated hitter. He has also had operations on his knee and ankle during his time with NPB’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
The Dodgers’ remaining regular-season schedule runs from Sept. 11 through Sept. 27, starting with three games at the Marlins, then four at the Reds, followed by home series against the Giants and Padres, and ending with three more games at the Giants.
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