Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts downplayed the likelihood that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound before the conclusion of the regular season or the postseason. While Roberts stopped short of an official pitching shutdown when speaking with reporters, he pointed to the remaining calendar and throwing progression. Not officially,
Roberts said, according to MLB.com. But obviously, if you’re looking at the calendar, how much he’s thrown in the last week, I think we can all do the math.
Shohei Ohtani Unlikely to Pitch Again This Season, Dave Roberts Confirms
Ohtani has not pitched in a big-league game since July 3. His latest attempt to return was halted on August 28 during a bullpen session in Detroit due to discomfort in his right knee and a sore right biceps. Roberts also noted that Ohtani stopped throwing plyo balls, further pushing back any potential pitching timeline. With only about three weeks remaining in the regular season, Roberts stated that it is unlikely
Ohtani will have enough time to build up the necessary arm strength to pitch even an inning or two as an opener in October.
Health Concerns and Offensive Slump
The physical demands of managing a two-way workload have taken a heavy toll. Dating back to June, Ohtani has dealt with multiple lingering physical issues, including left knee soreness, a right biceps issue, and neck discomfort. Ohtani missed four consecutive games from Thursday onward, sitting out the starting lineup while managing these health concerns.
Ohtani’s offensive numbers nosedived as he attempted to balance his hitting duties with a pitching rehab program. Since restarting his throwing program on August 15, Ohtani batted around .203 with a .742 OPS over a tough stretch of at-bats. General manager Brandon Gomes acknowledged the difficult balance, though he noted it was hard to definitively link the offensive slump entirely to his physical health. Despite the struggles, Ohtani maintains a .279 batting average, a .906 OPS, and 30 home runs on the year, alongside a stellar 1.79 ERA across 14 pitching starts.
Weighing an Injured List Stint
The Dodgers evaluated whether to place Ohtani on the injured list, but doing so for a two-way player requires a mandatory 15-day minimum stint—the same timeline applied to pitchers—rather than the 10-day IL available to position players. Team leadership was ultimately unwilling to lose his bat for that extended period.
However, Ohtani’s recent recovery setback kept him out of the designated hitter role for multiple games. Following a successful batting practice session in the batting cage on Saturday, Roberts expressed hope that Ohtani could return to his regular designated hitter duties for Monday’s series opener against the Cincinnati Reds.
Postseason Rotation Outlook
With Ohtani expected to remain exclusively a one-way player for the rest of the year, the Dodgers are prioritizing his health at the plate for their upcoming championship defense. The franchise previously won the 2024 World Series without Ohtani pitching at all.
For the upcoming postseason, Los Angeles features a projected top starting rotation that includes: * Yoshinobu Yamamoto * Tarik Skubal * Blake Snell * Tyler Glasnow
Additional depth arms, such as Roki Sasaki, Eric Lauer, and Justin Wrobleski, are also capable of covering bulk innings. With that formidable pitching depth already in place, Roberts and the organization opted to shut down Ohtani’s pitching rehabilitation to ensure his bat remains healthy for the postseason stretch.
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