Shohei Ohtani missed his third consecutive game for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday due to lingering physical issues, prompting manager Dave Roberts and team officials to weigh whether the two-way superstar requires a 15-day injured list stint as the regular season enters its final stretch.
The Dodgers find themselves walking a fine line with their marquee player as physical setbacks accumulate in the season’s late stages. Ohtani sat out Saturday’s game against the Washington Nationals, extending an absence that began as a planned rest day following a difficult outing against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Evaluating the Injured List Dilemma for a Two-Way Star
Because Ohtani contributes as both a hitter and a pitcher, any stint on the injured list carries a mandatory 15-day minimum recovery window rather than the standard 10-day period required for position players. Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that the 15-day requirement acts as a deterrent for the club as the team mulls over the decision.
“There’s a chance … that we could almost just be in bed with the idea that whether it’s six, seven, eight days — [it’s] better than [15] days,” Roberts said, “if he’s trending in the right direction.”
Dave Roberts, Manager
Ohtani spent Saturday hitting in the cage, and how his body responds to that workload will dictate the Dodgers’ next steps. Having already missed three full games—the maximum window allowing an IL stint to be backdated—the front office faces immediate pressure to make a definitive call on whether to sideline him.
Lingering Physical Hurdles and Pitching Uncertainty
The current concerns stem from a compounding series of physical ailments dating back to June. Left knee soreness has kept Ohtani off the pitcher’s mound since July 3, while a right biceps issue subsequently disrupted both his hitting mechanics and his pitching rehabilitation timeline. During his recent stretch at the plate after restarting a throwing program in August, Ohtani’s numbers have dipped significantly as he has struck out 32 times over a span where he batted .204.
The situation reached a head on Wednesday against St. Louis, where Ohtani went hitless with four strikeouts and displayed visible discomfort. Roberts later revealed that Ohtani’s neck was bothering him. While the coaching staff recognizes that Ohtani’s competitive drive pushes him to play through pain, Roberts noted that if he’s feeling the way that he visibly looks, then it’s really not helping anyone.
Whether Ohtani will pitch again in a major league game this season remains an open question, with Roberts conceding that shutting him down completely from pitching is a genuine option.
Roster Shuffles and Injured List Returns
Ohtani was not the only prominent Dodger missing from the lineup on Saturday. Infielder Max Muncy sat out due to an illness, while catcher Dalton Rushing was a late scratch experiencing right elbow soreness. Rushing is currently attempting to navigate a partial UCL tear, a delicate process that has limited him primarily to pinch-hitting duties since coming off the injured list.
The wider roster is seeing substantial movement as September brings expanded active lists. Catcher Will Smith and second baseman Alex Freeland returned to action earlier in the week, providing much-needed depth to an offense that has struggled to score runs at expectations over the preceding two months.
Rotation Adjustments and Pitching Rehab Progress
On the pitching front, left-hander Justin Wrobleski is slated to handle bulk innings in the upcoming series finale against Washington. Wrobleski experienced a difficult stretch following his first-half All-Star selection, surrendering 19 earned runs over his previous four starts before returning from forearm inflammation. Despite those recent struggles, Roberts praised his resilience after a six-inning outing against Milwaukee, remarking that it was one bad pitch for me, the Ortiz pitch,
and praising the young lefty’s overall job performance.
Further up the rehabilitation ladder, right-hander Tyler Glasnow is approaching the finish line of his recovery assignment. After tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings, Roberts outlined the final steps for the pitcher before he rejoins the active roster.
“It was a good one yesterday,” Roberts said. “I think our thought is going to do another one, five (innings) and 75 (pitches), and then he’ll join us.”
Dave Roberts, Manager
Decisions Looming in Los Angeles
The immediate focus for the Dodgers centers on Ohtani’s evaluation. With the team scheduled to assess the slugger following his indoor batting session, management expects to make a definitive ruling on whether to absorb a 15-day roster absence or continue managing his recovery day by day.
