Ohtani missed his fourth consecutive game as designated hitter due to ongoing left knee soreness, right biceps discomfort, and neck stiffness, though he could return to the lineup as soon as Monday.
Shohei Ohtani Not Likely To Pitch Again In 2026
Shohei Ohtani’s ambitious bid to return to a dual role as a hitter and pitcher in 2026 has hit a definitive wall. Since Thursday, the Dodgers have penciled in their starting lineups without Shohei Ohtani in his usual spot at the top. Sunday marked the fourth straight game with Ohtani absent from the starting nine while managing health concerns, but his return may be in sight. Ohtani could possibly be back in the Dodgers’ starting lineup on Monday, manager Dave Roberts said before Sunday’s series finale against the Nationals at Dodger Stadium. His latest attempt to ramp up his arm ended abruptly on August 28 during a bullpen session in Detroit, where he experienced a setback due to right knee and right biceps discomfort. Ohtani hasn’t thrown since a bullpen session on August 28, which was reportedly going to be the final step before Ohtani started the Dodgers’ game with the Tigers last Sunday. While that outing would’ve just been a one-inning assignment as an opener, the plan was for Ohtani to gradually rebuild his arm strength over increasingly long stints of game action, so Los Angeles could’ve at least had the option of using Ohtani as more or less a normal starter in the playoffs. Those plans were scuttled, however, when Ohtani cut short that August 28 bullpen due to discomfort in his right knee specifically, and a sore right biceps. The situation extended to Ohtani being held out of the Dodgers’ lineup entirely for the last four games, but Roberts feels Ohtani could be able to return to his hitting duties. According to The Athletics’ Fabian Ardaya, the Dodgers’ two-way superstar recently suffered another setback amid his return to pitching. Shohei Ohtani has also stopped throwing pylo balls, Dave Roberts said,
Ardaya reports, leaving team leadership to determine what this means for a potential pitching timeline. Certainly pushes it back,
Roberts said. While the pylo ball work wasn’t exactly putting Ohtani on the doorstep of a major-league mound, stopping his progression entirely signaled a significant roadblock. Dating back to June, Ohtani has dealt with multiple lingering physical issues, including left knee concerns. Subsequent work with plyo balls was also halted, further pushing back any realistic timeline. Ohtani was not in the Dodgers’ lineup for a fourth consecutive game Sunday as he manages injuries to his left knee, right biceps and neck, the longest he’s gone without playing since signing with the Dodgers three seasons ago. The player was shut down from physical activity after appearing clearly physically compromised when he last played Wednesday. Lineup Absence and Hitting Performance
Shohei Ohtani could return to Dodgers lineup Monday
The physical toll of balancing a pitching rehabilitation program while maintaining an everyday role as designated hitter manifested clearly last week. Ohtani came away well after hitting in the cage on Saturday, and if he continues to feel good after going through a full day of work on Sunday, that should clear him for Monday’s game with the Reds. Ohtani has since shown more progress, Roberts said, including going through his typical hitting routine during Saturday’s 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals. If Ohtani gets through Sunday without a setback, Roberts said he could return to the lineup. Keeping Ohtani healthy as a hitter likely means his season is done as a pitcher. There was already likely not enough time for Ohtani to build up enough to make full-fledged starts in October, but Roberts also downplayed the idea of Ohtani being able to throw an inning at a time.
Until he’s written in the lineup, we don’t know 100 percent, but I’m hopeful,
Roberts said.
Dodgers Rotation Depth and MVP Race Implications
Brandon Gomes and Dave Roberts address Ohtani’s status
The Dodgers resisted accepting this reality as long as they could, with general manager Brandon Gomes refusing to say as recently as Thursday that Ohtani wouldn’t pitch again this season. Eventually, the calendar won out. Ohtani hasn’t been officially shut down as a pitcher, Roberts said on Sunday, but with only three weeks remaining in the regular season, he doesn’t have sufficient time to build up the necessary arm strength required to take the mound in the postseason. Ohtani has posted 6.5 bWAR this season and has been one of the best players in baseball overall. Even though he’s missed some time and hasn’t pitched since early July, his season-long numbers are more than good enough to justify MVP votes.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers and Ohtani, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale notes, this recent setback and absence from the lineup have likely ended the National League MVP debate, with Pete Crow-Armstrong practically guaranteed to win the award now. It was an unbelievable run, but Shohei Ohtani's bid for a fourth consecutive MVP award is over, with his recent struggles with nagging injuries preventing him from returning to the mound,
Nightengale writes. It's Pete Crow-Armstrong's award to lose.
The only issue for Ohtani is that Crow-Armstrong has been on an all-time hot streak, while Ohtani’s extended pitching absence and recent offensive slump have effectively cleared the path for the competition.