Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman just dropped an absolute bombshell for October: he expects Shohei Ohtani back from the injured list *this regular season*. Yeah, you heard that right, before the postseason even kicks off. This isn’t whispered hope; it’s straight from the top, confirming Ohtani’s comeback from right bicep inflammation is on a fast track.
Ohtani hit the 15-day IL last week, his first time sidelined since rocking Dodger blue, and the thought of him missing significant time has been a major gut punch for fans everywhere. But Friedman, speaking to reporters after the Dodgers clinched their incredible fifth straight NL West title, sounded super confident about his superstar. He told everyone Ohtani’s “doing well” and “progessing well.” And get this, it’s not just lip service. We already know that earlier this week Ohtani was taking some actual swings off a tee, his very first since going on the IL. That’s a monumental step forward for the two-way phenom.
The clock is ticking, and the return timeline is getting crystal clear. With his IL stint backdated to September 8, the absolute earliest Ohtani could step back into the lineup is September 23. That date is huge, because the Dodgers will still have five regular season games left on their schedule on that day. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts backed up Friedman’s optimism, saying Ohtani was feeling “good” and they’re locked into a “consistent build-up” plan. Roberts didn’t throw out a specific return timetable, but he’s also hoping Ohtani gets some plate appearances before the postseason lights get too bright. Roberts put it like this: “Whether it happens or not is to be determined, but I do expect him to be back to play in some regular-season games. I don’t know how many.” Meanwhile, the Dodgers are absolutely cruising. They just locked up their NL West title with an 8-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, making it five consecutive for them. And they’d already punched their ticket to the postseason earlier this week, marking their 14th straight year in the playoffs.
So, yeah, Ohtani isn’t just going to be some October myth. He’s coming back to finish the regular season, even if it’s for a few precious games. The exact number of at-bats is still up in the air, and Friedman was tight-lipped on that one. But with the Dodgers already gearing up for their 14th straight playoff run, having their biggest star back before the postseason hits is an absolute game-changer for the entire National League. We’re all counting down the days until that bat starts crushing dingers again.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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