Shohei Ohtani is expected back in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup on Wednesday, but let’s be real, his recent bat has been colder than a Seattle winter. The four-time MVP has been out of commission since Sept. 7 because of multiple injuries, and in his last 13 games, he was stuck hitting an ugly .122 with zero homers and a staggering 21 strikeouts. These two-time defending champions are gearing up for a historic threepeat, and they are counting on Ohtani to flip a switch, fast.
The Bumps and Bruises of a Superstar
Nobody wants to see a superstar hurting, and Ohtani has absolutely been dealing with it. He’s been chilling on the injured list since Sept. 11, backdated to Sept. 8, all because of right biceps inflammation. But get this, that’s not his only issue this second half of the season. Just two months prior, he got pulled from the starting rotation because of a knee injury. Yeah, multiple injuries for the guy. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Tuesday that unless he hears otherwise, Ohtani is absolutely in the lineup tomorrow. The silver lining? They’ve already officially shut him down from pitching for the rest of 2026. So now, it’s all about getting that bat healthy and lethal for October. Can he do it?
The Gamble on Game Speed
Even with those recent numbers looking rough, Roberts dropped a pretty telling quote earlier this month. He said Ohtani’s injury was minor enough that if this were the actual playoffs, Ohtani would be playing through it. They parked him on the IL specifically to get him “as close to 100 percent as possible.” Roberts even put a number on it, saying if Ohtani “was a 5 before, he’s probably an 8 or 9 now,” and that he’s feeling “considerably better.” That’s a huge jump in just a couple of weeks! Assuming he’s back Wednesday, Ohtani gets five whole games to essentially use as a personal rehab assignment, getting his game speed back up. Even better, the Dodgers are very likely to snag a bye after that, giving him a few more precious days to recover and get ready for the real show.
It’s wild, but even with Ohtani out, the Dodgers have still managed to roll to a 9-3 record since he last played. Big caveat, though: those wins came against teams without winning records. His overall season numbers, with a .277 average, a .380 OBP, a .522 slugging, plus 30 homers and 80 RBI, definitely show what he *can* do when healthy. With the Padres up Tuesday night before Ohtani’s return, the question for the two-time champs is screaming loud and clear: can their four-time MVP truly find that ‘8 or 9’ form and lead them to a legendary, unprecedented threepeat? The postseason is basically here, and it’s time to find out if the gamble pays off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply