Dodgers Weigh Injured-List Move for Shohei Ohtani Amid Persistent Ailments

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that two-way star Shohei Ohtani missed his sixth game in seven in mid-September. The right-handed slugger has been sidelined by right-arm discomfort, lingering knee soreness and biceps irritation that first forced him off the mound on July 3. The Dodgers have kept Ohtani out of the lineup for back-to-back games for the first time this season, and his status for the upcoming weekend remains uncertain.

Newsweek

• Offensive slump – Newsweek reports Ohtani is 6-for-52 since Aug. 18, with no home runs, while his season OPS is .902 through 134 games.

Newsweek

• Overall production – ESPN lists his OPS at .906 with 30 home runs, an 8-2 record and a 1.79 ERA over 85.2 innings, keeping him in MVP conversation.

Sports Illustrated

• Recent stretch – BleacherReport notes a decline to .137 with one homer in his last 13 games.

Newsweek

These figures illustrate the volatility of Ohtani’s recent output.

ESPN

Roberts emphasized a “hopeful” but cautious stance. He acknowledged the possibility of an injured-list (IL) stint, noting a 15-day IL placement would be “not ideal” and would render Ohtani ineligible for the postseason if enacted now. He also said Ohtani’s recent swings in the batting cage have “gotten a lot better” and that the player “was swinging with some intent” during a recent game, with no pain reported at that moment.

ESPN

The Dodgers have avoided an IL move for Ohtani all season, but the cumulative arm, biceps and knee issues have intensified. Roberts indicated that a 15-day IL placement would act as a “deterrent” to further strain, yet he has not ruled it out. If placed on the IL now, Ohtani would be barred from returning until mid-October, ending his postseason eligibility.

ESPN

• OPS figures differ: Newsweek cites .902, ESPN reports .906.

Newsweek

• Recent hitting line varies: BleacherReport’s .137 over the last 13 games contrasts with ESPN’s broader metrics.

Sports Illustrated

• No definitive medical diagnosis beyond “right-arm discomfort” and “knee soreness” has been disclosed.

ESPN

• “It's not ideal given that it would be 15 days,” — Dave Roberts

Newsweek

• “The concern is that after four days [off], to then take four at-bats and feel something in an at-bat where we can’t keep going forward, that’s disappointing,” — Dave Roberts

New York Post

• “That’s why when you saw him a week ago shaking his arm, it’s just the arm,” — Dave Roberts

New York Post

• “What we saw a couple nights ago wasn't him,” — Dave Roberts

ESPN

• “That'd be more of a deterrent,” — Dave Roberts

Bleacher Report

Roberts indicated that if Ohtani continues to feel “well” in the batting cage, the manager expects to see him back in the lineup on Monday (the day after the September 6–7 games). The decision will be finalized after a final evaluation by the team’s training staff over the weekend. The Dodgers’ postseason prospects hinge on whether Ohtani can contribute offensively without a return to pitching duties.

ESPN