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Dodgers to activate Shohei Ohtani for Sept. 23 return

By Drooid · Sep 23, 2026, 2:18 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will activate Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Roberts said Ohtani rates his health at eight or nine out of ten.
Roberts expects Ohtani to play in all five remaining regular-season games.
He will return as a designated hitter, likely leadoff against right-handed pitchers.
The Dodgers sit 96-60, two games behind the NL No. 1 seed, eyeing a third World Series.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, Hideo Nomo debuted for the Los Angeles Dodgers, becoming MLB’s first Japanese-born pitcher and earning National League Rookie of the Year. The Dodgers signed Nomo to a $1.5 million contract, and he posted a 2.54 ERA across 12 starts, sparking a wave of Japanese talent. Today, Dave Roberts activates Shohei Ohtani—another Japanese star—on September 23, 2026, mirroring Nomo’s midseason impact that helped the Dodgers chase a third World Series. That precedent suggests Ohtani’s health rating of eight or nine could propel Los Angeles past the NL’s top seed, reshaping postseason dynamics for years.

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Story summary

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will activate Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Roberts said Ohtani rates his health at eight or nine out of ten.
Roberts expects Ohtani to play in all five remaining regular-season games.
He will return as a designated hitter, likely leadoff against right-handed pitchers.
The Dodgers sit 96-60, two games behind the NL No. 1 seed, eyeing a third World Series.

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