Shohei Ohtani could be back in the Dodgers’ lineup during the club’s final home series against the Padres, with Wednesday standing as his first date of eligibility to come off the 15-day injured list.
Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani remains on schedule after another encouraging workout Saturday at Dodger Stadium, where Los Angeles beat the Giants 10-4. The Dodgers are planning for Ohtani to return as a hitter only; his pitching work has been halted.
Quick facts
- Ohtani was placed on the 15-day injured list with right biceps and left knee issues, retroactive to Sept. 8.
- He can be activated Wednesday, the second game of the Padres series.
- Ohtani took roughly 30 to 40 swings off a Trajekt pitching machine Saturday and also ran the bases.
- Before going on the injured list, he led the Dodgers with 30 home runs and carried a .902 OPS.
- Los Angeles has gone 13-3 in its last 16 games, despite Ohtani missing 15 of those contests.
Roberts said there is a strong possibility Ohtani will be in uniform for the next series. The two-way star began his hitting buildup Tuesday and has moved quickly through the early stages, including work against the machine designed to replicate major league pitches.
Saturday’s session brought no reported setbacks. Ohtani felt good after his swings, and the baserunning work marked another step as the Dodgers prepare him for game action.
His absence came after a rough closing stretch at the plate. Over his final 24 games before the injured-list move, while also trying to build toward pitching, Ohtani went 19-for-96 for a .198 average and struck out 34 times.
Still, his full-season production remains central to the Dodgers’ offense. His 30 homers are the club high, and his .902 OPS underscores what Los Angeles hopes to regain with October approaching.
If he is activated Wednesday, Ohtani would have five regular-season games to find his timing before the postseason. The Dodgers have played well without him, but the lineup looks considerably different when its biggest bat is available near the top of the order.
