The Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping superstar Shohei Ohtani can be healthy by the time the postseason begins.
The Dodgers placed Ohtani on the IL less than a week ago, and manager Dave Roberts dropped a big update on Monday regarding the superstar.
Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani will swing a bat off a tee tomorrow. #Dodgers
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) September 14, 2026
When the Dodgers first placed Ohtani on the IL, Roberts said that Ohtani would be in the lineup if there was a postseason game, and he added that it was a matter of precaution.
Still, Ohtani had missed six of the seven games before landing on the IL. He also hasn’t pitched since July, and any hopes of him returning to the mound this season are essentially over.
Ohtani is hitting .277 with 30 home runs and 80 RBI this season, although he went hitless in five of his last seven games before being placed on the IL.
The silver lining for LA is that there is plenty of time. The Dodgers came into Monday with a 90-59 record, which has them 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the National League.
LA has a commanding nine-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West, so there is plenty of time to take it patiently with Ohtani in hopes of him returning for the playoffs.
