Sep 8, 2026, 11:07 AM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) said it is "disappointing" that he likely will not pitch again this year, but he is focused on hitting the rest of the way, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic. "The thing I was more focused on was to make sure that the pitching wouldn't cause the worst-case scenario, which was for me to not be able to play at all," Ohtani said. "I should have enough experience to address any kinks or injuries with the swing. I'm confident my overall performance should be better moving forward." After a four-game absence as the designated hitter due to recurring left-knee and right-biceps injuries, Ohtani returned in the series opener on Monday against the Cincinnati Reds and went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. It seems unlikely that the 32-year-old four-time MVP will land on the injured list in the final month of the regular season, but the Dodgers could choose to rest him more frequently so that he is closer to 100% for the playoffs. Ohtani is hitting .277 (139-for-502) this year with 30 homers, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 steals, but it is clear that playing through his knee and biceps injuries has slowed him down offensively of late. He hit .241 (26-for-108) with a .795 OPS in August, and he is 1-for-9 with six strikeouts so far in three games in September.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Katie Woo

Sep 7, 2026, 7:09 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) is serving as the designated hitter and will bat leadoff for the Blue in Monday's series opener against the visiting Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Chase Burns, per MLB.com. It will be Ohtani's first game back as a hitter after missing each of the last four games with more left-knee and right-biceps discomfort. The Dodgers have not used the four-time MVP as a pitcher since July 3, and although it is looking unlikely that he will pitch again in September, the Dodgers' brass is still holding out hope he can be used as a two-way player in the postseason. Manager Dave Roberts might give the six-time All-Star more days off between now and the end of the regular season as the primary DH, but his return on Monday is obviously excellent news for fantasy managers who have him rostered as a hitter. The 32-year-old veteran has not looked like himself offensively of late while playing at less than 100%, but he is still a must-start in all fantasy leagues and is hitting .279/.381/.525 overall with 30 homers, 80 RBI, 89 runs, and 11 steals in 499 at-bats. Ohtani is 1-for-3 with two RBI in just three career at-bats against Burns.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 5, 2026, 7:07 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) is officially out for a third straight game on Saturday against the visiting Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com. Catcher Dalton Rushing is serving as the designated hitter and will bat seventh against Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli. Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 due to recurring left-knee and right-biceps injuries, and now he has been out for the last three games as the team's full-time DH, a first in his three seasons in L.A. The Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts have been hopeful that the 32-year-old four-time MVP will avoid a trip to the injured list, and the skipper revealed that Ohtani will hit in the cage on Saturday. How the six-time All-Star responds "will be telling" regarding a potential IL stint. Fantasy managers should not be holding out hope that Ohtani will pitch again during the month of September, and depending on how he feels after taking swings on Saturday, he could be shut down as a hitter, too, so that he is closer to full health for the start of the playoffs in October. The Japanese superstar has not been himself at the plate lately as he continues to play through multiple injuries, but his overall line still looks quite good in 2026 at .279/.381/.525 with a .906 OPS, 30 home runs, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 5, 2026, 10:51 AM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he does not expect two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) to play on Saturday against the visiting Washington Nationals, according to Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register. It would be the first time since Ohtani signed with the Dodgers that he has missed three straight games. "I'll talk to him tonight and then see how he comes in tomorrow," Roberts said. The 32-year-old four-time MVP has not pitched since July 3 due to nagging left-knee and right-biceps injuries, and his biceps injury has been bothering him more as a hitter, so he is expected to take a third straight game off in Game 2 of the series against the Nats. For now, the Dodgers are calling the six-time All-Star day-to-day, but Robert has not ruled out putting Ohtani on the injured list if his injuries continue to linger. Ohtani still has a strong .279/.381/.525 slash line on the season with 30 home runs, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 499 at-bats, but he has been in noticeable discomfort lately and hit an un-Ohtani-like .241/.322/.472 with a .795 OPS in 27 games in August. The primary goal right now for the Dodgers is to get him fully healthy for another postseason run in October.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Orange County Register - Bill Plunkett

Sep 4, 2026, 8:10 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that he is "hopeful, but I wouldn't say confident" that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) will avoid a trip to the injured list, according to Maddie Lee of The Los Angeles Times. Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 due to a nagging left-knee injury and a left-biceps issue, and he is sitting out as the designated hitter for a second straight game in Friday's series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals after feeling more discomfort in his biceps during Wednesday's extra-inning loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The four-time MVP and six-time All-Star is being considered day-to-day for now, but fantasy managers may want to prepare for an extended absence with the postseason coming up. The Dodgers' primary goal is to have Ohtani ready for two-way duties in October. It is much more likely that he will not pitch again until the playoffs. Although he has not looked like his typical dominant self at the plate lately, Ohtani still sports a strong .279/.381/.525 overall slash line with 30 bombs, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases across 499 at-bats in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Los Angeles Times - Maddie Lee

Sep 4, 2026, 6:56 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) is sitting out of the starting lineup for the second straight game on Friday for the series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com. Outfielder Alex Call will serve as the designated hitter again and will bat seventh against Nationals left-hander Jackson Kent. Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 due to recurring left-knee and right-biceps injuries, and until Thursday, the four-time MVP had been serving as the Dodgers' regular DH. But the Japanese superstar has been dealing with more biceps discomfort in recent days, which has prompted L.A. to give him two straight days off. Manager Dave Roberts thinks it is unlikely that Ohtani will land on the injured list, but he is not ruling it out if the injuries continue to linger. The six-time All-Star is still hitting a strong .279/.381/.525 on the year with a .906 OPS, 30 homers, 80 RBI, 89 runs, and 11 stolen bases, but he has not been himself at the plate in recent weeks as he battles through multiple injuries. For now, Ohtani is considered day-to-day. Check back on his status for Saturday's contest against the Nats.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 3, 2026, 7:51 PM ET

Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) as day-to-day, and further discussions will determine whether he is available off the bench in Thursday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals or as the designated hitter for Friday's series opener versus the visiting Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com's Sonja Chen. Roberts still views a stint on the injured list as unlikely for Ohtani, "but not impossible." The four-time MVP has not pitched since July 3 due to left-knee and right-biceps injuries, but he has stayed in the lineup as the team's primary DH. The Japanese superstar's health has been declining, though, and he was primarily feeling discomfort in the right biceps and neck areas while striking out four times in Wednesday night's loss to St. Louis, per Roberts. How quickly the 32-year-old returns to the starting lineup as a hitter remains to be seen, but as a pitcher, fantasy managers should not be as hopeful that he will return to the mound in September. Despite playing at less than 100% for a good chunk of the season, Ohtani is still batting .279/.381/.525 overall with a .906 OPS, 30 homers, 80 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 11 steals in 499 at-bats. However, his production has declined over the last month, and he was noticeably wincing after swings on Wednesday evening.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Sonja Chen

Sep 3, 2026, 7:23 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's game against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals due to ongoing left-knee and right-biceps injuries, per MLB.com. Outfielder Alex Call will serve as the designated hitter and bat eighth against Cardinals left-hander Quinn Mathews. Manager Dave Roberts said it is unlikely that the Dodgers will completely shut Ohtani down and place him on the injured list, but clearly he is not himself at the plate after going hitless in six plate appearances with four strikeouts in Wednesday's loss to St. Louis. In fact, Ohtani hit .241/.322/.472 with a .795 OPS (his lowest of the season) with six homers, three doubles, two triples, 13 RBI, 16 runs, and four steals in 27 games in the month of August, and he has just one hit in 10 plate appearances in two games in September. Ohtani is clearly not himself right now, and he has not made a start as a pitcher since July 3. The Dodgers are holding out hope that the Japanese superstar will pitch again for the team this year, but with only several weeks left in the regular season, he is unlikely to help when it matters most in fantasy. If Ohtani cannot shake his knee and biceps injuries, the Dodgers may be forced to put him on the IL. After all, their primary goal is to have him 100% for the postseason run as the Dodgers look for an unprecedented third straight World Series title.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Aug 29, 2026, 9:26 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps) won't make his scheduled start against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Saturday that Ohtani won't pitch on Sunday or Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, Noah Camras of SI.com reports. Ohtani didn't feel good coming off his bullpen session on Friday, so the Dodgers will take the cautious approach. He continues to deal with multiple injuries that have kept him off the mound since early July. There is no timetable for Ohtani's return to the mound, so fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to help them the rest of the way as a pitcher. The expectation is that the Dodgers will give an update on his status in the coming days.--Andy Webb
Source: Noah Camras

Aug 18, 2026, 10:10 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter/starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (knee) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and could be ready to progress to throwing a live BP next, per Jack Harris of the California Post. While Ohtani continues to see near-everyday playing time as the Dodgers' designated hitter, he has not pitched since early July due to lingering knee issues. The 32-year-old has been extremely productive on the mound when healthy this season, recording an 8-2 record with a 1.79 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts across 85 2/3 innings (14 starts). He averaged 98.1 miles per hour on his fastball and logged a stellar 27.9% strikeout rate. Given how important he is to their lineup, the Dodgers will surely be cautious with Ohtani. Still, it appears as though the two-way superstar is making steady progress and could soon provide fantasy managers with a boost on the mound.--Will Brady
Source: California Post - Jack Harris

Aug 5, 2026, 8:47 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani had his first multi-home run game of the season in Wednesday's 7-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, going 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, three RBI, and two strikeouts to boost his season average to .297 and his OPS to .953. Ohtani's first home run came to lead off the game against lefty starter Shota Imanaga, and his second blast came in the eighth inning off new Cubs reliever Ryan Zeferjahn, but the Dodgers ultimately fell one run short. It's a bit hard to believe that the four-time MVP and six-time All-Star didn't have a multi-homer game this year until Aug. 5. Ohtani continues to serve as the Dodgers' regular DH despite having not pitched since July 3 due to a nagging knee and biceps issue. His knee issue hasn't really affected Ohtani as a hitter at all, as he's now gone 15-for-31 in his last eight games, and he's up to 26 home runs with a .953 OPS in 2026 in his ninth year in the big leagues. It doesn't look like the Japanese superstar is going to reach the 50-homer mark for a third straight year, and he's barely running (six steals), but he remains a must-start in all traditional fantasy formats as a hitter.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Jul 31, 2026, 2:27 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter/starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (knee) may be battling discomfort in his left knee for the remainder of 2026, per Katie Woo and Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 due to nagging knee issues. While he's continued to play nearly every day as the Dodgers' designated hitter, he has not attempted to steal a base since May 22. The 32-year-old remains one of the best hitters in baseball even while playing at less than 100%, as he's slashed .289/.394/.537 with 23 home runs, 65 RBI, 68 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 456 plate appearances. However, Ohtani's barrel rate is down to 16.6% after he posted consecutive seasons with at least a 21% barrel rate in 2024 and 2025. It appears that fantasy managers may have to get used to slightly muted production from Ohtani the rest of the way.--Will Brady
Source: The Athletic - Katie Woo & Fabian Ardaya

Jul 31, 2026, 10:26 AM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (knee) will be back in the leadoff spot for the Dodgers for Friday's series opener against the visiting Boston Red Sox and left-hander Ranger Suarez, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The Dodgers held Ohtani out of Thursday's win over the Seattle Mariners as a precaution due to more soreness in his nagging left knee, which has kept him from starting as a pitcher since July 3. The two-way superstar and four-time MVP is expected to continue serving as the team's DH, although there's no timetable for his return to the mound. The 32-year-old Japanese sensation is a must-start in all fantasy lineups when he's active as a hitter and pitcher, and he'll be back in action as the DH on Friday. Although Ohtani hasn't attempted a stolen base in July, he's still hitting a decent .265 (22-for-83) with an .844 OPS, five home runs, six doubles, 15 RBI, and eight runs scored in 21 games and 92 plate appearances during the month.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Fabian Ardaya

Jul 30, 2026, 8:26 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (knee) reported soreness in his knee on Thursday, manager Dave Roberts told Maddie Lee of The Los Angeles Times, and the team decided to give him the day off against the Seattle Mariners. Roberts said he's very confident Ohtani will be back in the starting lineup as a hitter for Friday's series opener against the visiting Boston Red Sox. With Ohtani out in Thursday's series finale against Seattle, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez is serving as the DH and will bat seventh against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo. Ohtani's bothersome left knee has kept him from pitching since facing the San Diego Padres back on July 3, and there's no timetable for him to return to the mound. The Dodgers continue to say that they are being ultra-cautious with the four-time MVP. Ohtani has five home runs in 21 games in July, but he's also hitting just .265 (22-for-83) with eight walks and 21 strikeouts in 92 plate appearances. They may continue to give him days off here and there as he continues to manage his knee injury, with the ultimate goal being to have Ohtani as healthy as possible for the playoffs.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Los Angeles Times - Maddie Lee