The Los Angeles Dodgers may have a bigger Shohei Ohtani problem on their hands than anyone expected.
Ohtani has now missed three straight games as the Dodgers manage a collection of physical issues involving his left knee, right biceps and neck. And with the postseason getting closer, the Dodgers are now weighing whether the two-way superstar needs a stint on the injured list.
That is a situation worth watching very closely.
Ohtani was kept out of the lineup again Saturday as Los Angeles faced the Washington Nationals. Manager Dave Roberts said the team wanted Ohtani to hit in the batting cages before making further decisions about his condition. The possibility of a 15-day injured-list stint is now on the table.
Ohtani Has Not Looked Like Himself
The timing could hardly be more interesting.
Ohtani is having another remarkable season overall, but his recent numbers have dropped sharply. He entered this stretch hitting .137 with just one home run over his previous 13 games. For the season, however, he is still batting .279 with 30 home runs and 80 RBIs.
And then there is the pitching situation.
Ohtani has not pitched since July 3. Before the latest issues, the Dodgers were hoping to get their superstar back on the mound, but his knee and biceps problems have complicated those plans.
When healthy, Ohtani gives the Dodgers something almost impossible to replace: an elite hitter who can also provide impact innings on the mound.
Right now, they aren’t getting that full package.
The Dodgers Are Still Winning
Here is what makes the situation even more interesting.
The Dodgers haven’t completely fallen apart without him.
Los Angeles rallied to beat the Nationals 6-5 on Saturday, with Tommy Edman delivering a huge three-run homer that helped turn the game around. It was the Dodgers’ third straight victory.
So the immediate question isn’t whether the Dodgers can survive a few games without Ohtani.
They clearly can.
The bigger question is whether they can enter October without their superstar at full strength.
That’s a completely different problem.
Should the Dodgers Put Him on the Injured List?
There is a reasonable argument for both sides.
If Ohtani is healthy enough to contribute, the Dodgers obviously want his bat in the lineup. He remains one of the most dangerous offensive players in baseball, and removing that kind of production from the lineup for 15 days is never an easy decision.
But if the injuries are lingering, forcing him to continue playing could create an even bigger problem.
The Dodgers don’t need Ohtani at 100 percent in September just to prove they can win regular-season games.
They need him as healthy as possible when the games matter most.
MLB currently lists Ohtani as day-to-day with injuries involving his left knee, right biceps and neck, while his timetable for returning to pitching remains uncertain.
And Then There Is October
This is where the Dodgers have to be careful.
The regular season is important, but the entire reason for managing Ohtani’s workload now is ultimately the postseason.
Los Angeles has invested heavily in building a roster capable of winning another World Series. Having Ohtani available as both a hitter and pitcher could dramatically change their postseason ceiling.
But that only matters if he is healthy.
There is also the possibility that the Dodgers eventually decide Ohtani’s pitching comeback should wait until next season. Manager Dave Roberts has already acknowledged that shutting Ohtani down as a pitcher for the remainder of the season is an option.
That would be a major decision.
So, Are the Dodgers Facing a BIG Problem?
Not yet.
But the warning signs are definitely there.
Three consecutive games missed, multiple areas of discomfort, declining offensive production and uncertainty surrounding his return to the mound make Ohtani one of the biggest injury storylines in baseball right now.
The Dodgers are still winning.
But nobody in Los Angeles wants to discover in October that they pushed their biggest star too hard in September.
For now, the smartest move may be patience.
Give Ohtani time to get healthy, figure out exactly what is bothering him and make sure he is ready for the postseason rather than worrying about squeezing every possible September at-bat out of him.
Because when October arrives, the Dodgers won’t simply need Shohei Ohtani.
They’ll need the best version of Shohei Ohtani.
And that may be the real story developing in Los Angeles right now.
