After getting a long weekend off to recover from nagging injuries, Shohei Ohtani will return to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup Monday in their series opener against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
Ohtani was back in his usual leadoff spot as the designated hitter. He missed four games due to right biceps, left knee and neck ailments.
As for Ohtani’s role as a starting pitcher, manager Dave Roberts said before the game that the Dodgers have “no timetable for when he’s going to pick up a baseball.”
Asked in a follow-up why the Dodgers have not ruled out the possibility Ohtani could return to the mound, Roberts merely replied, “I’m choosing not to say it’s dead.”
A stint on the injured list was initially “on the table” for Ohtani. But before the Dodgers’ game Sunday against Washington, Roberts told reporters Ohtani had made enough progress that he could return the following day.
The Dodgers were eager to avoid an IL move, as Ohtani would have been required to go on the 15-day IL as a two-way player. He has not pitched since July 3.
With 19 games left in the regular season, Ohtani may not even be back in the batting order full-time just yet, according to Roberts.
“I don’t want to say it’s day to day, but I am very curious to see how he comes out of tonight to then make the decision for tomorrow and the ensuing days,” Roberts said Monday. “We’ve put a pin in throwing and just kind of having him focus on the hitting, the running, keeping his legs good and doing whatever it takes to help us win.”
The four-time MVP has batted .279 with 30 home runs and 80 RBIs in 133 games this season. In the six games before his absence, he was 2-for-23 with 11 strikeouts. He hit his last homer on Aug. 18.
