Shohei Ohtani expected to come off injured list Wednesday as Dodgers ramp up for postseason

The four-time MVP has been out of the lineup since Sept. 7 due to multiple injuries The two-time defending champion Dodgers are gearing up for a threepeat and hope to have a fully functional Shohei Ohtani in time for the start of the postseason. Sure enough, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Tuesday that the expectation is Ohtani will be back in the lineup on Wednesday after a stint on the injured list. "Unless I hear otherwise, he'll be in the lineup tomorrow," Roberts said (ESPN). Ohtani has been on the injured list since Sept. 11 (backdated to Sept. 8) due to right biceps inflammation. Keep in mind that he was removed from the starting rotation two months prior due to a knee injury, so he's been dealing with multiple injuries in the second half of the season.

The Dodgers have shut Ohtani down from pitching for the remainder of 2026, but his bat in the designated hitter spot is a huge plus for them. Of course, the effects of Ohtani's injuries could be seen in the weeks leading up to his IL stint. In his last 13 games, the four-time MVP hit .122/.295/.184 with zero home runs and 21 strikeouts. On the season, Ohtani is hitting .277/.380/.522 (146 OPS+) with 25 doubles, four triples, 30 home runs, 80 RBI,