Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound hit another snag this weekend. The Dodgers postponed his scheduled bullpen session Saturday after the two-way star didn’t feel right following his previous throwing session.
Manager Dave Roberts made it clear Sunday that Ohtani won’t pitch next week, pushing back hopes for his return from a left knee issue that’s kept him off the mound for three weeks.
“That’s too early. I feel very good that it won’t be next week,” Roberts told reporters before the Mets series opener. “Every player wants to get back out there and do what they do. But I think he understands it’s not about July, it’s about October.”
The delay stings because Ohtani’s been dominant when healthy this season. He’s posted a 1.79 ERA with 95 strikeouts in just 14 starts while maintaining his usual excellence at the plate. That two-way production has him sitting atop NL MVP discussions again.
But the knee keeps getting in the way.
Ohtani last pitched July 3 before left knee irritation knocked him out of his next scheduled start and the All-Star Game. He threw 30 pitches during a bullpen session in Philadelphia earlier this week that looked promising, but something didn’t feel right afterward.
“It looked good. Feels good. We’ll see where he’s at tomorrow,” pitching coach Mark Prior said after that first session. “I mean, there’s not too much to elaborate on.”
Now they’re back to waiting.
Roberts Still Optimistic
Roberts called the latest setback a “bummer” but maintains Ohtani will pitch again this season. The California Post’s Jack Harris reports the team still expects him back sometime next month.
Shohei Ohtani’s pen session scheduled for today was postponed as he didn’t feel great in his last one. Dave Roberts said he still believes Ohtani will pitch again this season. And while the delay is “a bummer,” Roberts said that’s he’s going to be the MVP, regardless.
The approach seems deliberately cautious. Roberts explained Friday that Ohtani’s status remains “fluid” – they’re monitoring how his knee responds after each throwing session rather than sticking to a rigid timeline.
“Honestly, I think it’s just to be fluid with Shohei,” Roberts said, per ESPN. “The bullpen went well and today he feels good. If tomorrow feels good to throw the pen, great. And if it doesn’t, then we’ll kick it.”
That’s probably the right call. The Dodgers are in good position for October, and they’ve already invested too much time getting Ohtani healthy to rush him back now.
The Bigger Picture
Ohtani isn’t the only Dodger working back from injury. Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell both made rehab starts Friday as they try to return before season’s end. The rotation has managed without them, but getting that trio back would obviously be huge for a playoff run.
Meanwhile, Ohtani’s hitting hasn’t suffered much. He’s posted a .754 OPS in 10 games since the knee issue first surfaced July 10. Not his best work, but solid enough to keep him in MVP conversations.
Here’s where he stands through 95 games:
2026 Stats
Hitting
• Games: 95
• AVG: .286
• HR: 22
• RBI: 61
• OPS: .920
• bWAR: 2.9
Pitching
• Starts: 14
• Record: 8-2
• ERA: 1.79
• Strikeouts: 95
• bWAR: 2.8
Those numbers explain why Roberts feels confident about Ohtani’s MVP chances regardless of when he returns to pitching. A 5.7 combined WAR in just 95 games while dealing with injury issues? That’s still elite production.
The question now is whether the Dodgers can get their superstar fully healthy for what matters most. They’re clearly willing to wait as long as it takes.
