Shohei Ohtani Injury Rocks NL Playoff Race, Should Drop Dodgers

Things shifted in the National League playoff race on Wednesday.

Shohei Ohtani's standing with the Los Angeles Dodgers has been up in the air due to knee and bicep injuries. Ohtani tried to play through them, but things just didn't work out that way. Since Aug. 18, Ohtani has been clearly hurting and has slashed .130/.288/.241 with a .529 OPS, one home run, two RBIs, four stolen bases, and one double in 14 games played.

On Wednesday, the Dodgers announced that Ohtani has been placed on the 15-day Injured List. Jack Harris of the California Post reported the news on X.

"With Shohei Ohtani going on the injured list, expect Josue De Paula to get runway as the Dodgers' designated hitter," Harris wrote. "Ohtani will be eligible to return on Sept. 23, when there will be five games left in the regular season. It's his first time going on the IL with the Dodgers."

NL Playoff Race Impact Of Shohei Ohtani's Injury

Sep 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) watches a game from a dugout during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Ohtani on the shelf, that doesn't change things in the National League West. The Dodgers have an 11-game lead over the San Diego Padres with just a few weeks to go. They're going to win the division.

With Ohtani out until Sep. 23, that could make things interesting in the race for a first-round bye in the playoffs. Right now, the Dodgers have the No. 2 seed in the National League. The Milwaukee Brewers have the No. 1 seed and a 1 1/2-game lead over the Dodgers. The Atlanta Braves have the No. 3 seed and are four games behind Los Angeles.

It would be very surprising to see the Dodgers catch Milwaukee at this point. The Brewers just swept the Chicago Cubs in a three-game series and have shown no signs of slowing down. The Braves, on the other hand, will not be something to worry about for the Dodgers. Los Angeles just lost one of the very best bats in the game. It's reasonable to think that losing him could lead to a few losses. If the Braves get hot, all of a sudden, that could make things interesting in the race for the No. 2 seed. That in itself is important. Whoever gets the No. 2 seed doesn't have to play a three-game Wild Card series, in which anything can happen.

Also, with Ohtani out, the Dodgers arguably shouldn't be favorites in the National League to make a run to the World Series anymore. What version of Ohtani will the Dodgers get when he does return? Is it the Ohtani who has been awesome pretty much all year, or the guy who has struggled from the plate since Aug. 18?

Ohtani's not returning to the mound right now either. So, the Dodgers will be without the services of an elite ace and then who knows what version of Ohtani as a hitter will return later in the September. The Brewers have the best record in baseball and are firing on all cylinders right now. Without Ohtani at 100 percent, arguably they should be conidered the favorites in the National League.

Add us as a preferred source on Google