Dodgers Lineup vs Reds: Shohei Ohtani Finally Returns After 4-Game Absence

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds begin a stretch of seven games in 11 days against each other on Monday night.

The Dodgers are coming off a sweep against the Washington Nationals and have won four games in a row, albeit against lesser competition.

Manager Dave Roberts is just happy to see his team finding ways to win, though.

“Every night, teams are really putting their best foot forward to beat us," Roberts said after Sunday's win. "We see a lot of arms, a lot of good arms. The last couple series, we’ve seen some teams that really put the ball in play. For our offense to match those guys offensively, I think is something we haven’t seen from our guys for a couple months. But this last week we’ve seen that. That’s been exciting for us.

“I think the baserunning, the defense has been tightened up, which is good to see. We’re just more playing like the team we’re capable of being.”

As for the Reds, they've won four of their last five games and seven of their last 10 overall. However, they're seven games back of the third and final wild-card spot in the National League.

Dodgers vs Reds Pitching Matchup on Monday

Right-handed pitcher Emmet Sheehan has been recalled from Triple-A to start Monday's series opener.

The right-hander had a 5.29 ERA across 20 starts before being optioned in early August. Across four starts at Triple-A, he allowed three runs over 18 innings for a 1.50 ERA.

Opposite Sheehan will be the ace of the Reds in right-hander Chase Burns. The 2026 All-Star is 15-3 with a 2.79 ERA and 171 strikeouts over 145.1 innings this season.

Mookie Betts, Will Smith Out of Dodgers Lineup vs Reds

Shohei Ohtani, DH
Freddie Freeman, 1B
Tommy Edman, 2B
Max Muncy, 3B
Teoscar Hernández, LF
Kyle Tucker, RF
Hunter Feduccia, C
Alex Call, CF
Alex Freeland, SS

Ohtani is back in the lineup and leading off after a four-game absence.

Ohtani last played on Wednesday, when he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. Since, the Dodgers have contemplated putting him on the injured list, but instead decided the four games off are sufficient to get him healthy enough to return.

"I think that the four days has been beneficial," Roberts said on Sunday. "We'll just kind of monitor day to day and make sure we don't get to that point where it was at four or five days ago."

Mookie Betts and Will Smith are out, with Freeland starting at shortstop and Feduccia getting the nod behind the plate.

How to Watch Dodgers vs Reds on Monday

First pitch for Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Cincinnati Reds on Monday, Sept. 7 is 6:10 p.m. PT/9:10 p.m. ET.

The game will be broadcast on SportsNet LA and in the MLB app.

The game will be broadcast on the radio on AM570 (in English) and KTNQ 1020 AM (in Spanish).

Add us as a preferred source on Google