Dodgers Manager Has Concerning Update on Shohei Ohtani's Potential Return to Pitching

Shohei Ohtani has been battling an ongoing injury that's limited his two-way abilities.

Jul 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) throws during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani hasn't taken the mound since July 3 as he battles an ongoing knee and biceps injury.

Yet, the Los Angeles Dodgers have remained steadfast in their stance that Ohtani will return to the mound this season.

Ohtani had been in the midst of a Cy Young-caliber year for the Dodgers, but the injury was impacting him too much as a pitcher. The issue forced Ohtani to miss the All-Star Game while he received a lubricant injection in his knee.

The Dodgers have been trying to get Ohtani back into his throwing progression, but it's been taking longer than expected. Ohtani was supposed to play catch this week in Chicago, but the two-way star wasn't seen on the field throwing.

Since the recovery isn't healing in the manner that the Dodgers want, it could mean a change for Ohtani on the mound. Manager Dave Roberts offered more thought to the situation around Ohtani, even hinting that the Dodgers may not get a full starter's workload from Ohtani the rest of the year.

“I certainly see him as a starter, but how much he could give us, to then have somebody behind him, that we don’t know yet,” Roberts said. “That’s kind of where we’re at right now.”

Ohtani hasn't thrown a bullpen session since July 21, and Roberts said there's "not really" a timeline for him to get back on the mound. Los Angeles will need him to have some buildup before he can start a game, so the clock is ticking on him to return before the playoffs.

However, the Dodgers aren't too concerned over the lingering problem for Ohtani, with Roberts still saying that the team expects the star to get back to his two-way abilities.

But how this will look come playoff time remains to be seen. With the Dodgers' acquisition of ace Tarik Skubal at the deadline, it could give the team a little more leeway to be cautious with Ohtani.

“I think we’ll see about that,” he said. “We have a long way. It’s just hard to talk about the postseason right now.”

Before the injury, Ohtani was in the midst of a special season for the Dodgers on the mound, posting a 1.79 ERA over 14 starts.

Ohtani has remained in the lineup while dealing with the injury since it hasn't impacted him much as a hitter. His bat has stayed hot during this time, with Ohtani hitting .297 with 26 home runs and 70 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .953 for the season.

Could Shohei Ohtani Be Placed on the Injured List?

Last week, Roberts said that nothing was off the table, including placing Ohtani on the injured list. However, that seems unlikely at this point.

"He’s not 100%; very few players are 100%," Roberts said. "Then what is it? Is it 70%, is it 80%, is it 90%? For me, there’s still that conversation, where he understands the most important part of the season is to come, and he understands his value with our team. We’re talking about this constantly. We are."

For now, the Dodgers are just trying to manage the injury to Ohtani in the best way that they can. But with the playoffs coming in less than two months, the team may be forced to make some tough decisions around his two-way abilities if the issue doesn't heal soon enough.

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