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Dodgers Notes: Shohei Ohtani Return Timeline, Dave Roberts Regret, Tarik Skubal Defended Amid Controversy

Catch up on all the latest Dodgers news and notes.
Gabe Smallson|
Sep 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) and and pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) look on during the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Sep 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) and and pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) look on during the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a tentative timeline regarding superstar Shohei Ohtani's return to the diamond amid his impending placement on the injured list for the first time since signing with LA.

As he heads to the IL as a two-way player (as opposed to just a DH), the earliest he can return is Sept. 23, just six days before the wild-card round and a week-and-a-half before the start of the National League Division Series on Oct. 3.

Additionally, Roberts revealed that he had some regrets about how his team handled the recent Ohtani injury saga. Between Ohtani taking time off, then returning and then going back to the bench, the skipper spoke on the lack of certainty that existed internally during this stretch.

“If we look right now, here today, I would love to go back and put him on the IL,” Roberts said. “But at that moment in time, we all felt that giving him four days was sufficient. He was agreeable. Getting him out there on Monday with the hope that he would be able to play [again Wednesday]. But where we’re at right now, sure.”

Finally, two-time Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal was defended by an unlikely source: a star pitcher from the San Diego Padres.

Though the defense had more to do with their relationship off the diamond and during the time they shared as former teammates on the Detroit Tigers, Casey Mize recently sounded off on the controversy surrounding Skubal reportedly taking back an espresso machine he previously gifted to the Detroit locker room.

"It took a while for it to ship and get in," Mize said. "He had just gotten it dialed in, I think maybe a month before the trade deadline. And this machine is like $10,000. It’s a very expensive machine. He had just got it the way he wanted. So he was like, 'Yeah, sorry, I’m gonna take it with me.' Which I totally understand."

Here’s all the latest Dodgers news and stories (click the headline for the full article):

Dodgers' Dave Roberts Reveals Shohei Ohtani Return Timeline

Dave Roberts Regrets How Dodgers Handled Shohei Ohtani Injury Situation

Padres Star Defends Dodgers' Tarik Skubal Amid Latest Controversy

Dodgers Announce Starting Pitchers for Critical Series vs Marlins

Dodgers Announce Dalton Rushing MRI Results, Status for Rest of Season

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Gabe Smallson
GABE SMALLSON

Gabe Smallson is a sportswriter based in Los Angeles with a focus in sports and entertainment content. Gabe has previously worked at Newsweek and Dodgers Nation. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 and received his Masters of Science at the University of Southern California in 2025.

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