Dodgers Officially Move Starting Pitcher to Bullpen, Announce Exciting Shohei Ohtani News

The two-way star is set to make his first pitching appearance since July.

Los Angeles Dodgers translator Will Ireton (left) and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Aug. 9, 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Shohei Ohtani's return to pitching is near.

Eric Lauer's time in the starting rotation is up.

Lauer, who has a 7-1 record since arriving in Los Angeles in a May trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, will lose his spot in the rotation when Tyler Glasnow is activated from the injured list prior to his start Tuesday in Atlanta.

Lauer will give Dodgers manager Dave Roberts the flexibility of having a multi-inning reliever in the bullpen as Glasnow eases back into the rotation. Lauer can also provide a "piggyback" option for Ohtani, who might not need another tune-up after facing a live hitter Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

Ohtani threw 30 pitches in six simulated plate appearances against Dodgers catcher Will Smith, who is working back from a neck injury.

Roberts told reporters Sunday at Dodger Stadium that Ohtani will throw a bullpen during the team's road trip, then decide whether or not he will face live hitters again before doing so in a game.

In theory, the Dodgers could insert Ohtani back into their rotation after their three-game series against the Detroit Tigers next weekend.

Dodgers Moving Eric Lauer to Bullpen

While it’s perhaps surprising that a pitcher with so much success would lose his place in a team’s starting rotation, it’s nothing new for the Dodgers — or Lauer or Glasnow.

Last year, Glasnow missed all of May and June. When he returned, right-hander Ben Casparius moved back to the bullpen.

Lauer pitched primarily out of the rotation for the Toronto Blue Jays from May until August last year. Until a somewhat disastrous second-to-last start, Lauer had a 2.76 ERA.

As a reliever, Lauer was just as effective. During the Blue Jays' run to the 2025 American League pennant, Lauer did not allow a run over his final 8.1 postseason innings, including 5.2 scoreless innings against the Dodgers in the World Series.

History is repeating for the Dodgers, who took an all-hands-on-deck approach to fortifying their bullpen in 2025.

Clayton Kershaw and Roki Sasaki were relievers in October despite Sasaki signing in Los Angeles specifically to pitch out of their rotation, and Kershaw being a future Hall of Famer with a 3.36 ERA in the regular season.

Now, it appears Lauer will reprise a familiar role — to him and to his new team — in the bullpen.

Glasnow and Ohtani, meanwhile, will get ready for what the Dodgers hope is another long postseason run.

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