LOS ANGELES — The Shohei Ohtani health situation has taken another troubling turn. Previously sidelined from pitching due to knee and bicep injuries, Ohtani had been limited to solely hitting duties for the rest of the season. However, for the upcoming weeks, he won’t be able to contribute in either role.
Ohtani’s determination to play through pain for the past three months, coupled with the ’ reluctance to place him on the injured list (IL) earlier, has left the four-time MVP predominantly watching from the sidelines as the postseason nears. On Wednesday, he was benched for the sixth time in seven games, and with just 16 games left in the regular season, the finally decided to put him on the IL—a move they had resisted for months.
“It’s the right move,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We tried to delay it as much as possible.”
Replacing Ohtani will be top prospect Josue De Paula, who is expected to make his major league debut on Friday after being called up straight from Double-A. Ranked as the sixth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, the 21-year-old impressed at Double-A Tulsa with a .303 average, .401 on-base percentage, .547 slugging, 27 home runs, and 31 stolen bases. Though De Paula’s arrival is exciting, it underscores the unfortunate reason for Ohtani’s absence.
Just a week ago, Ohtani struggled visibly at the plate in a game against the Cardinals, going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts and displaying discomfort by shaking out his arm during weak swings. At that point, he was in a long slump, hitting 6-for-46 without a home run over 12 games. Despite clear signs of physical trouble, both Ohtani and the downplayed the severity. General manager Brandon Gomes even dismissed concerns, attributing the poor performance to normal seasonal fluctuations rather than injury.
Following that game, Ohtani sat out the next four games. The hope was rest would help him rebound, but he returned Monday going 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. The planned to continue easing him back with occasional days off, but his absence from Wednesday’s lineup, despite initial expectations to play, revealed ongoing issues. Roberts explained that Ohtani hadn’t fully recovered from a swing on Monday and needed further assessment with medical staff.
Communication gaps between Ohtani and the team have been evident. Roberts wasn’t aware of Ohtani’s discomfort on Tuesday until after a batting cage session, and the main trouble now seems to be generalized arm pain rather than a specific elbow or shoulder injury.
This development is far from ideal as the prepare for the playoffs. Ohtani hasn’t pitched since July 3, and his attempts to resume throwing have caused setbacks, negatively affecting his batting. Since August 8, his slash line dropped to .198/.294/.396, and since August 14 (when he started bullpen sessions again), he’s been hitting just .186.
On Monday, Ohtani finally accepted that he would focus solely on hitting for the rest of the year. But two days later, he was too injured to even do that. This marks Ohtani’s first time on the IL since joining the before the season began.
The had avoided placing him on the IL when he first reported knee pain in June, and again when he experienced bicep issues in July—despite ongoing symptoms and diminished offensive output in the second half. Gomes stated last week that an IL stint “hadn’t even been discussed,” but a week later, that changed.
Roberts admitted, “Looking back, I would have put him on the IL earlier, but at the time, we thought giving him four days would be enough.” Despite these missteps, Roberts remains optimistic about Ohtani’s return this season, noting he would already be in the lineup if the postseason had begun. The hope is that Ohtani needs only the minimum IL time to recover.
The challenge now is the timing. As a two-way player, Ohtani must remain on the IL for at least 15 days. Since he played on Monday after his four-day break, he won’t be eligible to return until September 23, leaving a maximum of five regular-season games to regain form. If his performance suffers post-return, the ’ delayed approach could seriously impact their postseason success.
“He’ll be in a better place than today,” Roberts said, “though probably not 100 percent. But I believe this break will get him in decent shape to finish the season.”
Fan Take: Shohei Ohtani’s injuries and the ’ cautious handling of his return highlight just how fragile a superstar’s season can be—and remind baseball fans how crucial managing player health is in the sprint to October. How Ohtani bounces back—or struggles—could shape not just the ‘ playoff fate, but also the narrative around one of baseball’s most electrifying talents and the future of two-way players in the sport.
Source: www.foxsports.com
