Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed Shohei Ohtani back from the injured list on Wednesday with an expectation he will play in all five of their remaining games this season.
After delaying the inevitable throughout the 2026 season, the Dodgers finally placed Ohtani on the 15-day IL back Sept. 11 in the interest of having him as healthy as possible for the playoffs. That coincided with an end to all pitching responsibilities this season.
Despite previously indicating time on the injured list wouldn’t necessarily be a solution, the Dodgers now believe it was beneficial for Ohtani.
“He certainly feels way better with the rest. The biggest thing with five games to go is get him as many at-bats as we can, and that rhythm and timing back before we head into October is going to be really helpful,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said.
“But the most important thing is how much better he feels. Now it’s about continuing that as he takes game-intensity at-bats.”
Friedman said the degree to which Ohtani has recovered cannot be said for sure, but the most important factor is he feels as good as possible given the circumstances. From here, the Dodgers’ top priority is helping Ohtani stay at this level for the remainder of the season.
“I think everyone this time of year is dealing with some stuff, so it’s all on that continuum. Shohei says he feels back to where he was earlier in the year, which is great,” Friedman began. “It’s a good start. Now, it’s one thing to feel that way for any player coming back from the IL. It’s important for them to feel that way or they wouldn’t be coming back.
“Now the question is as you start to load on real games and that intensity and workload, it’s making sure what we’ve done keeps guys in position to be at their best. That’s with any guy coming back. With Roki coming back and throwing last night, it’s making sure he comes out of that OK, and he did.
“So with all these guys, it’s about the rehab process and getting them back to playing Major League games. And then making sure the work they put in with our training staff can hold.”
The Dodgers are not worried with Ohtani being at less than 100% because his situation is not too dissimilar from that of any other player in the league. Additionally, L.A. is not asking Ohtani to put on the cape and single-handedly lead them back to the mountaintop, nor is it asking that of anyone else.
“I don’t think anyone is going to be at 100% in October. It’s a long, grueling season, and everyone is on fumes. Our group, the team we’re playing against, everyone is on fumes and it’s so adrenaline-based,” Friedman said.
“For me, it’s about each guy just drawing from their experience and having calmness in what they do. And I will bet on our talent to shine through. We don’t need anyone to try and do more. And for each guy to be as healthy and strong as they can be to be a contributing factor to us going about winning a championship this year.”
Josue De Paula optioned with Shohei Ohtani activated
The Dodgers optioned Josue De Paula to Triple-A Oklahoma City as the corresponding move to Ohani returning.
Although De Paula impressed since joining the Dodgers, Ohtani’s presence left the rookie without a clear role. De Paula nevertheless is still under consideration for a postseason role.
Make sure to follow Dodger Blue on Instagram! It’s the best way to see exclusive coverage from games and events, get your questions answered, and more!