Shohei Ohtani doesn’t look right to Dodgers manager after striking out four times in loss
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Shohei Ohtani didn’t look right when striking out in the 10th inning of the Dodgers’ 8-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani, who hasn’t pitched since July 3 because of lingering knee and biceps soreness, appeared to wince in pain throughout his eight-pitch at-bat against Cardinals reliever Riley O’Brien, seeming to strain himself with every swing and flex of his muscles.
“I saw the same thing that everyone saw,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I’m going to talk to [Ohtani] tomorrow and really try to figure out … where he’s at physically. Because, yeah, I saw the shaking of the arm, I saw the wincing, and clearly, the swings aren’t who he is.
“Obviously, there’s some compensation. So, I’m going to talk to him, and then I’ll make a decision tomorrow about his availability.”
Roberts isn’t sure if Ohtani, who went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts and a walk, will need to go on the injured list for the first time as a Dodger.
“It won’t be an IL, unless it is,” Roberts said. “But it’s very unlikely.”
Ohtani is the type of player who will suit up as long as he has a leg to stand on. He’s been on the IL only twice in his career and is on pace to appear in 158 games for the third consecutive season. But he’s batting only .137 over the last two weeks.
“I think that tonight was kind of the tip of the iceberg,” Roberts said. “But I’ve seen it over the last couple of weeks, where he hasn’t been who he is.”
The Dodgers proved last season they need their two-way star to be an offensive catalyst and not a pitching sensation. They have the arms without him to win it all again.
With a month to go before October, when the Dodgers’ pursuit of a third consecutive World Series title truly starts, Roberts understands that Ohtani’s situation must be addressed now.
“I know he feels that he needs to post and be in the lineup, and if he’s upright, he should play; I respect that,” Roberts said. “But if he’s feeling the way that it visibly looks, then [that’s] really not helping anyone. So, that’s the conversation that I’ll have with [the training staff].”
The Dodgers, who were one for 18 with runners in scoring position Wednesday, could’ve used a big hit from their future Hall of Famer. They probably could’ve used his pitching too.
Instead, they’re waiting to see if Ohtani will be available for the foreseeable future.
“I do think that he is a very finely tuned athlete,” Roberts said. “So when he’s not kind of all synced up, and the parts aren’t working the way that he’s used to them working, things are compromised. And so clearly tonight, you can see the swing wasn’t the swing that we’re used to seeing. So he’s not close to optimal tonight.
“What is going to get him close to being able to perform at the level that you know he expects? That’s kind of the question. And time off obviously seems logical, so I’m not blind to that.”
Ohtani’s uncertain status comes at a tricky time for the Dodgers.
The two-time defending champions haven’t looked the part for much of the summer. Wednesday’s ugly loss, in which Yoshinobu Yamamoto faltered after a strong start and the Dodgers crumbled late despite taking a 3-0 first-inning lead, was the latest example.
“As a team, yes, there might be some stuff we need to do better [and] work on some stuff,” said Yamamoto, who had a no-hitter through five innings before surrendering a two-run home run in the sixth and another in the seventh. “But because we have great players and experienced players, I think we will be able to get over this hump.”
Yamamoto isn’t alone in staying calm.
“We’ve been through everything,” said Freddie Freeman, who ended his career-high 47-game home run drought with a three-run blast in the first. “We’ve seen everything. Had our backs against the wall and had to win games when we really needed to … I think good things are ahead.”
Good things very well could be ahead for the Dodgers, who are 82-57 and in first place by nine games in the National League West. They’ve earned the right not to panic; that’s for sure.
But the equation could change drastically based on Ohtani’s status down the stretch.
CT3 comes home
The Dodgers welcomed back former longtime utility player Chris Taylor to Dodger Stadium and presented him with a video tribute and his third World Series ring.
“It’s pretty much what I identify my career as — over 90% of my entire career was in Dodger blue,” Taylor said. “This is the place I call home. Always proud to be a Dodger, and it means a lot to me that they would do this for me. So, I’m extremely humbled.”
Taylor, a 12-year veteran who retired this season, said Wednesday night was the first time he was able to watch a game with his family.
Injury updates
Catcher Will Smith was given a breather after going one for five with two RBIs in his first game back from a three-month stint on the injured list on Tuesday.
“It was good to see him get a knock,” Roberts said. “I thought he swung the bat pretty well. So, it’s a premeditated day off today. He’ll be back in there tomorrow, but I guess no news is good news.”
It wasn’t a full day off, as Smith pinch-hit for Hunter Feduccia in the ninth and scored the Dodgers’ run in the 10th.
Right-hander Roki Sasaki’s blister is healing while he’s on the IL, so he shouldn’t miss additional time.
“I saw him yesterday at the end of the bench; it’s healing well,” Roberts said. “He’s still moving his arm, playing catch. So I think it’s going to be a shorter term getting him back.”
Roberts doesn’t yet know whether Sasaki will take a spot in the rotation upon his return.
Another right-hander, Gavin Stone, who hasn’t pitched since August 2024 potentially could pitch this month, Roberts said. Stone recently made his fourth rehab start.
“Gavin’s been good,” Roberts said. “I think right now — and again, this is not talking to the guys in the, you know, player development — but it’s more of just getting him to stay upright, stay healthy, is the win for 2026.”
