Shohei Ohtani is expected to pitch again in 2026, but it isn’t expected to be soon. The two-way player is working back from soreness and a minor knee injury that is bothering him on the mound.
Ohtani was scheduled to throw a bullpen on Saturday, but it was delayed. Manager Dave Roberts said the delay was due to a “regression” in the pitcher’s knee after his bullpen earlier this week.
Roberts admitted that Ohtani taking a step back in his recovery was “not ideal.” He did say that he fully expects him to take the mound again at some point this season. The Dodgers manager confirmed before the All-Star break that Ohtani did not have his knee drained, but he did get a “lubricant injection.”
At the time, Robert added that “it’s going to take some time” for Ohtani to return to the mound and that they were not considering it a “day-to-day thing.” There is still no timetable for Ohtani to take the mound again, and he last pitched on July 3.
Ohtani has started 14 games this season. Before his soreness and minor injury, he was dominating. He combined for a 1.79 ERA, striking out 95 batters in 85.2 innings of work.
Even though he isn’t pitching, the two-way player is still serving as Los Angeles’ primary designated hitter. Ohtani is slashing .286/.392/.527 with 22 home runs and 62 RBI through 95 games.
The Dodgers have the depth that even though he isn’t pitching, the team has been fine without the added boost. Los Angeles has a 66-38 record as of July 25, the most wins in baseball.
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