The Los Angeles Dodgers shut out the San Diego Padres 7-0 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. The offense produced nine hits and four walks. The pitching staff held one of the best lineups in the National League to five hits and struck out ten. The Dodgers are 97-60 and one win away from clinching a first-round playoff bye.
The most significant news of the night did not come from the game itself. It came from manager Dave Roberts’ pregame availability, where he addressed the status of the most important player on the roster.
Shohei Ohtani will be activated from the injured list on Wednesday. And for the first time in weeks, Roberts sounded genuinely encouraged about what the Dodgers are getting back.
Roberts Puts a Number on It
Roberts was asked how Ohtani’s health has progressed during his two weeks on the injured list. His answer was unusually specific.
“I would say if (before) he was a five, he’s probably an eight or a nine right now,” Roberts said.
The message was clear: Ohtani is not fully healthy. But the version of Ohtani returning Wednesday is “considerably” better than the one who went on the IL.
Ohtani was in a 6-for-52 slump when the Dodgers finally shut him down on September 11. Left knee pain, right biceps inflammation, and neck soreness had all contributed to a drop in production. His swing looked compromised. His at-bats lacked the violence that makes him one of the most dangerous hitters on the planet.
Two weeks of rest changed the equation. Ohtani did not face live pitching during his IL stint, but he progressed through coach-pitch batting practice and sessions on the Trajekt machine. Roberts described Tuesday’s cage work as “probably a light lift” and expressed confidence that Ohtani would be ready for Wednesday’s lineup.
“Unless I hear otherwise,” Roberts said, “he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow.”
The Leadoff Question
Mookie Betts has been on a tear, hitting .373 with a .468 on-base percentage and six home runs in September. He hit leadoff in each of the last three games and went 7-for-12 with two home runs, three doubles, and two walks. The production has been impossible to ignore.
Roberts said the decision could come down to pitching matchups, with the right-handed Betts leading off against left-handed pitchers and the left-handed Ohtani taking the spot against right-handers.
“That’s probably the way it’s going to fall out, but I haven’t totally decided yet,” Roberts said. “I am going to think through it a little bit versus right, versus left.”
Final Word for the Dodgers
The Dodgers spent weeks waiting for this.
Five games remain. The bye is within reach. Ohtani is back.
Dodgers Get Significant Shohei Ohtani News Ahead of MLB Playoffs