The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting healthier with their starting rotation. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported that Shohei Ohtani could return to pitching as early as next week.
That’s good news for the Dodgers, who are hoping to be at full strength for the postseason. In addition to the Ohtani news, the Dodgers are getting right-hander Tyler Glasnow back for their upcoming series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.
Ohtani has been battling knee and arm injuries this year, which have shut him down from pitching. The Dodgers two-way star remains in the starting lineup as their designated hitter and leadoff man.
The latest update on Ohtani, courtesy of Ardaya, is that he threw a 30-pitch live session on August 22. He faced Dodgers catcher Will Smith, who is set to begin a rehab assignment this week with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Ohtani has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last decade when healthy. He owns a 1.79 ERA and a 27.9% strikeout rate across 85.2 innings. He had been in the National League Cy Young Award discussion before getting shut down from pitching.
What the Shohei Ohtani News Means for the Dodgers
GettyShohei Ohtani is closing on a return to the mound. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
It’s unclear how much Ohtani can stretch out as a starter. Due to his value with the bat, his rehab starts will come in a Dodgers uniform, like last season.
Ohtani may operate akin to an opener, with plenty of bulk pitcher options the club can turn to behind him. Due to special lineup rules concerning the DH, the 32-year-old will continue to start games as a pitcher.
At full strength, the Dodgers may move Eric Lauer, Roki Sasaki, and Justin Wrobleski to the bullpen. All three starters profile as bulk arms to piggyback behind Ohtani for the final month of the season and postseason.
The injury situation with Wrobleski also bears watching in this situation. The All-Star left-hander is battling forearm inflammation, but has progressed to throwing live batting practice.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told Ardaya that the left-hander will turn in a multi-inning relief role.
Projecting the Dodgers Postseason Rotation
Getty2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto anchors the Dodgers’ star-studded rotation. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The bigger question will be how the Dodgers deploy their pitching staff in the postseason. The club will likely deploy a starting four of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, and Blake Snell.
That rotation features four Cy Young Award winners and a World Series MVP. With that type of star power in their rotation, the Dodgers are considered one of the top contenders to win a World Series championship in 2026.
The question the Dodgers face is the potential role for their army of starters. Thanks to Ohtani’s two-way status, the Dodgers can essentially run a 10-man bullpen. The club could find a relief role for Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow, and Justin Wrobleski, while still keeping their high-leverage arms on the roster.
The Dodgers are aiming to finish their three-peat and have spared no expense in pursuing it. The club features the largest Competitive Balance Tax payroll in 2026, sitting at $419 million according to Roster Resource.
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