Shohei Ohtani sat out his second straight start for the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 5, 2026, due to pain in his right biceps and left knee, marking the first time he has missed consecutive starts this season [1, 2, 3]. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said placing Ohtani on the injured list is unlikely but not ruled out, adding, "I hope we don't put Ohtani on the injured list, but I can't say that we absolutely won't. If after a few days he's still not ready, we will have to make a decision" [3, 4].
General Manager Brandon Gomes echoed this view, stating the team currently has no plans to place Ohtani on the 10-day injured list, emphasizing they want to avoid keeping him out for an extended period. "We see no reason at this time to put Shohei on the injured list. Having him out for 10 days or more is not something we want," Gomes said [1, 2].
Ohtani’s status remains day-to-day as the Dodgers monitor his recovery closely [1, 3]. Roberts highlighted the need for both physical and mental rest, noting, "Shohei needs both physical and mental rest; psychological burden often accompanies physical discomfort" [5]. Ohtani has not thrown weighted balls in several days, delaying his pitching comeback timeline [5, 4].
On the offensive side, Ohtani has experienced a rare slump. Over his last 12 games and 60 at-bats, he holds a .130 batting average with no home runs, a steep drop from his season average of .279 and 30 home runs in 113 games [2, 3, 6]. Despite this recent dip, he has driven in 80 runs this season [6].
On September 4, Ohtani rested against the St. Louis Cardinals for the first time this season, and he missed the September 5 start versus the Washington Nationals as well [1, 2, 6, 4]. The Dodgers won the game 5-3, paced by Blake Snell’s six scoreless innings and Kyle Tucker’s solo home run [7]. Tommy Edman led off in Ohtani’s absence [1].
The Dodgers will continue to assess Ohtani’s condition daily. Roberts said, "The key is to make sure when he returns to the lineup, he is fully ready and free of discomfort" [3]. No timetable has been set for his return.
