Shohei Ohtani targets Monday return after missing four games with soreness

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is expected to return Monday against the Cincinnati Reds following a four-game absence.

Shohei Ohtani remained out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for a fourth consecutive game Sunday night, but manager Dave Roberts indicated the designated hitter is trending toward a return Monday against the Cincinnati Reds. Ohtani, who holds a .279 batting average with 30 home runs and 80 RBI through 129 games this season, has not appeared in a contest since striking out four times against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. The two-way star has been sidelined by persistent left knee and right biceps soreness, ailments that have impacted his performance since before the All-Star break.

Prior to this hiatus, Ohtani struggled at the plate, going 7-for-51 (.137) with a single home run over his final 13 games. This four-game stretch marks his longest period of inactivity since he missed the final month of the 2022 season as a member of the Los Angeles Angels due to an elbow injury. Despite the recent slump, Ohtani has secured his sixth consecutive season with at least 30 home runs.

Recovery Milestones and Batting Practice

The recovery process for Ohtani began with two days of complete rest before he transitioned to hitting in the indoor batting cage on Saturday. Roberts described the Saturday workout as a success, noting that the player felt well afterward. The manager stated that if the current trend continues and no setbacks occur during Sunday's scheduled work, Ohtani will be written into the lineup for the series opener against Cincinnati. Roberts expressed he is pleasantly pleased with the progress, though he cautioned that the return is not 100% certain until the lineup card is finalized.

Ohtani has reported that the extended rest period has led to improvements in both his knee and biceps. The knee soreness has been particularly restrictive, preventing the right-hander from pitching since July 3. On the mound this season, Ohtani has posted an 8-2 record with a 1.79 ERA across 14 starts, totaling 85 2/3 innings. However, Roberts characterized the likelihood of Ohtani pitching again this year as slim, citing the limited time remaining on the calendar and the lack of throwing activity over the past week.

Roster Moves and Injury Updates

In addition to the status of their designated hitter, the Dodgers made several roster adjustments on Sunday. The club placed catcher Dalton Rushing on the injured list due to right elbow discomfort. This move is retroactive to Saturday. Rushing reportedly aggravated the injury while playing catch. While the team believes Rushing could return to the active roster before the season concludes, Roberts confirmed that the injury will prevent him from performing catching duties for the remainder of the year.

To fill the vacancy created by Rushing’s injury, the Dodgers recalled catcher Eliezer Alfonzo from the minor leagues. The team continues to monitor Ohtani's workload as they prepare for the upcoming series. The Dodgers had previously considered giving Ohtani as much time as necessary to ensure he was fully healthy before returning to high-intensity competition. The methodical approach included total inactivity to address the soreness that has lingered for months.