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Shohei Ohtani could be headed to the injured list if his lingering biceps injury doesn’t improve, per staff reporting at the Los Angeles Times. The Dodgers are “hopeful” but not confident he’ll avoid an IL stint, a shift in tone from earlier in the week when rest days seemed sufficient to address his health concerns.

Ohtani has now missed multiple consecutive games due to various injuries—initially a biceps issue, then left knee soreness—creating a cascading health crisis just as we’re heading into the final month of the regular season. The fact that the team is now publicly discussing IL placement suggests the injury picture is more serious than selective rest can manage. A biceps issue is particularly concerning for someone whose job involves both hitting and eventually pitching again.

The timing is brutal. We’re in early September with the postseason weeks away. An IL placement removes Ohtani from the lineup entirely and signals the Dodgers believe he needs extended recovery time rather than spot rest. It also creates a domino effect through the roster—with Eric Lauer already on the IL with elbow inflammation and Will Klein on the 60-day IL, losing Ohtani removes yet another asset from the organization’s flexibility heading into October.

The organization’s public hedging—”hopeful but not confident”—tells you they’re preparing fans and the fanbase for what increasingly looks inevitable. When a team stops being optimistic and starts being realistic about injuries, it usually means things are worse than initially reported. Ohtani’s dual role as a hitter and developing pitcher means every day he’s unavailable costs us both offensively and in rotation depth. This decision will define how the final month unfolds.

Source(s): Staff (Los Angeles Times) | First reported: September 5, 2026 4:02 AM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers