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Shohei Ohtani is targeting a return to the Dodgers lineup on Sunday after sitting out Saturday’s game against the Padres, per MLB.com staff reporting. Ohtani told reporters he’s feeling “considerably better” following the right bicep issue that forced him out of Thursday’s game, and he could be available to pinch-hit as early as Saturday if needed. This is a meaningful update from where things stood after Thursday night, when Ohtani himself acknowledged mild concern about the injury.

Ohtani was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of Thursday’s 4-3 win over San Diego — a game the Dodgers ultimately won on a Kiké Hernández grand slam. At the time, Ohtani described some discomfort in his right bicep, and the decision to pull him was clearly precautionary given everything this organization has invested in keeping him healthy. The fact that he’s already describing significant improvement less than 48 hours later is encouraging. Ohtani entered the All-Star break on an otherworldly tear — he’s been the best hitter in baseball for stretches of this season, and losing him for any extended period would fundamentally change the complexion of this lineup. His ability to impact the game from both sides (even as he continues his progression back to pitching) makes him essentially irreplaceable.

The timeline here matters. Sunday would mean Ohtani misses just one full game — Saturday’s contest against San Diego — which is about as good an outcome as anyone could have hoped for when he left Thursday’s game early. The Dodgers have been careful with Ohtani all season, and that approach has paid off. Pulling him Thursday rather than letting him push through was the right call, and the quick turnaround validates that decision.

For the Dodgers, getting Ohtani back Sunday keeps the lineup at full strength heading into the final stretch before the All-Star break. This team is deep enough to survive a game without him — Thursday proved that — but “surviving without Ohtani” is not a long-term strategy anyone wants to rely on. The pinch-hit availability Saturday is a nice safety valve, but I’d expect the Dodgers to keep him on the bench unless the situation absolutely demands it. No reason to push things when Sunday is right there.

The broader picture here is simple: this appears to be a minor issue that was handled correctly. Ohtani is moving in the right direction, the Dodgers didn’t panic, and we should see him back in the lineup within a day. That’s good news all around for a team that’s already loaded up with five All-Stars and has its sights set on October.

Source(s): Staff (MLB.com) | First reported: July 5, 2026 1:44 AM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers