This article was generated by artificial intelligence and is automatically updated as news breaks. All credit belongs to the original reporters and their publications.

Shohei Ohtani endured a rough second half of August, hitting .207 with a .333 on-base percentage and .429 slugging percentage while dealing with wear and tear that may be affecting his performance, per dodgerblue.com. Manager Dave Roberts has indicated he would step in if he deems intervention necessary, signaling the team is monitoring the situation closely as we enter the home stretch.

Ohtani’s struggles coincided with his resumption of bullpen sessions, a part of his ongoing pitching progression that we’ve been tracking all season. The timing raises legitimate questions about whether the dual demands on his body—even with limited pitching appearances—are taking a toll on his offensive output. This is the exact scenario the organization has tried to manage carefully since bringing him back to the mound in late August. A .207 average over that stretch is significant enough to warrant attention, especially with the postseason looming.

Roberts’ willingness to intervene suggests the front office won’t hesitate to shut Ohtani down if his health becomes a genuine concern. That’s the right call given what’s at stake in October. We’d rather have him at full strength for three weeks of playoff baseball than risk further deterioration in September. The question now is whether the bullpen work continues as planned or gets scaled back—and whether Ohtani can shake this slump with some rest.

Source(s): Staff (dodgerblue.com) | First reported: September 3, 2026 2:10 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers