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Shohei Ohtani is out of the Dodgers’ lineup after striking out four times in his previous game, per Katie Woo at The New York Times. The decision reflects the team’s ongoing management of his health as the season enters its final month. This marks another day off for the two-way star, who has been dealing with multiple injuries and hasn’t been at full strength for weeks.

Ohtani has been pressing at the plate throughout late August and September, a sharp departure from his typical dominance. The four strikeouts in one game underscore his current struggle to stay locked in. Given his injury situation — biceps soreness, knee issues, and the workload of both hitting and pitching — the Dodgers are prioritizing his availability and health for the postseason over maximizing his regular-season at-bats right now.

This is a pragmatic call by the front office. With less than a month until October, Ohtani sitting out games he’s not truly ready for makes sense. The goal is to have him as healthy and fresh as possible when it matters most. It’s not ideal to see him struggling this badly, but rest days like this are part of the plan to get him there.

Source(s): Katie Woo (The New York Times) | First reported: September 3, 2026 10:18 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers