Ohtani Slump: .143 AVG, 4 Ks, Dodgers Eye IL

Shohei Ohtani was struck out four times in a single game for the first time all season on Wednesday, September 2, as the Dodgers dropped an 8-6 ten-inning decision to the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. But this isn’t just one bad night.

Since August 18, Ohtani is 7-for-51 (.137) with 20 strikeouts. Over his last seven games, the numbers are even starker: .143 batting average, zero home runs, zero RBI, and a .452 OPS. Manager Dave Roberts admitted after Wednesday’s game that what he saw was «the tip of the iceberg» of something he’s been watching for weeks — and the Dodgers are now actively evaluating whether to give Ohtani rest or place him on the injured list.

A Bad Night That Didn’t Come Out of Nowhere

Wednesday’s four-strikeout game was the exclamation point on a rough August. Ohtani batted .207/.333/.429 with 19 strikeouts in 15 games last month — his worst offensive month of the season. His strikeout rate since the start of August has climbed to 28.2%, a number that stands out for a hitter whose full-season K% sits at just the 32nd percentile — meaning he’s typically been a reasonable contact bat, not a chronic whiffer.

There’s a physical component Roberts didn’t try to hide: Ohtani has been dealing with a left knee issue and right biceps discomfort. Those ailments kept him off the mound since July 3, and an attempted return on August 30 never materialized. «It’s not the swing we’re used to seeing,» Roberts told reporters after Wednesday’s loss, per UPI. The manager was careful to call the IL «very unlikely,» adding that he’ll talk with Ohtani first — and Ohtani has made clear he wants to keep playing.

The Numbers That Keep the Panic in Check

The slump is real. So is this: across 133 games in 2026, Ohtani is hitting .279 with 30 home runs, 80 RBI, and a .906 OPS — fourth in the National League. His Statcast profile remains in a different stratosphere:

Exit velocity: 93.2 mph (97th percentile)
Barrel rate: 15.8% (96th percentile)
Hard-hit rate: 51.7% (95th percentile)
xwOBA: .401 (99th percentile) — what Statcast projects he should be producing based on contact quality

That xwOBA figure is the key number here. Even with August’s ugly results, the underlying quality of Ohtani’s contact still ranks among the very best in baseball. The issue, as Roberts hinted, appears to be that the physical discomfort is affecting execution — not talent.

On the Mound in 2026

While the offense is the current concern, Ohtani’s pitching numbers this season are a reminder of what’s at stake. In 14 starts and 85.2 innings, he carries a 1.79 ERA and 0.95 WHIP, with 95 strikeouts against 26 walks. His xERA sits at 2.73, opponents are hitting just .180 against him, and his average fastball is 97.8 mph with 2,459 RPM of spin.

The Real Debate Heading Into October

The Dodgers enter September having lost six of their last eight games, and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position on Wednesday alone. They cannot afford to arrive at the postseason with their best player running on fumes.

That’s the tension the next few weeks will revolve around: rest Ohtani now so he’s right for October, or keep him active through the final stretch. The answer to that question may define LA’s entire postseason.