Dave Roberts kept it simple before Thursday’s game against the Cardinals: Shohei Ohtani is out of the lineup, and the name on the back of his jersey has nothing to do with it. It’s the first time Ohtani has been scratched since July 30 — and it comes one day after he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts (golden sombrero) in an 8-6 loss on Wednesday.
The Dodgers are chasing a third straight World Series title, and the front office made a clear call: October matters more than this Thursday in September.
The Quote That Says Everything
Roberts addressed the media before the September 3 game and didn’t hide behind vague manager-speak. Ohtani wants to play — he said so himself — but that decision belongs to the medical staff and the manager, not the player.
«It’s just kind of a day-to-day situation… He wants to be in there, but I’m not gonna just put him in there because of the name on the back of his jersey.» — Dave Roberts
What Roberts didn’t say out loud, the numbers say for him: Ohtani batted .128 over his last 10 games (5-for-39), with 16 strikeouts and zero RBI. Wednesday was the most visible moment of a slide Roberts himself called the «tip of the iceberg» — one that’s been building for weeks.
That’s a steep fall for a player who entered this stretch hitting .279 with 30 home runs and 80 RBI in 126 games, posting a .906 OPS on the season.
Three Injuries, One Open Question
Ohtani is dealing with discomfort in his left knee, right biceps, and neck. The knee kept him off the mound since July — his last start as a pitcher in 2026 came on July 3, when he carried an 8-2 record and a 1.79 ERA through 14 starts. Ace-level numbers, no argument needed.
Until this week, those injuries hadn’t visibly dented his offensive production. Now they have. Roberts ruled out the IL for now — calling it «unlikely» — but made clear the situation will be evaluated daily with the training staff. Alex Call stepped in as the designated hitter and Tommy Edman led off.
The real question nobody in Los Angeles wants to answer yet: how long can «day-to-day» hold if the symptoms don’t improve? The Dodgers need Ohtani healthy in October, not worn down by a September that’s already slipping away. Roberts’ decision Thursday afternoon communicates exactly that logic.
Ohtani’s 2026 Numbers — Both Ways
Ohtani plays both sides of the ball, and Statcast tracks both. Here’s where he stands:
At the plate (592 plate appearances):
- AVG: .279 | OPS: .906
- 30 home runs, 80 RBI
- xwOBA: .401 — 99th percentile in MLB
- Exit velocity: 93.2 mph — 97th percentile
- Barrel rate: 15.8% — 96th percentile
- Hard-hit rate: 51.7% — 95th percentile
- Bat speed: 74.6 mph — 79th percentile
On the mound (14 starts, 85.2 innings):
- ERA: 1.79 | WHIP: 0.95 | xERA: 2.73
- 95 strikeouts, 26 walks — 27.9% strikeout rate
- Fastball: 97.8 mph avg, 2,459 rpm spin — 93rd percentile velocity, 89th percentile spin
- Whiff rate: 30.4% — 85th percentile
- Opponents batting: .180
- Exit velocity allowed: 87.4 mph
- Barrel rate allowed: 3.8% — 94th percentile (barrels avoided)
- xwOBA against: 94th percentile | xERA: 94th percentile
