Shohei Ohtani missed his third consecutive game for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, and the team is now openly considering a stint on the injured list for the superstar designated hitter.
The Dodgers have not confirmed a specific diagnosis, but manager Dave Roberts told reporters the club is "hopeful" Ohtani will avoid the IL — while also acknowledging that confidence level is not high. The cautious tone marks a shift from earlier statements that framed the issue as minor and day-to-day.
Ohtani last played on Saturday, when he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He has not appeared in the lineup since, and the Dodgers have used a mix of bench pieces and younger players to fill the designated hitter role in his absence. Catcher Dalton Rushing, veteran Kiké Hernández, and pitcher Justin Wrobleski have each taken on bigger roles as the roster adjusts.
The timing is delicate. Los Angeles is in the thick of the NL West race, and losing Ohtani for any extended stretch — whether as a hitter or as a pitcher later this season — would be a significant blow. His two-way workload has long raised questions about durability, and this is the first real test of how the team handles an injury scare since his record-setting offseason signing.
What remains unclear is the exact nature of the issue and how long the Dodgers believe recovery will take. The team has not ruled out placing him on the 10-day IL retroactively, which would allow him to return sooner than it first appeared.
For now, the Dodgers are pressing forward without their biggest star. But the way they talk about Ohtani — careful, measured, avoiding certainty — suggests the concern runs deeper than a typical day-to-day soreness. The next 48 hours should offer a clearer picture.
