Shohei Ohtani rejoined the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup Wednesday after a stint on the 15-day injured list, but his performance in a 5-1 loss to the San Diego Padres left team officials cautious rather than celebratory about his readiness for the postseason.
Notably, Ohtani batted second rather than in his usual leadoff spot, with Mookie Betts hitting first instead. Betts, an eight-time All-Star, has hit .317 over his last 42 games, but the shift in the order signaled that the Dodgers are still managing Ohtani’s workload as he recovers from injuries to his right arm and left knee.
President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman was noncommittal when asked which version of Ohtani fans should expect going forward.
“I mean, these aren’t things there’s a clear answer to,” Friedman said.
Manager Dave Roberts said his benchmark for success in Ohtani’s return was seeing him “being controlled, taking good at-bats” rather than overpowering the opposition immediately.
By that measure, Wednesday’s outing had promising signs. In the first inning, Ohtani singled off left-hander Robbie Ray on a low pitch — the kind he reportedly could not reach in the weeks before he went on the injured list because of his knee. Later in the game, he drove a 99-mph fastball to the warning track, a ball Roberts noted he had not been getting to recently.
Ohtani also showed discipline at the plate, working two-ball counts in each of his first four plate appearances and drawing a walk in the third inning.
Still, questions remain. Ohtani struck out twice, including with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth inning, when he was late on a 98.5-mph sinker with a full count, and again in the ninth on three pitches from closer Mason Miller.
Friedman said Ohtani has told the team he feels back to where he was earlier in the season, but cautioned that feeling ready and performing under the workload of real games are different things.
“Now, it’s one thing to feel that way for any player coming back from the IL. When you’re coming back, now the question is, as you start to load on real games and that intensity and that workload, it’s making sure that what we’ve done keeps guys in position to be at their best,” Friedman said.
Roberts has previously described Ohtani as “pain-free” but acknowledged he is still dealing with “discomfort you can play through.” Ohtani himself has said he is unlikely to be fully healthy again this season.
Ohtani did not speak with reporters after Wednesday’s game, leaving unanswered questions about whether his patience at the plate stemmed from strategy, physical limitation, or both, as the Dodgers head toward the playoffs.
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