Shohei Ohtani is expected to return before the postseason, Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters on Thursday.
“I expect him back in the regular season,” Friedman said after the Dodgers clinched the National League West with an 8-2 victory over the host Cincinnati Reds.
Ohtani is on the 15-day injured due to left knee and right biceps injuries. He also has been dealing with neck soreness.
Friedman said the rest is helping Ohtani.
“He’s doing well,” Friedman said. “He’s progressing well.”
Friedman’s comments echoed manager Dave Roberts, who said earlier in the week that he expects Ohtani to play some regular-season games before the postseason arrives.
Because Ohtani is a two-way player, he must be on the IL for a minimum of 15 days. Sept. 23 is the soonest he can be activated. The Dodgers will have five games to go in the regular season at that point — two against the San Diego Padres at home and a three-game road series at the San Francisco Giants.
Ohtani isn’t expected to do any more pitching this season but the Dodgers would like to have his bat in the lineup.
Ohtani last played on Sept. 7 and he hasn’t homered or driven in a run in his past 13 appearances. He was just 6-for-49 (.122) with 21 strikeouts during the span.
Roberts said before Thursday’s game that Ohtani will take batting practice off coaches’ pitches later this week. He hit from a tee on Tuesday.
“There’s no pain. He’s doing everything he needs to do,” Roberts said. “I still don’t know when (the) time to return to play is. But everything that I hear is really positive.”
A four-time MVP, Ohtani has 30 homers and 80 RBIs in 130 games this season. The six-time All-Star is hitting .277 with a .380 on-base percentage and a .522 slugging percentage.
In 14 pitching starts, Ohtani has an 8-2 record with a 1.79 ERA, 95 strikeouts and 26 walks in 85 2/3 innings. He last pitched on July 3.
