Shohei Ohtani Steps Up Pitching Rehab, Nears Game Return as Opener Against Tigers
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is on the verge of returning to the mound in a highly unconventional, major league-level rehabilitation plan. Ohtani has not pitched in a game since July 3, 2026, when he was sidelined indefinitely due to left knee soreness/inflammation and right biceps discomfort.
Aggressive Major League Rehab Plan
Under normal circumstances, a starting pitcher returning from a multi-month injury layoff would be sent to the minor leagues for a rehab assignment. However, because Ohtani is the Dodgers' most important bat, building his arm back up in the minors would require taking him out of the major league lineup entirely.
To avoid this, the Dodgers plan to have Ohtani perform his rehab directly in major league games. He is scheduled to make his return to the mound this coming Sunday, August 30, 2026, in Detroit against the Tigers, serving as an opener:
"Ohtani, who last pitched on July 3 — throwing 30 pitches — he won't have a Minor League rehab assignment. Instead, he will build up his pitch count with the Dodgers. ... Ohtani's return to pitching from a second major elbow surgery last year is a good point of reference. He won't go on a rehab assignment, but rather build up in big league games, one inning at a time.1"
Postseason Readiness Goal
Manager Dave Roberts has outlined an aggressive progression for Ohtani with an eye toward postseason readiness. If Ohtani starts on Sunday and maintains his standard once-per-week pitching schedule, he could get four or five regular-season starts before the playoffs begin.
Roberts believes Ohtani can build up to five-inning starts by October:
"Ohtani could still build up to five-inning starts by October, Roberts said. If Ohtani keeps his standard once-per-week pitching schedule, he could get up to four or five (if he starts Sunday, with the regular season ending Sept. 27) starts in actual games before then. 'To then have the opportunity, the flexibility to insert Shohei to build up like he did last year, I think, is of huge benefit both ways,' Roberts said."
The Dodgers' rotation is starting to come together at the right time, with Tyler Glasnow also returning from the 60-day injured list this week. Ohtani's return as a multi-inning opener provides the defending champions with immense flexibility heading into the fall.
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An instance of A two-way star's offensive value forces franchises to execute physical rehabilitation in active major-league games. — To preserve Ohtani's critical bat in the major league lineup, the Dodgers are choosing to rehab his pitching arm in active, big-league games instead of sending him to the minors. ↩︎