With just two months remaining in the regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers are making a late push towards the playoffs, but their chances of a deep postseason run are still clouded by the uncertain return of Shohei Ohtani.
Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged there is still no timetable for the two-way superstar to resume pitching, raising the possibility that the Dodgers may have to navigate the stretch run without one of the game's elite starting pitchers.
Ohtani has been running aggressively again, but the discomfort associated with pitching remains a separate issue, and Roberts said the club is approaching the point where the extended layoff will require Ohtani to essentially restart his pitching buildup.
"He continues to say that the running doesn't affect his knee," Roberts said. "Recently he's been running harder, so that tells me that his knee feels better and isn't compromised running or swinging the bat."
While Ohtani's return remains a mystery, the Dodgers are getting better news elsewhere on the injury front. Reliever Edwin DÃaz is expected to return Wednesday, giving the bullpen another experienced arm as the playoff race intensifies.
Glasnow also appears close, scheduled to throw a live batting practice session at Dodger Stadium, with Roberts saying he expects a rehab assignment to follow shortly afterward.
"From what I hear, he's in a good spot," Roberts said.
Snell, meanwhile, is further along in his recovery, with Roberts saying everything he has heard from the medical staff has been encouraging and expressing confidence that both Snell and Glasnow will be significant contributors over the final two months of the season.
The Dodgers are also welcoming back veteran utility player Kiké Hernández, who returned to the active roster after missing nearly nine weeks with a Grade 3 oblique strain.
Hernández admitted the diagnosis initially left him fearing the worst, saying "I thought that it was surgical. I didn't really know how obliques worked… when I heard Grade 3, I thought maybe my season was over."
Despite the challenges he faced, Hernández said he has no intention of changing the aggressive style that has defined his career, stating "The way that I play the game, I only know one speed, and that's all out."
The Dodgers' roster is finally beginning to resemble a championship contender at full strength, but until Ohtani is back on a major league mound, the organization's biggest October question remains the same.
The Dodgers will face a crucial stretch of left-handed opposing starters approaching, and Hernández's versatility will be a valuable weapon, particularly with his ability to play third and left field.
Roberts said Hernández has "checked all the boxes. He feels good," and will be a significant contributor to the team's chances of a deep postseason run.
The question now is how long it will take for Ohtani to be ready to pitch again, and whether the Dodgers can navigate the stretch run without their ace on the mound.
The Dodgers will face a crucial stretch of games without Ohtani, but with the return of DÃaz, Snell, and Glasnow, they are finally beginning to look like the team they envisioned entering the year.
Source: Yahoo Sports