Dodgers ready for fifth straight division title; Roberts confirms Ohtani will return to regular season

The Los Angeles Dodgers have lowered their magic number to one for winning the NL West and could complete a five-peat in the division as soon as tomorrow. Manager Dave Roberts also indicated that he intends to let Shohei Ohtani return to the regular season to fine-tune his performance ahead of the playoffs.

Ohtani is currently on the 15-day injured list with right biceps tendinitis, and fans are closely watching when he will return. He resumed batting practice yesterday and reported feeling good with his swings. Roberts said before today's game, "After Ohtani's workout, he took a full rest day the next day, was very relaxed, and did almost nothing."

The Dodgers will face the Giants six times in the final stretch of the regular season and host the Padres from September 23 to 25 at home. Ohtani is currently in good hitting form and will progressively increase his training intensity in preparation for his return, potentially rejoining the big league as early as the 24th.

When asked today whether Ohtani might use regular-season games to get into game shape for the playoffs, Roberts said, "That is indeed the plan. We're not sure about the number of games, but he will come back and play in a few."

However, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes added, "The most important thing is that Ohtani is in good condition and stays healthy. Whether he's ready during the regular season or after, as long as he's in good shape at that point, that's fine."

Per MLB injured list rules, Ohtani could theoretically return as early as the 24th for the game against the Padres. On this matter, Gomes acknowledged, "That's certainly a possibility," but also clearly emphasized, "There's no reason to rush him back. The priority is to use this time to fully recover from all injuries and ensure he is in good condition." Gomes even suggested that Ohtani might skip the regular season entirely and return directly for the postseason.