Shohei Ohtani Going on IL Would 'Be More of a Deterrent' amid Injury Rehab, Says Dodgers Manager

There aren't many downsides to having a two-way star who hits and pitches like Shohei Ohtani on your roster, but the Los Angeles Dodgers could be facing one after the four-time MVP missed his third straight game with left knee and right biceps discomfort.

Since Ohtani is designated as a two-way player, he has to go on the injured list for a minimum of 15 days instead of 10.

"That'd be more of a deterrent," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday of potentially placing him on the IL, per Doug Padilla of the Associated Press.

Los Angeles could backdate the IL stint a maximum of three days if it does decide to make that move, but it would still be a significant amount of time without one of the best players in the league.

There was some progress, though, as Padilla noted Roberts said Ohtani took swings in the batting cages Saturday after not doing so the previous two days and did not report feeling discomfort.

"I feel that it's gotten a lot better given his demeanor the last couple days," Roberts said. "What I have learned about Shohei is when he doesn't feel well, physically, he gets more short, and it's just not the same personality, which makes sense. And so I think the last couple days he's gotten a lot more loose and easygoing."

Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 as the Dodgers manage his health and has struggled of late hitting just .137 with one home run in his last 13 games. Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong has seized control of the National League MVP race in the meantime with Ohtani not pitching or hitting like himself.

Still, the Dodgers will surely need the six-time All-Star back and healthy if they are going to win a third straight World Series title.

While a starting rotation that features Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow gives them plenty of remaining starpower on the mound, Ohtani is an elite hitter who can carry the offense throughout October.

He launched eight home runs in 17 postseason games last year and took home the National League Championship Series MVP in the win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

It remains to be seen whether the Dodgers will place Ohtani on the 15-day injured list, but they have a commanding 10.5-game lead in the National League West and will need him ready to go come playoff time as they look to remain atop the sport's mountaintop.