Shohei Ohtani out of Dodgers lineup for third straight game as possible IL stint looms

Shohei Ohtani's absence from the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup has reached a third straight game, with the possibility of an injured list stint seemingly becoming more real with each day.

Ohtani was once again out of the lineup for the Dodgers' game against the Washington Nationals on Saturday. Dalton Rushing was originally the replacement at designated hitter, but he was later scratched and replaced by Alex Call.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters later Saturday that Ohtani will hit in the cage, per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya , with his body's response deciding the next course of action, such as the IL.

Ohtani's last appearance in a game was on Wednesday, an ugly four-strikeout performance that sparked new concerns that the knee issue that has kept him off the mound since early July is starting to affect his hitting. He has slashed only .264/.344/.526 in the two months he's worked only as a designated hitter, well off his norms since joining the Dodgers, and remains only two for his last 23, with 11 strikeouts.

Roberts has gotten progressively less optimistic about Ohtani's outlook over the past few days, conceding that an IL stint was a "possibility" on Wednesday then admitting he was "hopeful" but not "confident" Ohtani would avoid such a fate .

The possibility of Ohtani returning as a pitcher appears more remote, with Roberts saying earlier this week that shutting him down for the season on the mound is "an option."

If Ohtani hits the injured list, it will be the first time he's done so since joining the Dodgers before the 2024 season. Even while recovering from internal brace surgery on the torn UCL in his pitching arm, he was still playing nearly every day as a designated hitter.

MLB rules state that injured list placements can only be backdated a maximum of three days. The Dodgers would obviously like to have Ohtani in their lineup as soon as possible, but the question will soon be whether they want to bet an entire roster spot on him becoming healthy enough within a week.