LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers may be getting their most feared weapon back just in time for October. According to manager Dave Roberts, there is growing internal confidence that Shohei Ohtani could enter the National League Division Series looking more dangerous than he has at any point in the past two months, a development that could dramatically reshape the postseason landscape for a team that already won 100 games.
The news, which emerged from behind the scenes in Los Angeles, arrives after weeks of anxiety surrounding Ohtani’s physical condition, his declining production at the plate, and mounting questions about whether the Japanese superstar would be anywhere near full strength when the games begin to matter most. Roberts’ comments suggest the organization believes fans may yet see the best version of Ohtani when the stakes reach their peak.
That does not mean Ohtani is fully recovered or that he will automatically dominate the series. But it represents a significant shift in tone from an organization that had spent much of the past month deflecting concerns about its most important offensive player. For a large portion of the last several weeks, the question in Los Angeles was simple: which version of Shohei Ohtani would arrive for the playoffs?
Would it be the player capable of destroying any pitcher with a single swing, the one who finished the regular season leading the Dodgers in home runs even while battling physical issues and enduring a stretch well below his usual standard? Or would it be the physically limited athlete who began piling up strikeouts and struggling to find his timing at the plate?
The signs of fatigue had become increasingly difficult to ignore before his placement on the injured list. Over a 24-game stretch, Ohtani hit just . 198 with 34 strikeouts in 109 plate appearances.
For almost any other player, those numbers would represent nothing more than a rough patch. With Ohtani, everything takes on another dimension because the standard he has set is so extraordinarily high.
When his explosive power disappears, when his contact rate drops, or when strikeouts begin to mount, concern immediately arises that something is wrong. In this case, there were concrete reasons for worry. Ohtani was dealing with issues in his right biceps and left knee, two areas capable of directly affecting a hitter’s power, balance, and mechanics.
That is precisely why the Dodgers decided to use their situation to their advantage. By securing one of the best records in the National League and avoiding the wild-card round, Los Angeles gained something that may be more valuable to Ohtani than to anyone else on the roster: time. While other teams are forced into elimination games, exhausting their best arms, and deploying bench players before the NLDS even begins, the Dodgers received several days of rest and preparation.
In Ohtani’s case, that period is being used in a very specific way. The goal is not simply to leave him on the sidelines and wait for his physical condition to improve. The team wants to restore his health while working seriously on regaining his timing at the plate.
Roberts revealed that Ohtani will continue facing live pitching before the first game of the series, with multiple opportunities planned so he can feel the true speed of game action again.
That detail could prove critical. A player can be healthier, feel less pain, and regain strength, but that does not automatically mean he will be ready to hit at his highest level. In baseball, fractions of a second make an enormous difference.
If a hitter is slightly late on a fastball, all the physical work becomes practically worthless. That is exactly why the Dodgers are placing such importance on live batting practice sessions.
They do not simply want to insert Ohtani into the lineup for Game 1. They want to restore Ohtani to the lineup so he can once again instill fear in opposing pitchers. Brandon Gomes reinforced the optimism as well, saying the star is feeling very good physically, while Roberts confirmed that medical reports continue to show progress.
Those statements help explain why there is so much confidence inside the organization at the moment.
Another important point is that Ohtani will be able to focus his energy exclusively on hitting. The Dodgers plan to use him as a designated hitter only, ruling out any possibility of returning him to the mound at this stage. That decision reduces his responsibilities and allows all of his preparation to be directed toward one task: offensive production.
Even after enduring his difficulties, his final numbers still demonstrate why he matters so much. Ohtani finished the regular season with a . 275 batting average, an .
889 OPS, and 30 home runs, the highest total on the team. Now imagine if those extra recovery days truly restore some of the explosive power that was missing. Imagine if his hard contact begins showing up again during practice.
Imagine if he steps into Dodger Stadium for Game 1 feeling that his body can finally keep up with what his mind wants to do. That is exactly the possibility that makes Roberts’ update so significant. The Dodgers won 100 games and enter the playoffs with enormous expectations, but everyone knows that nothing from the past six months guarantees success in October.
A short series can change in two nights. One misplaced pitch can decide a game. One player catching fire at the right moment can alter an entire team’s trajectory.
That is where Ohtani emerges as the biggest question mark and, at the same time, perhaps Los Angeles’ biggest hope. The Dodgers do not necessarily need the perfect version of Shohei. They may simply need a healthier, more comfortable, and more confident version than what we saw in the final weeks of the regular season.
But if Roberts is right, if the rest truly pays off, and if his timing begins returning to form, then what appeared to be a major source of concern could quickly transform into a nightmare for any opponent. Because when Game 1 begins and Shohei Ohtani walks toward the batter’s box, everyone will be waiting for the answer to the same question: has his best version truly returned at the moment the Dodgers need him most?
If Ohtani enters the NLDS in genuinely better physical condition, the impact could extend far beyond his personal statistics. His presence at the top of the lineup completely changes the way opposing pitchers must operate. They know that any mistake could become a long ball, a run scored, or even a home run capable of shifting the atmosphere inside a stadium within seconds.
That forces greater caution, increases pitch counts, and creates opportunities for the hitters who follow him. This is precisely where the Dodgers could gain a tremendous advantage. Even when Ohtani does not record a hit, he can force an opponent to throw six, seven, or eight pitches in a single at-bat, wearing down the starting pitcher and accelerating the call to the bullpen.
In a short series, that kind of detail can be decisive, especially because every game demands quick decisions from managers, and any accumulated fatigue may surface in the following game. At the same time, there is immense pressure on Ohtani. He finished the season leading the Dodgers in home runs, but he also endured a difficult stretch before landing on the injured list.
That means the NLDS will not merely be an opportunity to help the team. It will be a test of how far his recovery has actually progressed. The most important factor will be his ability to recognize pitches and avoid chasing balls outside the strike zone, something that becomes far more difficult when his timing is not ideal.
If he can handle pitches better and return to driving the ball with authority, the entire Dodgers offense could grow alongside him.
That is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see during the final live batting practice sessions. Now comes the most important part of this story: what could happen from here? In the best-case scenario for the Dodgers, Ohtani responds quickly to the rest, regains his timing, and enters the NLDS with confidence to attack from the very first game.
If that happens, Los Angeles gains far more than just a productive hitter. They gain a player capable of completely changing how an opponent constructs its game plan. A fully fit Ohtani forces pitchers to operate with an extremely small margin for error, increases pressure on relief arms, and creates better situations for the rest of the lineup.
In a short series, two or three standout at-bats can be enough to change everything.
But there is also the opposite scenario. If the pain returns, if his timing remains late, or if his strikeout rate stays elevated, the Dodgers could enter October with their biggest star performing well below expectations at the exact moment when every detail matters more than ever. There is also a psychological dimension that cannot be ignored.
Ohtani knows all eyes will be on him.
Fans expect an immediate impact, opponents understand how important he is, and the organization has spent the past several days carefully constructing this recovery process. That combination can create pressure, but it can also create exactly the kind of environment in which great players tend to rise to the occasion. Although Los Angeles is not relying on Ohtani as a pitcher in this series, the simple fact that he can focus all his energy on hitting may ultimately prove to be a significant advantage.
Fewer physical demands, greater focus on offensive preparation, and more opportunities to fine-tune every detail before facing the best pitchers available in October. In the end, the Dodgers enter the NLDS with a powerful roster, 100 wins during the season, and enormous expectations, but perhaps no piece is as critical as Shohei Ohtani. If he is truly close to the best version of himself from the past few months, Los Angeles gains a weapon capable of changing the course of an inning, a game, and perhaps even an entire series.
Now, the question is what everyone wants to know: will Ohtani dominate the spotlight in these playoffs, or will injuries continue to cast a shadow over his October? For the Dodgers, the answer may determine everything.
