Overview
- Ohtani said Friday he still has not found a single root cause for lingering left‑knee, right‑biceps and neck problems and plans to manage those issues through the playoffs with fuller evaluation in the offseason.
- The Dodgers activated Ohtani as a hitter for the National League Division Series after a short hitting rehab and he told reporters his swing feels better and he expects to be ready for Game 1.
- He has not pitched since July 3 and the club formally shut him down as a pitcher in September, a move that removed his two‑way contribution for the postseason.
- Los Angeles will rely on its rotation led by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Tarik Skubal and will likely carry Josue De Paula as the top left‑handed bench option if Ohtani is limited.
- Ohtani had only five regular‑season tune‑up games (going 5‑for‑21), which shortens his ramp and raises both short‑term lineup risk and longer‑term health tradeoffs the Dodgers must weigh during the series.