Dodgers Expected to Activate Shohei Ohtani Wednesday; Roki Sasaki Returns to Bullpen
Los Angeles is set to get two key pieces back as it closes the regular season: Shohei Ohtani is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list Wednesday and Roki Sasaki has been activated and moved…
By SLAM Intel Desk · 4 min read · Updated Sep 23, 2026, 12:40 AM EDT
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Lede: Two returns that tweak the Dodgers’ October blueprint
The Dodgers are getting a two-for-one boost as the regular season winds down: Shohei Ohtani is expected to come off the 15-day injured list and rejoin the lineup Wednesday, and Roki Sasaki has been activated and will be used out of the bullpen, MLB.com reports. Collectively those moves give manager Dave Roberts immediate lineup reinforcement and fresh late-inning options as Los Angeles finalizes its postseason plan.
Ohtani’s return: a DH pick-up, not a pitching salvation
Roberts told reporters that, barring last-minute setbacks, Ohtani will be available Wednesday — a timeline confirmed by independent reporting. Ohtani was placed on the 15-day IL earlier this month for right-arm/biceps soreness after dealing with a separate knee issue during the second half of the season, so the Dodgers are rushing to get him meaningful plate appearances before the postseason.
The practical takeaway: Ohtani’s value for the immediate stretch will be his bat in the designated-hitter slot. The team has not announced plans to let him resume pitching this month, and with only a handful of regular-season games left, the Dodgers are prioritizing match-ready at-bats over reintroducing him to the mound.
Sasaki in the pen: a tactical switch that worked before
MLB.com confirmed Roki Sasaki was activated from the 15-day IL and will reprise a relief role in the season’s final games. Sasaki last left a start because of a blister; the club says he’ll be available for multi-inning stints as the Dodgers evaluate him in higher-leverage spots.
That’s no minor detail: Sasaki moved into relief late in last year’s postseason and delivered multiple effective innings, and the Dodgers explicitly see his ability to cover frames as a way to avoid relying solely on a single closer.
Why these moves change October math
With Edwin Díaz having struggled to provide late-inning stability, Los Angeles has leaned on Tanner Scott and will now have Sasaki as an additional right-handed option. Meanwhile, Ohtani’s return improves lineup depth and run creation without forcing the club to risk his health on the mound.
The net effect is tactical: Roberts can now mix matchups more freely, use multi-inning pieces earlier in the game, and keep fresh arms available for true ninth-inning situations — a luxury that can decide short postseason series where a single inning often determines outcome.
SLAM Explains
The complicated part, made simple.
Why moving a starter like Sasaki to the bullpen matters in October
Starting pitchers who come into relief late in the season can cover multiple innings and provide a hard, high-leverage matchup against opposite-side hitters. That stretches fewer roster spots and gives a manager the ability to treat high-leverage innings before the ninth as the true "closer" moment.
Why it matters here
If Sasaki can replicate the multi-inning effectiveness he showed in last year’s playoff run, the Dodgers won’t be dependent on a single ninth-inning arm. That flexibility is especially valuable when a traditional closer (Edwin Díaz) has been inconsistent.
Two-way player IL rule in brief
Because Ohtani is a two-way player, MLB’s rules require him to miss 15 days on the injured list rather than 10. That changes the timing for rehabilitation and activation compared with a player who is only a position player or only a pitcher.
Why it matters here
That rule compressed the Dodgers' timeline for getting at-bats and assessing Ohtani before the postseason; it helps explain why the club prioritized short-term DH at-bats rather than ramping him back to pitching immediately.
Sources and attribution
- MLBPublished Sep 22, 2026, 9:40 PM EDT
Reporting attributed to MLB.
- CBS SportsPublished Sep 22, 2026, 8:07 PM EDT
Reporting attributed to CBS Sports.
- Yahoo SportsPublished Sep 22, 2026, 7:40 PM EDT
Reporting attributed to Yahoo Sports.
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