Dave Roberts: Shohei Ohtani not cleared to start pitching, Dodgers manage timeline down the stretch

Shohei Ohtani is still not cleared to make a pitching start, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated that any return to starting duties is unlikely by the season’s end. Speaking Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park in Detroit following the Dodgers’ loss to the Tigers, Roberts said the team does not view Ohtani’s readiness as something that will reach “100 percent” by the time the calendar turns to October.

Roberts’ remarks frame a cautious late-season approach for a player who has been central to Los Angeles’ planning on both sides of the game. While Ohtani is expected to pitch again in a game at some point, Roberts made clear that the next step will not be a traditional start on an immediate Sunday or Tuesday timetable.

The Dodgers have spent the better part of the season navigating the complexities of deploying a two-way player at the major-league level, particularly when it comes to bullpen workload, recovery windows, and the difference between pitching “in a game” versus stepping onto the mound with a starter’s role. Roberts’ comment suggests the club is prioritizing certainty over rushing a specific use case, even though Ohtani’s exact path back still includes an element of flexibility.

For Los Angeles, that distinction matters because the late schedule often forces managers to weigh long-term bullpen health against short-term matchups. A starter’s workload has ripple effects, and if Ohtani cannot be slotted into that workload reliably, the Dodgers must keep their planning focused on the pitchers who can cover multiple innings on demand.

Roberts also offered a window that is more about overall condition than a particular date. His statement that he “just doesn’t see everything getting to 100 percent by the end of the season” implies that the organization is tracking more than a single workout or a single appearance. It also indicates a threshold the Dodgers are not willing to cross if it risks setbacks that could linger into the postseason.

Ohtani’s situation, as described by Roberts, therefore lands in a familiar but still delicate category: a return that is possible, but not defined by a guaranteed starting role. That approach is consistent with how teams typically manage high-leverage pitching responsibilities when a player is not fully cleared for the full volume and intensity of starter usage.

In the next few days, the most important question is not whether Ohtani will pitch, but how the Dodgers will map his involvement. The club could use him in a lower-leverage or matchup-driven appearance, keeping him around the fringes of the game rather than requiring him to carry a starter’s stretch. For Dodgers fans and opponents, the uncertainty is part of the story, but Roberts’ clarity on the “not cleared to make pitching start” point limits how much to expect from the next immediate turn.

The underlying takeaway is that the Dodgers are treating the final sprint to the playoffs as a period of precision. Ohtani remains a pivotal presence, but Roberts’ comments suggest that the team’s priority is getting him to a level where he can contribute without forcing a role that does not match his current status. Whether that contribution arrives sooner or later, it is likely to be measured in how the Dodgers can use it to balance bullpen stability and postseason readiness.