Dodgers’ two-way star Shohei Ohtani set to miss Saturday with right triceps soreness, jeopardizing pitching timeline

Shohei Ohtani is expected to miss the Dodgers’ game on Saturday after right triceps soreness surfaced following his most recent pitching start, a development that immediately clouds Los Angeles’ plans for how much longer he can handle the workload of a true two-way schedule. According to Yahoo Sports, the Dodgers removed Ohtani from the lineup on July 4 and are still assessing how his body responds as they move through the final stretch before midseason week.

The issue was first felt after Ohtani’s final at-bat in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 7-3? (per report context: Dodgers’ victory over San Diego on July 3) win over the Padres, when he experienced discomfort in his triceps. That discomfort came after a solid outing in which he struggled with command early but settled in, ultimately striking out nine and finishing with a quality start. The report also indicates Ohtani threw a season-high 110 pitches over six innings.

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said skipping Ohtani’s final start before the All-Star break is “on the table,” framing the decision as a matter of reading and reacting to what his body is telling the team. Roberts also emphasized the importance of monitoring Ohtani’s recovery given the physical toll of both pitching and hitting. The Dodgers, per the account, have tried to manage his overall energy this season by not using him at designated hitter on nights he pitches, but Saturday’s absence suggests the workload plan may need another adjustment.

Ohtani’s lineup status reflects how quickly the Dodgers are reacting. The report notes he was pulled for a pinch hitter during the July 3 game, which gave Los Angeles flexibility even while keeping him in action as a pitcher. With Saturday set as the next missed appearance, the immediate question becomes whether Ohtani can return to pitching sooner than planned, or whether the Dodgers will effectively treat the All-Star break as a reset point.

This season, Ohtani has remained productive on the mound and at the plate, and those dual contributions make any downtime more consequential for roster planning. The report cited that he has posted a 1.79 ERA across 14 starts totaling 85 2/3 innings, along with 95 strikeouts and 26 walks. Offensively, Ohtani has 18 home runs in 81 games and a.927 OPS, which the report described as ranking fourth in the National League, even with his power total behind last season’s pace.

The Dodgers’ next steps will likely revolve around how they manage rotation depth and bullpen usage during the span where Ohtani is absent from pitching. If Roberts and the medical staff decide that the safe route is to wait until after the All-Star break, Los Angeles would need to cover those innings with other starters and potentially shift leverage roles in relief. If, on the other hand, Ohtani’s recovery progresses quickly, the Dodgers could aim to keep him on a tighter timeline, but the reported emphasis on body feedback suggests caution will drive the timetable.

For fans, the most important watch item is not whether Ohtani is in the lineup on Saturday, but the progression of his triceps as the Dodgers move closer to the midseason showcase. With the decision now framed as “on the table,” the upcoming days will show whether this becomes a short, manageable skip or a longer pause that changes the pitching workload for the remainder of the first-half stretch.