Shohei Ohtani’s absence from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup is drawing attention after the superstar went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts and manager Dave Roberts said he was “visibly ailing.” Ohtani was left out of the starting lineup on September 3, 2026, one day after what reports described as a painful night at the plate.
The Dodgers have not announced the exact nature of Ohtani’s condition or provided a timetable for his return to the lineup. For now, the confirmed development is that the team is holding its star out after an unusually difficult performance.
Why is Shohei Ohtani out of the Dodgers’ lineup?
Ohtani is out of the lineup the day after he went 0-for-4 and struck out four times. MLB.com reported that he was not included in the Dodgers’ starting lineup on September 3, 2026. The New York Times also described the previous night as painful for the two-way star.
The decision followed a performance that stood out because of Ohtani’s importance to the Dodgers and his usual production at the plate. Four strikeouts in one game made the outing particularly conspicuous, but the team has not said publicly what specific issue led to his absence.
Ohtani’s role in the game has not been confirmed beyond his removal from the starting lineup. The Dodgers have also not confirmed whether he will be available in another capacity or when he will return to regular action.
What did Dave Roberts say about Ohtani?
According to ESPN, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani was “visibly ailing” after the 0-for-4 performance. That is the clearest public description so far of why the team decided not to put Ohtani in the starting lineup the following day.
Roberts did not, according to the cited reports, identify a specific injury or give a diagnosis. His comment connected Ohtani’s visible discomfort with the decision to keep him out, while leaving the underlying issue unclear.
The Dodgers’ move therefore goes beyond a routine box-score reaction. Ohtani’s four-strikeout night was followed immediately by a lineup change, and the manager acknowledged that the player appeared to be dealing with a physical problem. No further details have been confirmed in the reports cited here.
How did Ohtani perform in the previous game?
Ohtani finished 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. The performance was described by The New York Times as painful, and it preceded his absence from the Dodgers’ starting lineup on September 3.
That stat line is the central reason the Dodgers’ decision has become a trending baseball story. Ohtani is one of the team’s most recognizable players, so a night without a hit followed by a day out of the lineup quickly prompted questions about his condition. The available reports establish the sequence of events but do not explain whether one particular play caused the problem.
The four-strikeout game also provides the immediate context for Roberts’ “visibly ailing” description. The manager’s remark indicates that the concern was apparent after the game, although the Dodgers have not publicly attached a formal diagnosis to it.
What happens next for the Dodgers?
The next significant update will be whether Ohtani returns to the lineup and whether the Dodgers provide more information about his condition. At the time of the reports, the team had only confirmed that he was out of the starting lineup following the four-strikeout performance.
The Dodgers must proceed without Ohtani in the lineup for the immediate game, while his status beyond that contest remains unconfirmed. ESPN, MLB.com and The New York Times all focused on the same short-term development: Ohtani struggled at the plate, Roberts said he looked visibly ailing, and the club held him out the next day.
Until the Dodgers announce more, there is no confirmed diagnosis, injured-list decision or return date to report. The story remains centered on Ohtani’s unexpected absence and the manager’s description of his condition.