The Dodgers Have Options If Shohei Ohtani Goes On The IL

A trip to the injured list is unlikely for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, according to Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts. It is a possibility, however, and one that Los Angeles will be mulling over with the postseason less than a month away. Ohtani has hit just .194/.316/.403 since his last bullpen session on Aug. 14, and had his OPS drop from .935 to .906 in that stretch, culminating in a physically uncomfortable looking four-strikeout game on Wednesday before receiving Thursday off. That the Dodgers have alternatives makes the decision to give Ohtani an extended rest or place him on the IL an easier one: while none of these options can replace a healthy Ohtani on the mound or in the lineup, that's not the job. Being an improvement on an ailing Ohtani, and giving him the time he needs to rest his ailing knee and biceps, would be the task at hand. The goal is to make sure the best possible version of Ohtani would be available by the postseason; these players give the Dodgers that chance. On Thursday, outfielder Alex Call subbed in at designated hitter for Ohtani on a night off. He's been a semi-regular in 2026, appearing in 74 games – often subbing into them – and picking up 166 plate appearances. Call is batting a below-average .252/.361/.324, but his defensive limitations would be hidden by filling in as a DH, and his .685 OPS isn't all that much different than what an injured Ohtani has managed the past few weeks. Call isn't a thrilling option, but he's one that's already on the roster. And with the Dodgers starting Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker in the outfield, Call is also available to DH whenever the three are in the same lineup. The issue is that he's much better against left-handed pitching: for his career, against right-handers, Call is batting just .231/.343/.334 in 733 plate appearances, compared to .265/.347/.413 against southpaws. Everyday play might not be the best use of his skills, even if it gets Ohtani the rest he needs. Dalton Rushing was the Dodgers' primary catcher for much of the summer, after starting backstop Will Smith went on the IL with an inflamed disc in his neck. Rushing suffered his own injury, though, a partial tear in his right elbow's UCL, that put him on the shelf. Now, Rushing is back with rosters expanded, but in a more limited role than before: he's unlikely to spend much, if any time, behind the plate, and will instead be limited to pinch-hitting and DH duties. Rushing is a left-handed batter – Call, a righty. If the Dodgers want to avoid putting too much of a burden on Rushing while he attempts to work back to time behind the plate, then letting the two platoon could be an option: Rushing can take the bulk of the at-bats, facing right-handers, while Call can focus on lefties. That would actually work out well for both players, too, since Rushing bashes righties – he's hitting .261/.344/.509 with 11 of his 12 homers against them in 2026 – but has just a .568 OPS against left-handed pitching in his big-league career. Ohtani's absence could also be an opportunity for less established players, like prospect James Tibbs III. Tibbs, an outfielder at Triple-A Oklahoma, is the No. 7 prospect in the Dodgers' system per MLB Pipeline, and has been mashing there. He's hitting .294/.417/.540 in 578 plate appearances and 127 games at the level in 2026. While the Pacific Coast League has inflated offensive totals – the average PCL player is batting .272/.362/.436 – there also seems to be little left for Tibbs to learn in the minors – a cup of coffee in the bigs could be good for him and his development, and the MLB season goes longer than the Triple-A one, as well, meaning he would have the opportunity for more at-bats. The problem with this plan is that the 23-year-old Tibbs is not on the 40-man roster, so the Dodgers would need to make a corresponding move there to make room, rather than simply being able to take advantage of September's expanded rosters. While the same goes for Josue De Paula – the Dodgers' No. 1 prospect – he could also be worth finding a roster spot for. De Paula is just in Double-A, but the 21-year-old has an ETA of 2027 according to MLB Pipeline – he's hitting .301/.397/.542 for Tulsa, and while a promotion straight to the bigs would be a significant ask, when the stakes are lower and he's not fighting for a permanent spot or a place on the postseason roster is as good a time as any. De Paula also, for all his offensive ability, is not expected to contribute much defensively in the outfield. Letting him ease in as a DH on a team that's expected to win the NL West, and is mostly jockeying for position with seeding, with the primary goal being to give Ohtani time to recover, feels optimal for an introduction to the bigs.