Shohei Ohtani is not close to returning to the Dodgers rotation. The two-way star felt knee discomfort after his latest bullpen session, leaving Los Angeles without a timeline for when he can pitch again.
Ohtani has been dealing with left knee issues that have kept him off the mound. The Dodgers remain cautious with their investment, and a recent throw session did not resolve the problem. He told the team he is not operating at full strength, which is the kind of honesty that matters when a pitcher is trying to come back from injury.
The rotation needs answers. Without Ohtani, the Dodgers are working with a thinner pitching depth than they want, and there is no guarantee he pitches meaningful innings this season if the knee remains problematic. The team is not rushing him back, which is the right call, but it leaves them searching for alternatives right now.
This is not a situation where we see a timeline emerge in the next few days. The Dodgers will keep monitoring him, and Ohtani will keep testing the knee in bullpen sessions. Until one of those sessions goes smoothly, he stays sidelined.