Shohei Ohtani out of lineup again but Dodgers optimistic about Monday return

Shohei Ohtani remained absent from the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting lineup for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday night. Despite this, the team is optimistic about Ohtani's possible return to the lineup by Monday against the Cincinnati Reds. Ohtani had appeared overwhelmed in his last outing, striking out four times against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

Ohtani has not played since then, with his absence attributed to persistent left knee and right biceps soreness that has been an issue since before the All-Star break. Ohtani's progress has been steady, with the manager Dave Roberts noting that the indoor batting cage session on Saturday seemed promising. "It was a good day. Came out of it feeling well," Roberts stated, expressing confidence that Ohtani would be ready for Monday's game if no further issues arise.

Ohtani had been struggling recently, going 7 for 51 (.137) with one home run over his last 13 games. He had been playing consistently well before this, batting .279 with 30 home runs and 80 RBIs in 129 games. This places him in his sixth consecutive season with at least 30 homers. The Dodgers manager mentioned that Ohtani's knee and biceps have improved with the additional rest.

However, the possibility of Ohtani pitching this season is slim, given his limited pitching time in the past week. Dodgers manager Roberts highlighted that if one considers the number of innings Ohtani has thrown in the last week, it becomes apparent why he might be sidelined. In other team developments, Dalton Rushing was placed on the injured list with right elbow discomfort, effective from Saturday, while catcher Eliezer Alfonzo was recalled from the minor leagues.