Shohei Ohtani Injury Deepens Dodgers’ Troubles as NL West Remains Uncertain and Playoff Picture Grows More Complicated Than Expected
The Los Angeles Dodgers have had their fair share of drama and pressure in 2025, but the latest blow could be their most serious yet. Shohei Ohtani—the two-way superstar they invested over half a billion dollars in—has suffered a setback that could drastically alter the remainder of the season. And while this isn’t the same elbow that shut him down from pitching in 2024, this new injury is still enough to send shockwaves through the Dodgers’ organization and Major League Baseball at large. For a team that entered the year with championship-or-bust expectations, the news could not have come at a worse time. With the National League West still wide open and no team in the division truly taking control, the Dodgers now find themselves vulnerable, exposed, and uncertain about what comes next.
Details surrounding Ohtani’s injury have been tightly controlled, but early reports suggest it is a lower-body issue, likely related to his oblique or hip—possibly the result of an awkward swing or strain during baserunning. The team has not provided a clear timetable for his return, but insiders suggest it could be several weeks at minimum, with the potential for a longer absence if the injury does not respond to treatment. In the midst of a tight NL West race and just as the season approaches the trade deadline and All-Star break, the timing is catastrophic.
Ohtani had been the engine keeping the Dodgers’ offense humming during an otherwise uneven first half of the season. With Mookie Betts dealing with intermittent injuries and Freddie Freeman experiencing a rare slump, Ohtani’s bat has been indispensable. Even without contributing on the mound, he’s hit over .300 with 25 home runs and 70 RBIs by early July—numbers that have kept the Dodgers in the playoff mix despite serious questions about the roster’s depth and consistency.
Now, with Ohtani sidelined, the question becomes: who steps up?
The truth is, the Dodgers don’t have an easy answer. Their lineup, which once looked stacked, now feels top-heavy and brittle. Will Smith and Max Muncy are solid contributors but not capable of replacing Ohtani’s production. Youngsters like Miguel Vargas and James Outman have struggled to find rhythm, and Chris Taylor’s decline has continued. Without Ohtani anchoring the lineup, opposing pitchers will have far more flexibility, and the entire offensive approach could shift for the worse.
Then there’s the psychological blow. Ohtani isn’t just another All-Star. He’s the player—the focal point of media attention, the clubhouse superstar, and a once-in-a-generation figure the Dodgers have built their brand around. His presence on the field is larger than life. His absence? A vacuum that echoes across the stadium, the locker room, and the standings. Manager Dave Roberts now faces a daunting task: rally a group that’s increasingly unsure of its direction.
The Dodgers’ pitching staff, already overburdened, now has zero margin for error. Tyler Glasnow remains the staff’s ace, but he’s been inconsistent after a strong start. Walker Buehler is still trying to find his pre-injury form. Young arms like Gavin Stone and Bobby Miller have shown flashes of brilliance but remain unproven when it comes to a full season’s workload. The bullpen has improved slightly since its disastrous start, but the overall staff lacks the dominance Dodgers fans have grown used to in recent years.
Part of the issue is that the Dodgers built their 2025 blueprint with the assumption that Ohtani would eventually return to the mound and provide 100+ innings of high-level starting pitching. But that timetable was already in doubt before this latest injury. Now, with Ohtani unavailable as a hitter and his pitching return uncertain or postponed entirely, the entire architecture of the season feels unstable. For a franchise known for planning meticulously and developing depth, the lack of reliable reinforcements is jarring.
Meanwhile, the rest of the NL West is quietly gaining ground. The San Diego Padres, long seen as the Dodgers’ main rival in the division, are finally putting it together. Their pitching has solidified behind Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish, while Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado have found their grooves offensively. Arizona, last year’s surprise World Series contender, remains scrappy and dangerous with young stars like Corbin Carroll and Zac Gallen. Even the San Francisco Giants, despite a lukewarm first half, are lurking close enough to pounce if the Dodgers falter.
What makes this injury sting even more for Los Angeles is that the NL West remains unsettled. There is no clear dominant force in the division. Unlike previous years when the Dodgers ran away with the lead by midseason, 2025 has featured constant shuffling, streaks, and setbacks. The Dodgers entered July barely clinging to first place, and Ohtani’s injury might be the tipping point that allows another team to surge past them.
The trade deadline looms large, and the front office now faces an uncomfortable dilemma: push chips in to stay afloat without Ohtani, or hold back and preserve resources for future seasons. The Dodgers are never ones to panic, but they’re also not used to dealing with this kind of midseason uncertainty. If they do decide to buy, they’ll likely seek a power bat and at least one starter. But prices will be steep, and the market—especially with so many teams still in playoff contention—may not yield ideal solutions.
There’s also the longer-term concern. Is Ohtani’s durability now a legitimate worry? He has already undergone Tommy John surgery twice, and while this current issue isn’t arm-related, it adds to the narrative that his unprecedented usage might be catching up with him. The Dodgers didn’t just sign him for one or two elite seasons—they signed him for ten. And while it’s too early to declare the deal problematic, every missed game adds to the tension. If his pitching never returns to form, or if injuries continue to chip away at his availability, the conversation around the contract will shift drastically.
Public perception is already starting to waver. Dodgers fans, among the most loyal in the sport, are now openly questioning the team’s decision-making. Why wasn’t more depth added in the offseason? Why was so much of the pitching plan contingent on Ohtani returning as a starter? And why, with one of the biggest payrolls in the sport, does this team feel thinner than it has in a decade?
There’s no denying the significance of this moment. The Dodgers are still a playoff-caliber team on paper, but without Ohtani’s bat in the lineup and with his pitching future once again clouded, they face a new kind of test—one that goes beyond talent. They must prove they can adapt, regroup, and fight through adversity rather than ride overwhelming star power.
If there’s a silver lining, it’s that Ohtani’s work ethic is legendary. No one inside the organization doubts his desire to return as soon as possible. If rest and rehab go well, he could be back before the final stretch of the regular season, potentially giving the Dodgers the spark they need down the line. But that’s a big “if,” and no one in the clubhouse is banking on miracles.
For now, the Dodgers are left with questions, patchwork solutions, and the weight of expectation pressing down on them. They were supposed to be the unstoppable juggernaut of 2025. Instead, they’re a team on the edge—waiting, watching, and wondering how long they can hold on in a division that refuses to let anyone breathe.
Shohei Ohtani may be just one player, but in Los Angeles, his absence changes everything. The Dodgers have nothing set in the West, and unless someone—or something—fills the void quickly, this season could spiral into one of the most disappointing in recent franchise history.
