Shohei Ohtani expected back in Dodgers lineup Sept. 23 but may not lead off

What happened

Shohei Ohtani is expected back in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup Wednesday against the San Diego Padres, according to MLB.com's Sonja Chen — with one notable asterisk: he may not return to his customary leadoff position when he does.

The report carries a degree of uncertainty baked in. The word "expected" is doing real work here, and the batting-order question remains open. What is clear is that Ohtani's return is being treated as a live possibility for Wednesday's game at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto lined up as the probable starter opposite San Diego's Robbie Ray.

Why it matters

The leadoff wrinkle is worth pausing on, because Ohtani's presence at the top of a lineup is not merely a symbolic preference — it shapes how an entire offense sequences. A leadoff Ohtani means the Dodgers' most dangerous bat sees the most plate appearances and sets the table for everyone behind him. Moving him down, even temporarily, suggests the club may be managing his return with some care rather than simply plugging him back in at full throttle.

That caution, if that is what it is, fits the broader picture of the past several days. Per earlier Posterior Wire reporting, the Dodgers' manager described Ohtani's return as a "good chance" as recently as Monday, and Ohtani was expected to be activated from the injured list on Wednesday after serving a minimum IL stint. Under general league rules, two-way players are subject to the 15-day IL, meaning a minimum stint carries a specific floor before activation is even possible — context that makes the timing of Wednesday's expected return consistent with what the club had been signaling.

The Dodgers had already clinched the NL West title and their fifth straight division crown, per Posterior Wire reporting from earlier this week, so the competitive stakes of any single regular-season game have shifted. What has not shifted is the value of getting Ohtani game-ready and comfortable before October arrives. Every at-bat between now and the end of the regular season is, in effect, a calibration exercise.

The numbers

The Dodgers enter Wednesday at 97-60 (.618), sitting first in the NL West and riding a five-game winning streak. That record reflects a club that has been operating at a high level with and without its most prominent position player, which is either reassuring or a quiet testament to organizational depth, depending on your disposition.

The division lead is not in question. Per Posterior Wire reporting from earlier this week, the magic number to secure the No. 2 NL seed over the Braves stood at 6, and the magic number for the No. 1 seed over the Brewers stood at 12 at the time of the clinching report. A 97-win club on a five-game winning streak tends to move those numbers in a predictable direction.

Where the club stands

Los Angeles is 97-60 (.618), first in the NL West, and has won five straight. The upcoming schedule keeps them in familiar territory: Wednesday and Thursday at home against San Diego — with Tyler Glasnow opposing Nick Pivetta on Thursday — before the club heads to Oracle Park on Friday to face the San Francisco Giants, with pitching assignments on the Los Angeles side listed as TBD against Yunior Marte.

The Padres series, then, is the immediate context for Ohtani's expected return. San Diego is a postseason-caliber opponent, which gives these late-September games a texture that a typical end-of-season series might lack. Returning to game action against a legitimate opponent, rather than a team playing out the string, is not the worst way to shake off IL rust.

What we don't know yet

The batting-order question is genuinely unresolved. Sonja Chen's report at MLB.com is explicit that Ohtani may not lead off, but does not specify where he might slot in if not at the top. That decision presumably rests with the manager and could depend on how Ohtani feels during pregame preparation Wednesday.

It is also worth noting that the activation itself, while expected, had not been formally announced as of the report. "Expected" and "announced" are different things, and the Posterior Wire treats them accordingly.

The broader roster picture around Ohtani's return has been in motion as well. Roki Sasaki was reported to be returning from the IL this week in a reliever role rather than as a starter, per Posterior Wire reporting from Tuesday, ahead of this same Dodgers-Padres series. Andy Pages, meanwhile, played in a sim game earlier this week and was described as on track to return for the Dodgers' next series. The club has been managing a notable volume of roster movement in the final stretch of the regular season, which is not unusual for a contender trying to get healthy before October, but it does mean the active roster picture could look somewhat different by the time the first pitch is thrown Wednesday.

A week removed from that activity, Ryan Ward's contract was sold to NPB's Chunichi Dragons after he was designated for assignment, per Posterior Wire reporting, closing one roster chapter as others reopen.

What to watch

**Is Ohtani actually in the lineup Wednesday?**

The first thing to check Wednesday is whether Ohtani's name appears in the official lineup card. MLB.com's Sonja Chen frames his return as expected, not guaranteed, and the batting-order position adds a second variable. If he is in the lineup, where he hits will tell you something about how the club is thinking about his readiness.

Beyond Wednesday, the question of how Ohtani is used over the final days of the regular season — how many at-bats, whether he rests at all, whether the leadoff spot returns — will be worth tracking as the Dodgers finalize their postseason preparation. Blake Snell, dealing with a groin injury, was reported earlier this week to be expected to make at least one more start before the postseason, adding another health variable to monitor as the rotation takes shape.

The Dodgers are in a position most clubs would envy: division title secured, winning streak intact, and their best player apparently close to full availability. The remaining regular-season games are less about outcomes than about getting everyone pointed in the right direction. Wednesday's lineup card is the next data point.