CINCINNATI (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit off a tee on Tuesday in Los Angeles and remains on track to return before the end of the regular season, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday.
“Shohei hit off the tee and felt good, too,” Roberts said. “Don’t know what’s in store for tomorrow, but I know that there’s going to be a consistent build-up. Don’t know when the time of return to play is, but today was positive, and hopefully we can just keep building towards that.”
Ohtani has been on the 15-day injured list since Sept. 8 with right biceps inflammation. Tuesday's swings were his first since going on the IL.
The four-time MVP is not traveling with the team, but has been working out and getting treatment.
Roberts hopes Ohtani will play in a few more regular-season games. The Dodgers have already clinched a playoff spot.
“Whether it happens or not is to be determined, but I do expect him to be back to play in some regular season games,” Roberts said. “I don’t know how many.”
The two-time defending World Series champions entered Tuesday night's game at Cincinnati with a magic number of three to clinch their 13th NL West title in 14 years.
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani smiles in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches from the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pinch-hitter Daylen Lile hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning, and the Washington Nationals defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 on Tuesday night.
Andrés Chaparro also homered for Washington, which won its fourth in a row for the first time since June 13-16.
Kyle Schwarber hit his majors-leading 45th homer for Philadelphia, which has dropped four of five but continues to hold an NL wild-card spot.
With the game tied at 3-all, Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez (17-6) surrendered consecutive singles to open the seventh before Nasim Nuñez bunted both runners over. Philadelphia interim manager Don Mattingly summoned Jonathan Bowlan, and Lile hammered his first pitch to center for his first career pinch homer.
Sánchez allowed five runs and struck out five. He is 1-2 with a 6.87 ERA in three September starts, and his season ERA has risen from 2.52 to 2.93 since the start of the month.
Richard Lovelady (3-4) got the last out of the seventh and two in the eighth for Washington. Erik Tolman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.
Schwarber lined Washington starter Jackson Kent’s slider into the Nationals’ bullpen in right to lead off the fifth inning. It is Schwarber’s fourth 45-homer season in five years with the Phillies, tying him with Ryan Howard (2006-09) for the most in franchise history.
Chaparro responded with a solo homer in the fifth off Sánchez.
The Phillies scored in the first inning on Alec Bohm’s RBI single. Yohandy Morales doubled in Washington’s first run in the first, then scored two batters later on Jorbit Vivas’ single.
Luis Arraez’s opposite-field double to left brought in Trea Turner to tie it in the third.
Kent allowed three runs and struck out four in five innings.
Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler (12-5, 3.14 ERA) faces Nationals RHP Cade Cavalli (12-5, 3.12) as the two-game series concludes Wednesday.
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Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez throws during the third inning of a baseball game against Washington Nationals, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Derek Hill leaps up to make a catch on a fly ball by Washington Nationals' Dylan Crews for an out during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Nationals pitcher Jackson Kent throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
