Padres’ NL Wild Card push runs straight into Shohei Ohtani’s return from injury

The Padres pretty much got one guarantee from Shohei Ohtani’s IL stint. He will not be in the Dodgers’ lineup when they arrive at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 22. That’s also where any comfort ends. Ohtani will become eligible to return on Sept. 23, directly in the middle of the Padres’ final series against LA. It’s just one guy, but it’s Ohtani. And the timing feels almost spiteful. San Diego could spend the opener enjoying an Ohtani-free lineup, then could become the first club asked to deal with him after two weeks of recovery.

The Padres entered Thursday holding a half-game lead over Arizona for the final NL Wild Card spot. Every game is going to be big down the stretch. Los Angeles owns a double-digit NL West cushion and enough room in the postseason seeding race where they can treat September like it’s routine maintenance.

The Padres have no such luxury. Its remaining schedule is a nightly survival test.

Ohtani’s 15-day IL stint could produce a healthier Dodgers hitter

The Dodgers finally placed Ohtani on the 15-day IL after weeks of trying to manage soreness in his left knee and discomfort in his right biceps. His pitching season is already over, and he hasn’t taken the mound since July 3. The biceps problem also leaked into the batter’s box, including a swing against the Reds that left him really feeling it the following day. Short rests weren’t fixing it. So, LA eventually made the call and took the decision out of Ohtani’s hands.

With the mound already out of the equation, these 15 days are designed to restore the hitter who can wreck a game. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that Ohtani would be in the lineup if the postseason began immediately. The Dodgers are simply using their enormous margin for error to chase a healthier version for the postseason.

The Padres could run directly into that version first. There is also the usual Dodgers depth flex lurking behind the injury. They’re replacing Ohtani with Josue De Paula, MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 overall prospect, straight out of Double-A. Even an injury to the sport’s biggest star becomes an opportunity for the Dodgers to audition another potential postseason weapon.

The Padres have enough problems of their own. They do, however, need to understand what the calendar is offering them. Sept. 22 is the opening. Ohtani cannot play, and San Diego needs to treat that game as nonnegotiable. Beginning Sept. 23, every possibility returns to the table.

The Padres leave Los Angeles after the Sept. 24 finale and immediately return home for three games against Arizona. The season series is tied, the head-to-head tiebreaker remains undecided and the final Wild Card berth could be settled during those three nights at Petco Park.

That gives them six games against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks to finish the regular season. Two could feature a rested Ohtani. The final three could determine whether the Padres play in October at all.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow