The Los Angeles Dodgers are sitting atop their familiar perch in the National League West despite more pitching injuries. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, and Roki Sasaki have all missed time already this season. They are hoping to be at full strength by playoff time, which would include Shohei Ohtani pitching for the first time as a Dodger. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported Tuesday that Ohtani's return to the mound could be coming soon.

“Shohei Ohtani is expected to join the Dodgers' rotation at some point next month, with a slight chance of it [occurring] before the All-Star break. The reason: His progress, but also the added roster spot. He can return as a 2- to 3-inning starter,” Gonzalez posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Gonzalez also spoke to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who said, “It certainly doesn't have to be a full buildup because anything that he can give us is certainly additive.”

The Dodgers would be able to list Ohtani as a two-way player on their roster if he pitches, which would not count toward their 13-pitcher maximum. Extra arms are good for any team, but especially when dealing with the injuries LA has been dealing with recently.

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Ohtani has signed a $700 million contract and won a World Series since his last pitch. He underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of his run with the Angels, which ended his pitching chances last year. Still, he won the NL MVP with a 50/50 season as a designated hitter.

The Dodgers beat the Padres in the first game of a pivotal three-game set in San Diego. Had the Padres swept this series, they would have taken the division lead. But not only did they win that game, they got great Ohtani news on top of it.

The Dodgers and Padres continue their series on Tuesday night in San Diego.