Ohtani returns but Dodgers remaining cautious

LOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup Monday, as expected, marking the end of a four-day absence. "I don't want to say it's day-to-day," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the series opener against the Cincinnati Reds, "but I am very curious to see how he comes out of tonight to then make the decision for tomorrow and the ensuing days." Ohtani hasn't played since swinging through noticeable discomfort in Wednesday's 10th inning, after which he told the Dodgers' training staff that he was experiencing soreness in his neck and along his right arm. Ohtani also has been dealing with ailments to his left knee and right biceps, which have mostly shown up when attempting to pitch. Ohtani, 32, hasn't thrown a baseball in 15 days, when he didn't feel right while throwing a 20-pitch bullpen session on Aug. 28. The Dodgers still don't know when Ohtani will play catch again, but they have not entirely ruled him out of pitching this season, even though, given that the playoffs are just three weeks away, it is increasingly unlikely. Asked why he wouldn't just shut Ohtani down at this point, Roberts said: "I'm choosing not to say it's dead." Ohtani doesn't have enough time to be stretched out as a traditional starting pitcher for the postseason, but because he essentially counts as an extra pitcher on their roster -- and was good enough to post a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts earlier this season -- anything he can give them in the playoffs would be valuable. For now, though, the Dodgers want him to focus on getting his body in the right place and snapping out of a 7-for-51 funk. "Yes, he loves pitching, loves being a two-way player," Roberts said. "But right now it just doesn't make any sense."