Ohtani leads MLB Network's late-season injury return rankings

Ten players fill nine slots, with Aaron Judge excluded.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 281 min read

Greg's top injury reinforcements due back before the end of the season (not counting Aaron Judge): 1. Shohei Ohtani (pi Via @MLBNetwork on X

What happened: Shohei Ohtani took the top spot as a pitcher, followed by Will Smith, Garrett Crochet, Robert Suarez, Corbin Burnes and Nick Pivetta. Félix Bautista and Ryan Helsley shared seventh, ahead of Roman Anthony and Justin Steele.

Why it matters: Ohtani carries added roster value because he has remained active as a hitter while preparing to resume pitching. The group could add rotation, bullpen and lineup depth during the season's final month.

By the numbers: The rankings contain 10 players across nine slots: eight pitchers and two position players. Ohtani was 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA through 14 starts before his pitching pause.

What to watch: Ohtani's Friday bullpen session will determine whether his mound return comes Sunday or during next week's homestand.

Sources

@MLBNetwork 2026-08-28T02:23:29.647203+00:00

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