Ohtani 'considerably' healthier, will return to Dodgers' lineup Wednesday - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani will return to the lineup Wednesday, the first day he is eligible to be activated off the injured list, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed after Tuesday night's 7-0 win over the San Diego Padres.

Roberts told reporters before the game that Ohtani looked «considerably» healthier than he did a couple of weeks ago.

«If he was a five, he's probably an eight or a nine right now,» Roberts said, referencing a 1-to-10 scale.

The Dodgers activated right-hander Roki Sasaki and center fielder Andy Pages off the IL on Tuesday, a major development in the leadup to October.

Sasaki, who has been recovering from a blister suffered in an Aug. 26 start, allowed two hits and struck out two in a scoreless inning out of the bullpen Tuesday night and could be an option to again close out games in the postseason. Pages, who fractured his left hand on Aug. 22, will reprise his role as an everyday player at a premium position.

Ohtani landed on the IL because of lingering pain in his right biceps and left knee on Sept. 8 but began a hitting progression seven days ago and advanced to taking as many as 40 swings off Trajekt, the popular pitching simulator, on Saturday. Ohtani also ran the bases that day. On Tuesday, he went through his typical pregame workout.

Ohtani, 32, will only hit the rest of this season and was struggling in that realm before landing on the IL, compiling only seven hits and 22 strikeouts over his past 54 at-bats. Roberts previously indicated the plan was for Ohtani to play in all of the Dodgers' remaining five regular-season games to get reacclimated to major league pitching.

Where he hits, though, is up for debate. In all likelihood, Ohtani will continue to lead off against