Shohei Ohtani is placed on the injured list

It was inevitable.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are set to place Shohei Ohtani on the 15-day injured list soon.

We've been wondering for months if this was going to happen. After all, he's clearly been physically battered for a very long time.

But now it's official. His knee, arm, and neck are likely hurting too much for him to keep playing without taking a break.

That doesn't mean his regular season is over—he'll be able to return to action on September 23. The season ends on the 27th.

But we can all agree that this secures the MVP title for Pete Crow-Armstrong. As if that matters to the Dodgers right now…

And above all, we can all agree that this makes us wonder just how ready he'll be to make an impact once the playoffs roll around. That's what matters most.

Obviously, Ohtani won't take the mound again this season. And one might also wonder whether, in the long run, we'll ever see him on the mound again.

To replace him, the Dodgers will give most of the designated hitter starts to their top prospect, outfielder Josue De Paula.

The young player is coming straight up from Double-A. He's ranked as the sixth-best prospect in Major League Baseball and had a strong season in Double-A.

Will the young man be able to make a difference in the majors? Considering that the Dodgers are (practically) guaranteed a playoff spot, the team isn't looking for a savior.

But he'll still have to perform.

• The Blue Jays are one game away from the playoffs. They hold the tiebreaker against the Guardians.

• Enjoy the show.

• Five straight games with a home run for Elly De La Cruz.

• Jose Altuve's 2,500th hit.

• Anthony Volpe is back in the lineup.

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