2024 World Series: Injured Shohei Ohtani expected to play in Game 3 as tension mounts
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says his Japanese superstar is 'feeling good' despite suffering a partially dislocated shoulder. We're about to find out how good Ohtani will be, two wins from the World Series title.
Baseball Softball
So it looks like Shohei Ohtani is a go for Game 3 of the World Series despite a partially dislocated left shoulder.
But as to how far baseball's best player can go - that remains to be seen.
“As far as test results, we got doctors scrambling everywhere, I don't have them,” Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said during a press conference on Sunday (27 October), on the eve of Game 3 at Yankee Stadium in New York.
“This is more me going by the training staff, Shohei feeling good this morning - range of motion, strength. I think that, you know, taking dry swings, which he's done, but then obviously taking balls off the tee, batting practice in the cage - that's going to be telling.
“He’s obviously very well aware of himself and his body so if he feels good enough to go, then I see no reason why he wouldn't be in there.”
Dave Roberts on Shohei Ohtani: 'I don't see him being compromised'
Ohtani injured his shoulder in the seventh inning of Saturday’s 4-2, Game 2 win over the New York Yankees as he was caught trying to steal second.
He exited the game at Dodger Stadium visibly in pain, with the help of the athletic trainer who held his left arm. After the Dodgers took a 2-0 series lead, the team announced the initial diagnosis of a shoulder sublaxation with additional testing to follow.
Up until Saturday, Ohtani had an injury-free 2024 in his first year with the Dodgers, leading to a monstrous campaign in which he became baseball’s first-ever player to produce a 50-50 season.
But two victories away from the title in his first World Series, Ohtani’s going down couldn’t have come at a worse time. Ohtani on Sunday arrived late at the ballpark after undergoing tests in Los Angeles and Roberts said ultimately, the decision to play him would come down to a tolerance for pain.
Roberts also said if Ohtani does play, there would not be a concern of aggravating the injury nor the Japanese slugger not being able to perform at his usual levels, which is relatively sky-high as the world has come to know.
“Once we make the decision that he can play, I would assume that there isn't a possibility of that,” Roberts said. “Honestly, it's just kind of per his tolerance. That's just what it is. Guys have had this before and played and again, it's just everyone's tolerance.
“I don't see him being compromised. It's, the left shoulder, which is the back shoulder, so I don't see how that affects his hitting - if he's able to Go. I really don’t.”