Shohei Ohtani (shoulder) will reportedly be in Dodgers lineup for World Series Game 3
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani suffered a shoulder injury in Saturday’s win over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is planning to have the presumptive 2024 National League MVP in the team’s lineup in Game 3 on Monday.
Roberts told ESPN on Sunday that Ohtani is “in a great spot” and will be active on Monday. The Athletic later reported Ohtani will be in the team’s lineup, likely batting leadoff at designated hitter as he has every game thus far this postseason.
Shohei Ohtani comes up favoring his left arm after getting caught stealing to end the seventh inning in Game 2
Ohtani was diagnosed with a subluxation, or partial dislocation, of his left shoulder following the game and was set to undergo additional tests, though his strength and range of motion are good, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the game Saturday.
“We’re encouraged,” Roberts said.
Ohtani suffered the injury in the seventh inning when he tried to steal second base. He clutched his left arm after being tagged by shortstop Anthony Volpe for the final out in the inning on a feet-first slide. He laid near the bag for a couple minutes before being tended to by trainers and leaving the field.
The Dodgers were able to close out the Yankees in the ninth inning, so Ohtani’s spot in the order never came up again. Los Angeles took a 2-0 series lead with the win and will travel to New York on Sunday for Monday’s Game 3.
The Japanese superstar was 0 for 3 with a walk in the game. He is 1 for 8 in the first two games of the Fall Classic and is batting .260 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in his first postseason in the majors. His one hit was an eighth-inning double in Game that proved crucial as he took third base on a bad throw by Juan Soto and scored the tying run on a Mookie Betts sacrifice fly that eventually sent the game into extra innings. The Dodgers won 6-3 in the 10th on a Freddie Freeman walk-off grand slam.
Most of Ohtani’s injuries since coming to the majors in 2018 have been pitching related, including major operations on his right elbow in 2018 and last year. The two-way phenomenon has not pitched this year but became the first player in major league history with at least 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season.
In September 2019, he had surgery on his left kneecap due to a rare and congenital condition. The procedure was on his bipartite patella, or a two-part kneecap that didn’t fuse together at birth.
[Related: Full coverage of the World Series]
Ohtani missed the 2017 World Baseball Classic after having ankle surgery because of an injury he suffered during the 2016 Japan Series.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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