Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Wednesday that Shohei Ohtani’s knee pain after a slide on Tuesday isn’t significant enough to keep him off the field, but the accumulating injuries are still having an impact.
Roberts weighed in on Ohtani’s health when speaking with Dodgers Nation’s Ava Brand and other reporters on Wednesday.
“I know there’s times that people talk about him wincing around third base, but everything that he’s told me and the training staff, he feels good,” Roberts said.
That said, Roberts confirmed that Ohtani’s injuries are keeping him from pitching — and from possibly playing in the outfield as well.
“He’s not pitching, so that’s [due to] the arm, the knee, so him playing the corner outfield is not on the table right now,” he said.
Shohei Ohtani adds another injury to his list
On Tuesday night, Dodgers fans held their breath while superstar Ohtani appeared to grimace and work through a knee injury after he dove back to third base.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Mookie Betts hit a double with Ohtani on base, and Ohtani took off around the bases but was ultimately directed to jump back to third base.
He laid on the base path for a moment before ultimately getting back up, though he clearly was bothered by some pain in his right knee.
Granted, Ohtani is in Wednesday’s lineup, so perhaps he only felt some fleeting pain. But given the injuries he’s already experienced this season, there’s some reason to worry.
As fans are likely aware, Ohtani has already been dealing with pain in his left knee this season.
He has a bipartite patella, meaning the two bones of his kneecap aren’t fused together as they are for most people, and it’s caused him enough discomfort that it’s limited his pitching this season.
Now he’s feeling pain in his other knee. Add in Ohtani’s arm soreness and, earlier this season, a bloody blister on his throwing hand it seems Ohtani’s health is a growing concern.
Shohei Ohtani is feeling the effects of multiple injuries
Injuries have already cost Ohtani his preseason goal of winning a Cy Young Award, and his recent slump and the stellar play of Chicago Cubs center fielder (and noted Dodgers hater) Pete Crow-Armstrong mean he’s likely to miss out on winning his fourth straight Most Valuable Player award as well.
Of course, the Dodgers’ three-peat chances remain alive, but Ohtani hasn’t lived up to his role as the team’s dominant designated hitter this season as much as he has in the past.
After three straight seasons of an OPS above 1.000, his OPS has fallen to .911 this season — still fantastic, but not quite the level of excellence fans have become accustomed to.
His slugging has also fallen from .620 or better in the three previous seasons to .529 so far this year.
It’s hard to say definitively what’s behind Ohtani’s reduced effectiveness, but his swing statistics are down this season.
His average bat speed and fast swing rate are down significantly.
Perhaps these injuries are preventing Ohtani from playing to his otherworldly standard. Perhaps the 32-year-old is finally feeling the effects of Father Time.
Either way, it’s clear that something has changed with the slugger, and Tuesday night’s knee pain is yet another disconcerting omen for Dodgers fans.
