Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Doesn’t Know if Shohei Ohtani Will Need Surgery This Offseason
Shohei Ohtani was “adamant” he was going to play in Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Monday night.
Two days after suffering a left shoulder subluxation while sliding into second base during a stolen-base attempt in the seventh inning of Game 2, Ohtani cleared all tests, according to manager Dave Roberts.
Imaging showed that there is no additional structural damage and all he did was lead off the game with a four-pitch walk, scoring the first run of the game on a Freddie Freeman two-run home run.
“He was very adamant that he was going to play,” Roberts said. “I watched him take swings last night in the cage, looked really good, strong, ball was coming off the bat. I think there was more uncertainty in all of our minds, but in his mind from Day 1 – from Saturday evening – he was going to play.”
While the initial assessments of Ohtani’s injury — a partial shoulder dislocation — were encouraging, the Dodgers had genuine concerns about whether the superstar slugger could make a comeback for the remainder of the Fall Classic. There is also concern that he might require another offseason surgery.
“I don’t know,” Roberts said about a potential procedure on Ohtani’s left shoulder. “I’m hoping it heals on its own and will be an afterthought, but I don’t know.”
Roberts mentioned that Ohtani’s shoulder needed to be popped back into place before he could undergo testing on Saturday night. Fortunately, those tests confirmed that the injury was limited to the expected subluxation, and Roberts stated that the Dodgers felt “very fortunate.” As long as there isn’t any aggravation of the injury, the team anticipates that Ohtani will be available for the remainder of the World Series.
However, Roberts plans to check in with his superstar daily to monitor his condition.
“Obviously, there’s some discomfort,” Roberts said. “It’s a subluxation. It’s per an individual’s tolerance. Some swings were fine; some swings were a little uncomfortable. But I think, for me, it was more [that] we didn’t feel he was going to be compromised – and he was going to play.”
Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million deal during free agency last offseason, is a dominant force at the plate, making his presence in the Dodgers’ lineup incredibly significant. While he also adds considerable value on the basepaths, that aspect of his game is clearly secondary to his offensive impact.
Roberts doesn’t want Ohtani stealing bases or needing to dive back into a bag head-first.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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