Shohei Ohtani Isn’t Affected by Shoulder Injury, Says Dodgers’ Dave Roberts
Shohei Ohtani hasn’t looked like himself since injuring his left shoulder in Game 2 of the World Series. The first four games have been defined more by his injury than his presence in the box.
On Tuesday, Ohtani went 1-for-4 with a fifth-inning single and is hitting just .133 through four games.
However, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts insists that Ohtani isn’t affected by the injury.
“We’ve asked him many times over, and it’s not impeding,” Roberts said. “He doesn’t feel it. I just think it’s the chase. You see it. There’s some big at-bats that could result in a walk, and not taking the base and chasing hasn’t been good.”
Whether Ohtani’s recent struggles stem from his injury or simply the unpredictable nature of baseball is tough to determine. Sure, his performance has been disappointing — but it’s on par with Yankees star and American League MVP favorite Aaron Judge. Both are 2-for-15, with two walks and a hit by pitch. Neither has hit a home run.
His lack of contact isn’t because of the shoulder, it is his pitch selection.
For example, Ohtani stepped up to the plate as the potential tying run with the Dodgers down 6-4. Known for his first-pitch aggression, he took a splitter right down the middle. He worked the count full but then swung and missed at a splitter off the plate for strike three.
Ohtani insists that he isn’t in pain but he has winced after a small handful of swings in the past two games.
Despite the injury, both the Dodgers and Ohtani are optimistic that it won’t significantly affect his performance, mainly because it’s his left shoulder that was injured. Ohtani can swing freely without worrying about pain when he releases the bat with his back hand.
“If it was more of the right shoulder, then I think it would have impacted my swing,” Ohtani said Wednesday. “Thankfully, it was my left.”
Roberts has repeatedly stated that Ohtani won’t be stealing bases. When he does run, Ohtani has been holding his shirt with his left arm as a reminder to avoid sliding on that side. He did get his first slide out of the way in Game 4.
“I think it’s been fine so far,” Roberts said of Ohtani’s baserunning. “He actually slid tonight. So I don’t think that it’s been a problem. He’s not going to be stealing bases, I wouldn’t think, but I think it hasn’t been too much of a problem.”
With the loss, Ohtani has at least one more game to have his big World Series moment — and because it is Ohtani, it could come at the most opportune time.
Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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