The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Sport 2 win within the World Sequence on Saturday got here at a giant price as celebrity Shohei Ohtani suffered a shoulder harm on a late-inning stolen-base try.
As dangerous because it seemed within the second, Ohtani gave the impression to be doing properly on Sunday, and in accordance with supervisor Dave Roberts, he needs to be anticipated to be within the lineup for Sport 3 when the collection shifts to Yankee Stadium on Monday.
Roberts instructed ESPN’s Karl Ravech on Sunday that Ohtani is “in an incredible spot” and might be within the Sport 3 lineup.
That’s undoubtedly an encouraging assertion and possibly stunning to anyone that watched Ohtani depart Saturday’s sport.
The harm was to Ohtani’s left shoulder, which is vital as a result of he performed this season whereas recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure. His proper arm is his pitching arm.
Regardless of the Tommy John restoration, Ohtani nonetheless put collectively an MVP-caliber season on the plate and was one of the best hitter within the Nationwide League, ending as the primary participant to ever hit 50 house runs and steal 50 bases in the identical season whereas additionally main the Nationwide League with a 1.036 OPS. That OPS was second solely to Yankees centerfielder Aaron Decide throughout Main League Baseball.
The Dodgers’ lineup has three MVP winners on the high with Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Freeman is already coping with an ankle harm however has delivered two big house runs within the World Sequence, together with a walk-off grand slam to win Sport 1 of the collection. Ohtani has not homered within the collection however nonetheless has an .863 OPS within the playoffs general.
Even when he’s not 100% wholesome, Ohtani’s presence on the high of the lineup might be important for the Dodgers.
