Shohei Ohtani will play in Game 3 of the World Series after suffering a shoulder injury

NEW YORK – Shohei Ohtani is expected to play in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed ahead of Sunday’s team practice at Yankee Stadium.

Roberts didn’t have the immediate results after Ohtani underwent an MRI on his left shoulder after injuring it while trying to steal second base in the seventh inning of Saturday’s Game 2. Roberts said after the match that Ohtani suffered a subluxation, which is a partial dislocation, of his shoulder. left shoulder.

Ohtani did not travel with the team to New York, but was expected to arrive separately on Sunday evening. Roberts said Ohtani reported feeling better in consultation with the Dodgers training staff, with continued encouraging results when it comes to his strength and range of motion in the area.

Ohtani will go through his standard workout on Sunday, including dry swings, swinging off a tee and in the batting cage, which will determine the Dodgers’ final decision.

“I think he’s obviously very aware of himself and his body,” Roberts said.

“So if he feels well enough to go, I see no reason why he shouldn’t be there.”

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Testing on Ohtani’s shoulder was paramount to determine if additional damage was done to the area when he used his left arm to support his slide. Roberts was optimistic that resolving the issue — a matter of pain tolerance, he said — would not put Ohtani at risk of aggravating the injury by continuing in the series against the New York Yankees.

“I think once we make the decision that he can play, I’m assuming that’s not a possibility,” Roberts said.

Ohtani tried to steal second base, as he has done repeatedly during his historic 50-50 years. But this time it was different.

After he finished tagging, he winced in pain. Dodger Stadium fell silent. The replay showed Ohtani supporting his slide with his left arm, which he gingerly held during his deflating walk back to the home dugout.

Ohtani slowly gets to his feet after trying to steal second place. pic.twitter.com/T3Af5GRaiw

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The Dodgers experienced a similar situation in their recent October, when Cody Bellinger dislocated his right shoulder during a celebration after hitting the go-ahead home run in Game 7 of the 2020 National League Championship Series. Bellinger returned and hit a home run in Game 1 of the subsequent World Series. The outfielder previously dislocated the shoulder several times and was expected to undergo surgery this offseason to repair the labrum in his shoulder; he struggled offensively over the next two seasons before going undrafted and returning to prominence with the Chicago Cubs in 2023.

Roberts could not recall a previous instance where Ohtani had a similar problem in his shoulder. Unlike Bellinger, Ohtani’s injury involves his back shoulder and not his lead shoulder.

“I don’t see how that affects his shots. If he’s able to go, I really don’t see it,” Roberts said.

It also won’t impact Ohtani’s pitching. Right-handed pitcher Ohtani has continued to pitch as he recovers from a second major elbow ligament reconstruction, but has been ruled out several times from any potential appearance on the mound in the World Series.

In two World Series games, the Dodgers secured a 2–0 lead, largely despite Ohtani, who went 1 for 8 as the team’s designated hitter. Stellar starts by Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, plus timely hitting from Freddie Freeman, NLCS MVP Tommy Edman and others, put Los Angeles in an impressive position ahead of three road games in New York.

Of course, losing the presumptive National League MVP to injury would be no less devastating. Ohtani became the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season with 54 and 59 respectively.

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(Photo: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)