Los Angeles Dodgers fans were all holding their breath when Shohei Ohtani suffered a shoulder injury in Game 2 of the World Series. However, Dave Roberts has eased all of their concerns heading into Game 3.
Roberts confirmed that Ohtani is, “in a great spot,” and will be playing in Game 3, via Karl Ravech of ESPN.
The Dodgers star suffered his injury while sliding into second base. He left the field with the help of trainers. But in the aftermath of Los Angeles’ 4-2 win, Ohtani looks ready to get back into the lineup and help continue the Dodgers’ championship push.
If Ohtani were to miss any time, it would be a major blow for Los Angeles. His record-setting campaign saw him become the first player to hit 50+ home runs and steal 50+ bases in a single season. But that was then, and the Dodgers are much more concerned about the now.
Ohtani’s first ever postseason got off to a slow start. While he had a home run and four RBI, he hit just .200 against the San Diego Padres in the NLDS. Ohtani found his groove against the New York Mets in the NLCS however, hitting .364 with two home runs and six RBI.
Related Los Angeles Dodgers NewsArticle continues below
The World Series has been a complete different story. He has just one hit in his nine plate appearances. That hit was a double, but Ohtani has no other counting stats to his name. Still, the Dodgers know just how potent his bat is. It doesn’t take long for Shohei Ohtani to impact a game.
That is of course if he is on the diamond. All indications point to that being the case of Game 3. Los Angeles will be cautious as they don’t want to risk re-injury with the superstar. However, the Dodgers are now just two wins away from a World Series title. Ohtani isn’t going to want an opportunity to win his first ring.