Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a triple during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Cincinnati.
13:26 JST, May 26, 2024
CINCINNATI (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is playing with a strained hamstring and has been told to take it easy, manager Dave Roberts said Saturday.
Ohtani was injured when he was hit by a pickoff pitch during the Dodgers’ final homestand, Roberts said.
The question was raised with the Dodgers manager after Ohtani did not appear to be at full speed when he tripled in the sixth inning.
“Our advice to him is just be smart about it,” Roberts said. “I think he was about to throw a double, but the ball just wouldn’t get into the infield, so he kept running. It is he who only controls the hamstring.
“Today was better than yesterday. We need him there. We just didn’t want to push it.”
Ohtani went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts in Saturday night’s 3-1 loss to the Reds. He went 0 for 5 in the series opener on Friday night, also won by Cincinnati.
The teams will play the series final on Sunday afternoon.
