Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, right, is greeted by manager Dave Roberts during team introductions before Game 3 of the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New York.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani walks to the plate to bat against the New York Yankees during the first inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New York.
Shohei Ohtani of Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after an error on a pitch against the New York Yankees during the seventh inning of Game 3 of the baseball World Series, Monday, October 28, 2024, in New York
13:36 JST, October 29, 2024
NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani was not on the team bus from Dodger Stadium to Los Angeles International Airport as he received tests Saturday evening after partially separating his left shoulder in Game 2 of the World Series.
So the Japanese star reached out in a group chat with other Dodgers players to clear up any doubts about his status.
“The text literally said, ‘I can play,’” infielder Max Muncy recalled Monday. “I mean, there was more to it than that.”
True to his word, Ohtani remained in the lineup in his regular leadoff slot as the designated hitter for Game 3 of the World Series. He walked to lead off the game and scored on Freddie Freeman’s two-run homer, giving the Dodgers a 4–2 win over the New York Yankees and a 3–0 lead in the World Series.
Ohtani was 0 for 3 with a walk and a hit by pitch, and he looked uncomfortable as he winced and grimaced as he swung. He dropped to 1 for 11 in Series.
“If it had been more of the right shoulder, I think it would have affected my swing,” he said through an interpreter. “Luckily it was my left side, so I don’t think that was really the case.”
He was the only Dodgers starter to wear a warm-up jacket during pregame introductions and high-five teammates with his right hand. A black covering was visible over his left shoulder, which Ohtani said was there to keep his shoulder warm.
He didn’t swing during his first at-bat and took four balls from Clarke Schmidt. Ohtani cocked his left arm above his chest while at first base, holding his collar, and kept it there as he rounded the bases on Freeman’s home run.
Ohtani grounded out in the third and held his hand to his chest as he ran back to the dugout. He struck out in the fourth and made an error after error in the seventh.
“The reason I held myself while running is to make sure I wouldn’t use that same shoulder arm if I were to slide,” he said.
Ohtani said he isn’t sure if he will need surgery this offseason.
“I have had no further discussions about the future plan,” he said. “I think it’s something that’s going to happen after the season is over, do additional testing. But given how I feel right now, I don’t think so.”
Muncy said Ohtani wrote the lyrics in English himself, without help from interpreter Will Ireton.
“We just put it all aside at that point,” Muncy recalled. “We all said, ‘Okay, he’s got us. We will be ready to have him in the lineup. ”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not receive the text message — “that group chat is for us — that’s for the players,” Muncy said — and was not aware of it until Monday.
“It would have been helpful if I was in that thread. I slept better on Saturday night,” Roberts said with a smile.
Ohtani was injured while moving to second base when he was caught stealing, ending the seventh inning of Saturday night’s 4-2 victory in Los Angeles.
Roberts said Ohtani’s shoulder was put back into place by the ballpark’s athletic training staff and an MRI showed no structural damage.
When asked if Ohtani was medicated, given an injection or taped up, Roberts said: “It’s all about the treatment and all that. The tape only protects and stabilizes, not really restrictive.”
Ohtani took the swing off a tee in a Yankee Stadium batting cage on Sunday night and hit balls at 100 miles per hour, changing Roberts’ mood to “joy.”
“He was adamant that he was going to play,” Roberts said. “Obviously there is some discomfort.”
A separated shoulder is prone to recurrence. Roberts said he doubted Ohtani would attempt any more stolen bases during the Series.
Ohtani is 1 for 11 in the Fall Classic, hitting .245 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in his first postseason in the majors.
Ohtani, a two-time AL MVP with the Los Angeles Angels, joined the Dodgers last December on a record 10-year contract worth $700 million.
The 30-year-old slugger hit .310 with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs and 59 stolen bases, becoming the first player with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season. The two-time star did not pitch this season as he recovered from elbow surgery on September 19, 2023, and has been limited to design hitter.
“You see him walking away holding his arm like that, it’s clearly a concern. But hopefully he’s all right,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Game 3. “We all want to compete with and against the best here, and Shohei obviously embodies that. So hopefully everything is fine and we can compete against him.”
