The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ Sport 2 win within the World Collection on Saturday got here at an enormous value as famous person Shohei Ohtani suffered a shoulder damage on a late-inning stolen-base try.
As dangerous because it regarded within the second, Ohtani appeared to be doing nicely on Sunday, and based on supervisor Dave Roberts, he ought to be anticipated to be within the lineup for Sport 3 when the sequence shifts to Yankee Stadium on Monday.
Roberts informed ESPN’s Karl Ravech on Sunday that Ohtani is “in an important 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 recreation.
The damage was to Ohtani’s left shoulder, which is necessary 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 the very 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 Choose throughout Main League Baseball.
The Dodgers’ lineup has three MVP winners on the prime with Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Freeman is already coping with an ankle damage however has delivered two big house runs within the World Collection, together with a walk-off grand slam to win Sport 1 of the sequence. Ohtani has not homered within the sequence however nonetheless has an .863 OPS within the playoffs total.
Even when he’s not 100% wholesome, Ohtani’s presence on the prime of the lineup might be important for the Dodgers.
