World Series: Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani expected to play in Game 3 vs. Yankees, Dave Roberts says
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, bottom, is helped after being injured while trying to steal second base against the Yankees during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday in Los Angeles. Credit: AP/Godofredo A. Vásquez
The Sho must go on.
Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is expected to play in Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Monday night, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said on Sunday.
“That’s my expectation, given talking to the training staff and getting the reports,” Roberts said. “It’s a [pain] tolerance situation. I just don’t see him not playing Game 3.”
Ohtani suffered what Roberts initially called “a little” shoulder subluxation, which is a partial dislocation, when he attempted to steal second base in the seventh inning of Los Angeles’ 4-2 victory over the Yankees in Game 2 on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani underwent an MRI on Sunday. The Dodgers did not release the results.
“Shohei [was] feeling good [Sunday] morning,” Roberts said. “Range of motion, strength . . . I think that he’s obviously very well aware of himself and his body. So if he feels good enough to go, then I see no reason why he wouldn’t be in there.”
Ohtani was injured when he jammed his left hand into the ground on an unsuccessful steal attempt. He rolled around near second base in pain and left the field holding his left arm.
“Obviously, that’s a huge bummer,” Dodgers utilityman Tommy Edman said after Game 2. “He’s the best player in the game, and to see him on the ground in pain, it’s not a good feeling for sure. I don’t know if any reports have come out yet, but we’re hopeful he recovers quickly. We’re sending our thoughts and prayers for him.”
In the regular season, Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to hit at least 50 home runs and steal at least 50 bases (54 homers, 59 steals). In his first postseason, he has hit three home runs but is 0-for-2 in stolen-base attempts. Ohtani is 13-for-50 with 19 strikeouts and 12 walks in 13 games overall.
Dodgers Game 3 starter Walker Buehler said he is looking forward to having Ohtani lead off the game against Clarke Schmidt if he’s able.
“Any time you have probably the best baseball player in the world, I think it’s going to help,’’ Buehler said, “and [it] frees up some of the other guys to kind of play with a little less pressure or a little more freedom, however you want to say it.”
“Shohei’s been great . . . We didn’t know all that when we were getting him. He’s been awesome for the clubhouse and awesome for our team. So it’s been a cool year watching him with the 50-50. Just kind of the day-to-day and the kind of human he is as well.”
The Dodgers lead the best-of-seven series 2-0. Ohtani, the likely National League MVP, is 1-for-8 with a walk in the World Series, but the one hit was a big one.
Ohtani doubled off the rightfield wall in the eighth inning of Game 1 and moved to third on the play when Gleyber Torres failed to catch a short-hopped throw from Juan Soto for an error. Ohtani then scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Mookie Betts.
The Dodgers went on to win the opener, 6-3, on Freddie Freeman’s two-out grand slam off Nestor Cortes in the 10th.
Roberts said he isn’t worried that Ohtani probably will be less than 100%.
“That doesn’t concern me,” he said. “If he is able to play, willing to play, he’s going to play. Schmidt will know that Shohei’s in the box, so that means everything.”
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
