Dodgers' Dave Roberts Provides Critical Injury Update On Shohei Ohtani
· Yahoo Sports
The Los Angeles Dodgers do not have Shohei Ohtani in the starting lineup on Thursday following a four-strikeout game on Wednesday.
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Shohei showed signs of discomfort at the plate on Wednesday night, and Dave Roberts noted it in his postgame press conference. Ohtani is obviously dealing with some injuries that have kept him off the mound, but the fear is now that it is impacting his swing.
Ohtani came out of a recent bullpen session reportedly not feeling 100 percent. He has a .137 batting average in his last 13 games and is in a slump that the Dodgers desperately need him to break out of.
According to MLB.com's Sonja Chen, Roberts described Ohtani as day-to-day. He also said further conversations will determine if he is available off the bench on Thursday or if he can play on Friday. Roberts called a stint on the injured list unlikely, but "not impossible"
Furthermore, Roberts said that Ohtani told trainers he was feeling discomfort in his right biceps and neck on Wednesday. The biceps discomfort is notable since the biceps issue is part of the reason he has not been pitching.
The Dodgers offense was terrible in August, and they need Ohtani to start swinging the bat like an MVP if they want to make another World Series run. They have plenty of other stars, but none of them can do the things Ohtani can at the plate. Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker, Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernández will all have to step up in October if Ohtani does not get going.