Shohei Ohtani missed his second straight game on Friday, battling multiple ailments, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts isn’t even “confident” the four-time MVP will avoid an injured list stint. Roberts told reporters he’s “hopeful” but not “confident,” adding, “If three days [go by] and we’re back in the same spot two days later, then it wasn’t the right decision.” That’s not the kind of update anyone wants to hear about one of baseball’s biggest stars.
What’s Actually Going On With Ohtani?
This isn’t just one nagging issue. The guy is facing a laundry list of problems right now. He hasn’t pitched a single inning since way back on July 3, all because of left knee soreness that just won’t quit. Then, like that wasn’t enough, a right biceps problem popped up, messing with his return to the mound and even his hitting.
And get this, after Wednesday’s 8-6 home loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, Ohtani himself mentioned “soreness in his neck and along his right arm.” Dude is hurting all over the place! It’s no wonder he even struck out four times in that game, something he hasn’t done since July of last year. When a player like Ohtani is getting sat for multiple games and his manager can’t even say he’s confident about avoiding the IL, you know it’s serious.
Numbers Are Down, But the Dodgers’ Top Seeding Isn’t Safe From Drama
Even with all these bumps and bruises, Ohtani’s still putting up numbers that are insane for almost anyone else, but they’re a bit down for his elite self. He’s got a .906 OPS, blasted 30 dingers, and driven in 80 runs across 129 games. When he was pitching, he was straight up dominant: an 8-2 record, a ridiculous 1.79 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts in just 85.2 innings. Imagine what those numbers would be without all these problems.
The Dodgers might have a 10-game lead in the NL West with 22 games left, but a guy like Ohtani on the IL definitely adds pressure. They are three games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in the NL and tied with the Atlanta Braves for second. Those top two spots are massive if they want to avoid that NL Wild Card Series, even after sweeping the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 last year on their way to back-to-back World Series titles.
Ohtani is essentially day-to-day right now as the Dodgers keep their nine-game home stand rolling, welcoming the Washington Nationals for three games. Alex Call has been stepping in at DH for the last two games, but everyone knows who they really need back out there. Every single game counts when you’re fighting for that prime seeding. The pressure is on for Ohtani to get right, fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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