The Los Angeles Dodgers are fully aware of the significance of Shohei Ohtani to their team and the broader baseball landscape. However, they don’t want to come across as dismissive regarding his recent left shoulder injury, which includes a partial dislocation.
Despite concerns, the Dodgers remain confident that Ohtani’s injury won’t derail their pursuit of a World Series title. On Saturday, they secured a 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the series at Dodger Stadium. The team believes that, regardless of Ohtani’s status, they have what it takes to win the championship and celebrate their first parade since 1988.
“We have a lot of confidence,” said Dodgers All-Star right fielder Mookie Betts. “We have a strong group here, and I’m sure we can get the job done. I believe in this team.”
Ohtani, the first player in baseball history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season—with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases this year—gave the packed crowd of 52,725 a scare during the seventh inning. He attempted to steal second base, slid into the bag, and reached back with his left hand but was tagged out.
Instead of getting up, Ohtani remained on the ground, visibly in pain.
“The entire stadium fell silent,” said Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández, who hit a home run in the third inning. “We all know how crucial Shohei is to this team. Hopefully, he’ll be alright, and the day off will help him recover and get back on the field.”
Ohtani left the Dodgers clubhouse before reporters arrived and is scheduled for testing on Sunday. However, the Dodgers remain hopeful that he’ll return as their designated hitter for the World Series.
“It’s always concerning when one of your players gets hurt,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “But after assessing the range of motion and strength, I felt more optimistic. There are many thoughts that go through your mind, but it’s important to stay positive.”
“We’ll know more in the next couple days, but the strength was great, the range of motion good. So, we’re encouraged.”
Asked if Ohtani will still return without missing the rest of the World Series, Roberts didn’t hesitate.
“I’m expecting him to be there,’’ Roberts said. “I’m expecting him to be in the lineup.”
The Dodgers have faced numerous challenges this season, more than a winter road full of potholes. They had 15 pitchers go on the injured list, leaving them with just three starting pitchers for the postseason. Infielder Max Muncy was sidelined for two months, while Mookie Betts missed 45 days. First baseman Freddie Freeman sat out 15 games—the most he’s missed in seven years—and is now playing in the postseason with a severely sprained ankle.
Despite these setbacks, the Dodgers persevered, finishing the regular season with the best record in baseball. They easily advanced past the San Diego Padres and New York Mets in the postseason. With or without Ohtani, they have the depth and talent to secure their first World Series title in a full season since 1988.
“When you have a group like this, they always lift me up when I’m struggling,” Freeman said. “That’s just how we operate. We’ve been doing it all year.”
While there was certainly empathy for Ohtani as he left the game in pain, the Dodgers players expressed little concern for how it would impact their team.
“It’s definitely a huge disappointment,” said Dodgers infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman, who contributed one of the Dodgers’ three home runs. “He’s the best player in the game, and seeing him on the ground in pain is a tough sight. We’re hoping for a quick recovery for him.”
The Dodgers have maintained a “next-man-up” mentality all season, and that won’t change even with Ohtani’s situation.
“Of course, losing him would create a big gap,” said Dodgers infielder/outfielder Enrique Hernández. “But there’s something special about this team that ensures guys will step up and perform. We’ve already played postseason games without Freddie in the lineup and still managed to win.”
“We’re really hoping we don’t have to play any games without Sho, but if it comes to that, I’m confident someone will step up,” said one Dodgers player.
The highly anticipated matchup between Ohtani and Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge has not lived up to expectations in the first two games, with Judge managing just one hit and striking out six times. His struggles have persisted throughout the postseason, as he’s hitting .150 (6-for-40) with 19 strikeouts and two home runs.
The Yankees understand that if Judge continues to struggle, their World Series drought will likely extend. However, if Ohtani is unable to play in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium or misses the rest of the series, the Dodgers’ deep lineup gives them unwavering confidence.
“Oh, absolutely,” said Teoscar Hernández, who, along with Freeman, became the second pair of Dodgers teammates to hit back-to-back home runs in the World Series, following Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager. “We’ve faced a lot of injuries throughout the year.
“First, it was our starting pitchers, then Mookie, and then Freddie. We’re hoping Ohtani isn’t added to that list. It won’t feel good if he can’t play on Monday, but we just need to keep doing what’s been working for us these past few weeks.”
Despite dealing with an injury-plagued rotation, the Dodgers have cruised through the postseason. They didn’t require a dramatic walk-off grand slam from Freeman this time; instead, they leaned on starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who allowed only one hit—a solo home run to Juan Soto—over 6 ⅓ innings. The bullpen then successfully held off a ninth-inning rally by the Yankees.
The Series now heads to New York, where the Yankees aim to become the first team since 1996 to overcome a 2-0 deficit in the World Series, a feat they accomplished against Atlanta.
“No one said it would be easy,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “It’s a long series, and we need to make it a long one now. We won’t back down.”
The challenge for the Yankees is that the Dodgers won’t back down either, whether Ohtani is in the lineup or not.
“I know they’ll come out ready to compete,” Betts said. “They have no choice, and neither do we. We need to keep pushing forward. We still have work to do.”