NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is set to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Monday night despite a partially dislocated left shoulder, according to manager Dave Roberts.
Ohtani planned to take some swings at Yankee Stadium during the Dodgers' workout on Sunday night. Roberts said pain tolerance was the key factor.
“I just don't see him not playing Game 3,” Roberts said. “If he feels good enough to go, then I see no reason why he wouldn’t be in there.”
Ohtani did not travel with the team to New York in order to undergo imaging. He was on a separate flight.
Ohtani partially dislocated his left shoulder sliding into second base when he was caught stealing to end the seventh inning of Saturday night's 4-2 victory in Game 2 at Los Angeles.
Seeking their eighth title and second in five years, the Dodgers lead 2-0 in the best-of-seven Series.
Roberts said on Saturday night that Ohtani “had a little left shoulder subluxation” and would get image testing either Saturday night or Sunday.
Ohtani clutched his left forearm after being tagged by shortstop Anthony Volpe for the final out in the seventh on a feetfirst slide. He laid near the bag for a couple of minutes before being tended to by athletic trainers and leaving the field.
Roberts said after the game he was encouraged that Ohtani had good strength and range of motion in the shoulder. Roberts said he felt better Sunday than on Saturday.
The likely NL MVP was 0 for 3 with a walk in Game 2. He is 1 for 8 in the first two games of the Fall Classic and is batting .260 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in his first postseason in the majors.
Ohtani had been one of the few players on the Dodgers roster who got through the season without a major injury. Nearly every member of the starting rotation spent time on the injured list and the team led the majors in injured list placements with 36 and days on the injured list with 2,342.
Among the position players, Mookie Betts was out for nearly two months due to a broken left hand, and Max Muncy was out nearly half the season due to a right oblique strain. Freddie Freeman is playing in the postseason with a sprained right ankle.
Ohani hit .310 with 54 homers, 130 RBIs and 59 stolen bases, becoming the first player with at least 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season. The two-way star did not pitch this season while recovering from elbow surgery on Sept. 19, 2023.
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