Shohei Ohtani Provides Encouraging Update on Shoulder Injury After Dodgers’ Game 3 Win

Ohtani spoke about his shoulder injury in a postgame presser.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

One win away from a World Series title, the Los Angeles Dodgers are thankful to have Shohei Ohtani in the lineup, as injured as he may be.

Ohtani, who partially separated his left shoulder while trying to steal a base in Game 2 against the New York Yankees, gritted his way through a Game 3 outing on Monday night in which he went hitless. Sporting a sling before the game, Ohtani was 0-for-3 with a walk and was hit by a pitch, and he was visibly uncomfortable while swinging at the plate.

After the Dodgers’ 4-2 win, Ohtani spoke briefly about his injury and told reporters “the pain has subsided,” an encouraging update all things considered.

“I taped myself up today, so it did feel different compared to when I don’t tape myself,” Ohtani said, via his interpreter. “The last at-bat, I felt like if I took that ball it would have been a walk, so I still felt like I had a pretty good at-bat there.”

Ohtani also provided details about what he was wearing before the game, saying that he was told by trainers to wear a device “that keeps my shoulder warm.” 

Shohei Ohtani speaks postgame regarding his shoulder and how it felt in tonight's game. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/l2b7vCsCtV

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 29, 2024

After his injury scare in Game 2, Ohtani remained the designated hitter and opened the night with a leadoff walk before being brought home by Freddie Freeman’s two-run homer, helping Los Angeles extend their series lead at Yankee Stadium. With a commanding 3-0 advantage in the World Series, the Dodgers have to feel pretty good about their chances of winning the championship.

As for Ohtani’s long-term future, the two-way superstar had a cautiously optimistic response to whether or not he would require offseason surgery on his shoulder.

“I haven't had further conversations about the future plan,” Ohtani said. “I think it's something that's going to happen after the season is over, do additional testing. But in terms of how I feel now, I don't think so.”

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