With World Series Lead, Dodgers Left in Limbo After Shohei Ohtani's Shoulder Injury

The star slugger brought Dodger Stadium to a hush after he suffered a partial left shoulder dislocation during Saturday's Game 2, though manager Dave Roberts projected optimism.

Ohtani injured his shoulder on an attempted stolen base during Game 2 of the World Series. / Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

As the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their World Series win, a potentially catastrophic loss left Dodger Stadium. Within minutes of the final out of Saturday’s 4–2 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 2, Shohei Ohtani, wearing street clothes and with his hair wet, presumably from a shower, his face impassive, boarded the elevator to the parking lot. He did not appear to be wearing a brace or a cast on his left shoulder, the one that suffered a subluxation—a partial dislocation—on a failed stolen base attempt in the seventh inning. 

As he left, I asked him how his shoulder felt. He did not respond. The elevator doors closed.

Manager Dave Roberts said that the team would know more about Ohtani’s status after the superstar DH underwent an MRI but that initial physical tests did not seem to indicate an injury that would end his World Series. 

“The strength was great, the range of motion good,” Roberts said. “So we’re encouraged. But obviously I can’t speculate, because we don’t have the scans yet. So once we get the scans, we'll know more.” Roberts added that, at least in theory, a left shoulder injury for a left-handed hitter is preferable to a right shoulder injury.

Through two games, the Dodgers have looked like the clearly superior team—their starting pitchers have lasted longer, their relievers have given up fewer runs, their offense has scored more runs, they’ve played cleaner baseball. But if indeed Ohtani misses time, the momentum of the series could swing. 

Shohei Ohtani leaves the field with a trainer after attempting to steal 2B in the 7th inning. pic.twitter.com/r19pZEurj1

— MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2024

In the seventh, when Ohtani slid into second base and failed to get up immediately, Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández said, “Not only the dugout, but the whole stadium was in silence.”

They understood the stakes: Ohtani is probably the most talented player in the history of the sport. He will almost certainly win his third Most Valuable Player award next month, and he had a 1.185 OPS in the National League Championship Series. 

The Yankees have largely kept him in check this series, holding him to one hit in Game 1 (although it was a big one—a one-out double on which he took third on an error, then scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly) and the walk in Game 2 that led to the fateful stolen base attempt. But just his presence in the lineup affects the way the Yankees approach the Dodgers: With Game 1 on the line Friday, New York manager Aaron Boone went to lefty starter Nestor Cortés, who had not pitched in more than a month, because he did not like the matchup of lefty reliever Tim Hill against Ohtani. Ohtani flew out, but Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam. 

The series resumes Monday in New York. Hernández said he hoped Sunday’s off-day would help provide Ohtani time to heal. Roberts declined to offer platitudes about how the team could respond if Ohtani cannot play. 

“I’m not there,” Roberts said. “I’m expecting him to be there. I’m expecting him to be in the lineup.”

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