It seems Shohei Ohtani will be fine following an unexpected early departure from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ game on Thursday.
During the seventh inning of their 8-6 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Dodgers substituted the versatile athlete in a two-run contest, bringing in Santiago Espinal to bat in his leadoff position. Shortly after, it was disclosed that Ohtani exited due to inflammation in his left knee.
Earlier in the match, starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski was removed due to a contusion in his right hamstring. Ohtani’s medical records show prior issues with the same knee, with his 2019 season concluding prematurely for an operation to mend a bipartite patella.
Post-game, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts informed journalists that Ohtani experienced discomfort in his knee/hamstring region following an attempt to steal a base on a foul ball, which prompted a “precautionary” move to withdraw him, as reported by Jack Harris of the California Post. Roberts conveyed that his apprehension regarding Ohtani was “minimal” and he anticipates Ohtani’s return to the roster on Friday.
Prior to his departure, Ohtani had a perfect batting record, going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and a home run, marking his second long ball in consecutive days.
Undoubtedly, a serious injury to Ohtani would severely impact the Dodgers, despite their comfortable lead atop the NL West standings. Ohtani is presently considered the clear frontrunner for his fifth career MVP honor, and there’s a slim possibility he could also claim his inaugural Cy Young Award.
By Thursday evening, Ohtani held the top position in the NL for OPS with .962 and for on-base percentage at .421. His earned run average of 1.06 would rank highest in MLB if he met the criteria for the ERA championship, but he fell one out shy of that requirement on Wednesday.
