Ohtani Takes Time Off Amid Injury Concerns

On Wednesday night, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts mentioned that the team is considering giving Shohei Ohtani, who is visibly struggling with injuries, some time off to manage his knee and biceps issues.

At this point, Ohtani will sit out at least for Thursday’s game against the Cardinals, meaning he will not be in the team’s batting lineup.

This decision comes as concerns about Ohtani’s health continue to rise.

Since early July, he has been unable to pitch due to a persistent knee problem. Moreover, he has been experiencing discomfort in his right biceps, which seemed to flare up again on Wednesday night.

In a disappointing performance, Ohtani went 0-for-4 and struck out four times, marking a season high in strikeouts, in an 8-6 loss to the Cardinals. Roberts admitted afterwards that Ohtani “was not close to optimal” during his swings.

One particularly worrisome moment occurred during his last at-bat in the tenth inning when he grimaced and shook his arm after each swing.

Roberts noted that putting Ohtani on the injured list is unlikely, partly because that probably wouldn’t help him feel 100% physically anyway. He mentioned that there would be discussions between Ohtani and the training staff before the game on Thursday.

“Time off obviously seems logical,” Roberts acknowledged. “So I’m not blind to that.”

It remains unclear whether Ohtani’s day off is just a brief respite or the beginning of a longer period of recovery for the four-time MVP.

Regardless, this situation highlights the challenges Ohtani is facing as the regular season approaches its final stretch.

“I think where we’re at,” Roberts said Wednesday night, “he’s just going to have to find a way to make do and do the best he can.”