CHICAGO — Following his exit from Thursday night’s game against the Pirates due to left knee inflammation, Shohei Ohtani was once again absent from the lineup for Friday’s opener against the White Sox.
It’s worth noting that Ohtani’s absence doesn’t automatically imply his injury is more severe than initially thought. The Dodgers are known for being careful, particularly when it comes to the health of their star players and minor issues.
However, this situation doesn’t quite align with the most optimistic scenario. Manager Dave Roberts had expressed hope on Thursday evening that Ohtani might be ready to play Friday.
Ohtani had felt discomfort while running the bases and was ejected early from the game in Pittsburgh. Later, Roberts mentioned that the injury didn’t appear serious and seemed unrelated to a knee surgery Ohtani had back in 2019 to manage a rare congenital issue.
Still, when the Dodgers released their lineup for Friday, Ohtani, a four-time MVP, was missing from his usual position as leadoff hitter and designated hitter.
Roberts did mention that they would be monitoring Ohtani’s recovery before deciding on his playing status for Friday. Clearly, he hadn’t bounced back enough for an immediate return.
Interestingly, there were no overt signs during Thursday’s game that Ohtani was dealing with knee discomfort, though Roberts suspected that it originated after Ohtani’s fourth attempt at stealing a base.
Ohtani had actually been at bat in the fifth inning of the Dodgers’ win over the Pirates, but as the sixth inning approached, the medical staff alerted Roberts to potential knee issues.
At that moment, they opted to be proactive and pulled Ohtani from the game, even though he had already racked up two hits, including his 13th home run of the season, along with two walks.
Roberts downplayed any significant worry regarding Ohtani’s condition, asserting that it was better to be cautious and aiming for a return the next day.
Now, though, the situation appears less certain, and there will likely be lingering questions about the seriousness of Ohtani’s injury for a while longer.
