NEW YORK — An awkward slide and a shoulder subluxation can’t keep Shohei Ohtani out of the lineup for the World Series.
Ohtani will once again bat leadoff in Game 3 Monday night as the World Series shifts to New York, two days after the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar partially dislocated his left shoulder on a stolen-base attempt in Game 2.
Ohtani left the stadium immediately after the game, and after a day of both diagnostic tests and Ohtani expected to attempt swings off a tee and in a cage, the Dodgers determined he was good to go for Game 3.
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Ohtani flew separately from the team Sunday after getting further testing and manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani would be in the lineup against New York Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt if he could manage the pain.
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As the Dodgers were on their way to the airport Saturday night, the players received a message from Ohtani in their group text. The news was good.
“He texted the whole team as we were on our way to the airport and said he was going to be fine, and that’s it,” Dodgers infielder Max Muncy said Monday before Game 3. “He said he was going to play, so we all put it to the side at that moment.
“We said, all right, he’s got us. We’ll be ready for him to be in the lineup.”
The team does not believe Ohtani risks further injury by playing. Ohtani, the greatest two-way player in the sport’s history, is not pitching until 2025 and of course, the injury was to both his non-throwing shoulder and his trail arm in his left-handed swing.
“Guys have had this before and played, but again, it’s just everyone’s tolerance,” Roberts said Sunday. “I don’t see him being compromised. It’s the left shoulder, which is the back shoulder. So I don’t see how that affects his hitting, if he’s able to go.”
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