The Los Angeles Dodgers are entertaining all options as it relates to the health of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, including a stint on the injured list.
Ohtani shook his right arm and winced after striking out for the fourth time during Los Angeles’ 8-6 loss in 10 innings to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.
“You can see the swing wasn’t the swing that we’re used to seeing,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “So, he’s not close to optimal. What is going to get him close to being able to perform at the level that you know he expects? That’s kind of the question. And time off obviously seems logical, so I’m not blind to that.”
Roberts said that he will join the training staff and Ohtani in having a conversation about the health of the superstar on Thursday. Ohtani is dealing with nagging knee and biceps injuries, too.
“Is a day or two — or I mean, shoot, even 10 days, is that going to help get him to be 100%? Don’t know the answer,” Roberts said. “But I think where we’re at, I think he’s just going to have to find a way to make do and do the best he can. But what can I do? Have the conversation. Get him off his feet. Kind of try to get some strength back. Get him feeling better, and then run him out there.”
Roberts said Ohtani wants to play.
“He definitely doesn’t want to take the day,” Roberts said. “He feels that, I know, speaking for him, I know he feels that he needs to post and be in the lineup. If he’s upright, he should play. I respect that. But if he’s feeling the way that visibly looks, then really not helping anyone. So that’s the conversation I’ll have with him.”
Ohtani, 32, is 2-for-23 with 11 strikeouts in his last six games. He is batting .279 with 30 homers and 80 RBIs in 129 games this season.
Ohtani was among the National League Cy Young Award contenders in the first half of the season by going 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts while pitching in a six-man rotation. He has not pitched in a game since July 3.
