Dodgers Rest Shohei Ohtani as Arm and Neck Soreness Persists

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani missed his second consecutive game on Friday due to persistent soreness in his neck and right arm. The absence marks the first time this season that Ohtani has sat out back-to-back contests, raising concerns about his fitness with the Major League Baseball postseason approaching in three and a half weeks.

Injury details and lineup status

Ohtani reported discomfort late in Wednesday’s contest and was left out of the starting lineup for Friday’s 5-3 victory against the Washington Nationals. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts classified Ohtani as day-to-day, though he indicated the team’s training staff will conduct further evaluations before deciding on his status for Saturday. Roberts noted that he does not anticipate Ohtani playing on Saturday either.

Addressing whether Ohtani might require a placement on the injured list, Roberts took a cautious stance. “Hopeful,” Roberts said when asked about avoiding an injured list stint, “but I wouldn’t say confident. Hopeful. We’ll see.” If the discomfort continues over the weekend, the team may temporarily shut Ohtani down completely.

Pitching progression delayed

Ohtani’s physical setbacks have extended beyond his recent arm and neck soreness. He last pitched in an official game on July 3. His throwing program was halted after he experienced pain in his left knee and right biceps during a shortened bullpen session. Furthermore, he has stopped performing routine arm maintenance exercises with weighted balls in recent days.

When asked how the pause in throwing affects Ohtani’s potential return to the mound, Roberts stated that it “certainly pushes it back.” The delay creates additional uncertainty regarding whether Ohtani will be able to pitch during the upcoming postseason.

Recent performance and season context

The physical issues appear to have impacted Ohtani at the plate. Over his past 51 at-bats, he has recorded seven hits and 20 strikeouts. Referring to Ohtani’s recent appearances, Roberts remarked, “What we saw a couple nights ago wasn’t him,” adding that the player was clearly not feeling well.

Despite the recent offensive decline, Ohtani’s overall season statistics remain strong, leaving him among the contenders for the National League Most Valuable Player award. On the season, he maintains a .906 on-base plus slugging percentage with 30 home runs, alongside an 8-2 record and a 1.79 earned run average as a pitcher. Roberts noted that Ohtani has been agreeable to taking time off as the team manages his workload before October.

Background

Shohei Ohtani is a rare two-way player in professional baseball, elite as both a starting pitcher and a power hitter. Managing the physical strain of pitching and hitting simultaneously presents unique workload challenges, making health management crucial late in the Major League Baseball regular season.