SAN ANTONIO, Texas — With the Los Angeles Dodgers’ quest for a World Collection title full, supervisor Dave Roberts let it’s identified what his franchise star, Shohei Ohtani, was coping with.
“He was enjoying with one arm within the postseason,” Roberts stated. “So most guys would in all probability faucet out, however he was going to not be denied at enjoying and posting and being within the lineup.”
Ohtani, it seems, had been enjoying by means of a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, which he suffered when he partially dislocated it making an attempt to steal second base within the seventh inning of Recreation 2 of the World Collection towards the New York Yankees. Roberts initially stated testing and scans confirmed no structural injury within the space. Ohtani stated on the time he was hopeful to keep away from surgical procedure however would focus on the likelihood with docs.
Ohtani underwent arthroscopic surgical procedure to restore the problem Tuesday. Dr. Neal ElAttrache carried out the process. The Dodgers stated Ohtani is anticipated to be prepared for the beginning of spring coaching.
What it means for the two-way star’s rapid future stays unclear. Ohtani was increase as a pitcher all through October as he made his method again from a second main elbow ligament reconstruction however by no means progressed to the purpose of dealing with hitters. Whereas this surgical procedure addressed a special arm altogether, it’s unsure if it is going to alter Ohtani’s projected return as a pitcher.
The Dodgers have a latest historical past with this sort of rehab for a hitter. Outfielder Cody Bellinger dislocated his proper shoulder celebrating a go-ahead residence run within the 2020 Nationwide League Championship Collection, performed by means of the World Collection and underwent surgical procedure for a torn labrum on Nov. 17. He was within the Dodgers’ Opening Day lineup, however struggled that season (and the next one) as he labored to regain energy within the shoulder. In contrast to Ohtani, Bellinger’s torn labrum was in his lead shoulder, which generates extra of the pressure within the swing.
Ohtani was in apparent discomfort over the ultimate video games of the World Collection, going 1-for-11 after the damage, and clung his left arm to his jersey whereas on the basepaths to make sure he wouldn’t do additional injury to the shoulder.
It was a dream ending nonetheless for Ohtani and the Dodgers within the first yr of his record-setting 10-year, $700 million contract. Ohtani’s encore efficiency as a Dodger was already going to be the topic of nice intrigue, from his potential return to the mound in his residence nation of Japan (the place the Dodgers open the 2025 season in Tokyo towards the Chicago Cubs) to his quest to assist the Dodgers develop into the primary repeat World Collection winners for the reason that 1998-2000 Yankees.
It was additionally going to be a spectacle to see how Ohtani would observe up probably the most eye-popping single-season particular person offensive performances in baseball historical past, when he grew to become the primary participant with greater than 50 residence runs (he completed with 54) and 50 stolen bases (he swiped 59) in a single season.
Now, he’ll have one other shoulder surgical procedure rehabilitation thrown into the combo.
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(Photograph of Shohei Ohtani: Alex Slitz / Getty Photographs)
