Sunday, October 27, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
Everyone at Dodger Stadium held their collective breath.
Shohei Ohtani is hurt.
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Ohtani will play on Monday night, Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium.
Whew!
With a two-game lead in the 2024 World Series, the Dodgers feared their superstar would miss the remainder of the series after a failed seventh-inning steal attempt. Ohtani partially separated his left shoulder (subluxation).
Immediately after the slide, Ohtani was visibly in pain. He walked off the field holding his left arm. However, the first testing was encouraging since Ohtani had a full range of rotation and strength. The Dodgers planned to have an MRI after Saturday’s game or during their off-day in New York. There are no reports about an MRI.
Shohei Ohtani hasn’t had a marvelous World Series yet, but he can make a difference. During Game 1, he and Mookie Betts created an eighth-inning run allowing Freddie Freeman to have tenth-inning heroics. Yankee Stadium has an incredibly short right-field porch, enabling left-handed hitters to homer easily. Since Ohtani had 54 home runs during the regular season, he should have at least a home run in New York.
Compared to Aaron Judge, Ohtani is having an outstanding World Series. Judge is a superstar in the American League and had a great 2024 season. He has been a great flop during the World Series, including six strikeouts. Sometime during the World Series, Judge will break out.
If Ohtani doesn’t perform or play on Monday, the Dodgers will be fine. The Yankees haven’t been to the World Series since 2009, and it shows. Aaron Boone’s decisions don’t put his players in positions to succeed. He doesn’t have a game plan, and his players don’t relax and play.
Although the Dodgers hadn’t played in the World Series, they have players who remembered how to play in the World Series. Dave Roberts knows how to manage in the World Series. After all, this is his fourth. Unlike in the past, Roberts has made all the correct decisions during this postseason. The Dodgers should continue their dominance of the Yankees, but the Yankees should play better than they played at Dodger Stadium.
