Nerves were surely high when Shohei Ohtani was grabbing his wrist and forearm area after he was hit by a pitch during Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
However, manager Dave Roberts, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, said that X-rays were negative and the Dodgers star should be fine.
The play in question happened at the start of the eighth inning when Richard Lovelady hit Ohtani with a pitch.
He remained in the game and scored when Mookie Betts broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run homer as the very next batter.
Los Angeles held on for the 3-1 win, and Ohtani did not have to go back out as the designated hitter.
That Ohtani will be alright is welcome news for the Dodgers and their fans, as he is well on his way to a third career MVP in just his first year with the team.
The four-time All-Star is slashing .292/.378/.615 with 41 home runs, 94 RBI and 40 stolen bases, underscoring his ability to impact the game with his power, speed and ability to hit for average and get on base.
Ohtani heading toward an MVP is all the more notable considering he is not pitching this season so he can fully recover from elbow surgery. He is typically one of the best pitchers in the league as well, further highlighting his generational talent.
Los Angeles’ playoff chances could survive a brief absence for Ohtani, but it likely needs him to finish with the best record in the National League and clinch home-field advantage in the postseason.
It is three games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West at 78-53 and also narrowly ahead of the 76-64 Philadelphia Phillies and 75-55 Milwaukee Brewers in the race for the best record in the NL.
About the only thing missing from Ohtani’s resume is playoff success after he started his career on the Los Angeles Angels, but he will have the opportunity to change that if he is healthy and anchoring the Dodgers’ lineup.
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Source: Tampa Bay Times
