Shohei Ohtani took batting practice on the field Wednesday afternoon, which is a rarity but indicative of the slow start to the season he’s having.
“I was a little surprised,” manager Dave Roberts said after the Los Angeles Dodgers lost 4-1 to the Cleveland Guardians in the rubber match. “Because he doesn’t do that that often. I think he was looking for some feel, the flight of the baseball. Sometimes when he doesn’t feel well he likes to change up his routine and get on the field to see the flight. So, yeah, I was surprised.”
Shohei Ohtani having wrist trouble?
The change in routine did not yield immediate results as Ohtani went 0-for-3 with one walk and two strikeouts in the Dodgers’ loss. Ohtani’s second strikeout of the night came with a pair of runners on base in the eighth inning.
He was seen shaking his right wrist while waking back to the dugout.
“You know, I don’t know,” answered Roberts when asked if Ohtani is dealing with any sort of wrist injury. “I saw that, too, after that last strikeout. I’ll get a report from Thomas (Albert) after this session.”
Ohtani did not speak with reporters after the game and the Dodgers spent Thursday morning traveling to start their first road trip of the season. Although they’re facing the Washington Nationals this weekend, the Dodgers aren’t going to yet visit the White House in celebration of their 2025 World Series title. That’s expected to take place at a later date.
It’s possible the Dodgers are waiting until Friday morning to make a roster move with Ohtani if one is necessary. But more likely than going on the injured list is the two-way simply having tweaked his right wrist. There have been multiple instances in the past where Ohtani appears to be experiencing some discomfort but continues playing without issue.
As of now Ohtani remains scheduled for his second pitching start of the season in the series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 8.
Any sort of update on his availability could come as soon as the clubhouse opens on Friday, or when Roberts meets with media ahead of the game at Nationals Park.
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