The Los Angeles Dodgers went multiple months asserting Shohei Ohtani was healthy enough to remain in the lineup despite lingering left knee and right bicep trouble seemingly beginning to take its toll.
Now after several weeks spent attempting to thread the needle, the Dodgers are relenting and placing Ohtani on the 15-day injured list Friday. MLB roster rules dictate that two-way players go on the 15-day IL rather than 10 days.
Their decision came just days removed from general manager Brandon Gomes asserting Ohtani’s struggles at the plate were not a byproduct of his injuries. Instead, Gomes reasoned the international was the victim of extremely lofty expectations.
Why the Dodgers are putting Ohtani on IL
That was a sentiment manager Dave Roberts had also shared, though over the weekend he acknowledged the likelihood that Ohtani’s physical limitations were reasons for the slump. It came after Ohtani was seen grimacing and shaking his right arm because of neck trouble adding onto his knee and bicep injuries.
And despite providing the 32-year-old with four days off, Ohtani was back in the position of not feeling capable of playing. It prompted the Dodgers to reverse course from the past couple months.
“I think we tried to play both sides, and tried to play him, not play him,” Roberts began when asked why, after several weeks, the Dodgers at last arrived at a decision on the injured list.
“And ultimately after not playing him for four days, and then playing him, and then not being able to play a day after an off day, it was more just huddling up and saying, ‘Hey, how are you going to feel on Friday? How are you going to feel on Saturday?’
“Talking to the doctors and training staff, there was not much certainty that he’d be in a much better place. So I think with that, just taking it off the table seemed like the best course of action.”
Roberts previously had suggested the Dodgers were better off attempting to provide Ohtani with occasional rest days rather than the prolonged absence that would come with an IL stint. Particularly since his left knee and right bicep issues were said to only be a factor when pitching.
That seemingly was the impetus to Ohtani being indefinitely removed from the rotation in July. But Ohtani’s month of August was especially alarming.
Now the Dodgers are counting on the time off being beneficial and face the reality of Ohtani returning when there are only five games remaining in the regular season due to a hopeful approach ultimately proving ill-advised, which had long appeared to be the case.
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