Shohei Ohtani's health continues to fuel speculation as Dodgers absence stretches on
Shohei Ohtani's absence keeps growing, and now the Dodgers are facing a decision they hoped to avoid.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are dealing with more than just their recent slump. The spotlight is now firmly on Shohei Ohtani's health , as the Japanese superstar will once again be out of the lineup after missing Friday's game against the Washington Nationals , fueling speculation about a possible trip to the injured list (IL) .
Ohtani is set to miss his third consecutive game , while the Dodgers continue weighing whether the best course of action is to place him on the injured list and allow him time to recover.
Concern is growing because this marks the third straight day that Ohtani has been absent from the starting lineup. With that in mind, the Dodgers are evaluating their next move and whether an IL stint has become unavoidable.
Ohtani has been dealing with multiple physical issues, including lingering knee and biceps injuries. The latter has kept him off the mound since July 3.
Dave Roberts doesn't rule out placing Ohtani on the injured list
In addition to the biceps issue, Ohtani has also been bothered by a neck injury, which reportedly affected his performance in Wednesday's game, when he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts . That remains his most recent appearance for the Dodgers.
Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that the club has yet to make a final decision. While he hopes to avoid placing Ohtani on the injured list, he admitted there's no guarantee that's the right approach.
"If three days [go by] and we're back in the same spot two days later, then it wasn't the right decision," Roberts said Friday, via MLB.com. "There are scenarios where we don't make the move, and he's still active, so I don't know what that looks like. But there's not just two ways to do this."
For now, Shohei Ohtani's immediate future remains uncertain. The Dodgers are keeping all options on the table as they try to get their biggest star healthy without worsening the injuries that have limited him in recent days. His next opportunity to return to the lineup would come on Sunday, when Los Angeles closes its series against the Nationals.
