Shohei Ohtani: Dodgers star suffers left shoulder injury in Game 2 of the World Series

CNN
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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani suffered a shoulder injury before the Dodgers' 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday.

The Japanese slugger suffered a left shoulder subluxation and will undergo further testing, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game, adding that the team was “encouraged” by the injury, however.

“The power was great,” Roberts told reporters. “The range of motion is good. So we are encouraged. But of course I can't speculate because we don't have the scans yet. Once we have the scans we will know more. Here too, the strength and good range of motion are certainly positive.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, a shoulder subluxation occurs when “the humerus bone partially slides in and out quickly.”

With the Dodgers leading 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Ohtani attempted to steal second base but was thrown out in the bottom of the inning. However, Ohtani remained on the ground, grimacing in pain, and eventually left the field with trainers holding his left arm.

Roberts said it was “concerning” to see Ohtani lying on the ground in pain.

“Obviously it’s worrying when one of your players is out,” Roberts said. “But after the range of motion and strength test, I felt a lot better about it.”

According to the FOX broadcast, microphones recorded a conversation between Ohtani and trainers in which it was stated that his left shoulder appeared to have popped out of its socket.

This weekend's playoffs mark Ohtani's first postseason appearance after missing one loss in each of his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

The star player has had a number of notable accomplishments in recent months, including hitting his 50th home run of the season and stealing his 50th base in the Dodgers' win over the Miami Marlins last Thursday. Ohtani achieved his 51st place in every statistic at the end of the competition.

Although Ohtani had an exceptional debut season with the Dodgers, the 30-year-old player struggled with physical setbacks.

Ohtani underwent elbow surgery in September 2023 – a year to the day before he opened the 50-50 Club – and was told he likely wouldn't be able to pitch until 2025; on paper, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of the transcendent two-way star.

Even after retiring from pitching, Ohtani remains the favorite to win the NL MVP award, possibly the first to do so since he played exclusively as a designated hitter.

Ohtani has worked diligently to rehab his elbow, even going so far as to throw a mound in practice last month for the first time since his surgery, sparking rumors and hopes that he might play in the playoffs.

However, Roberts denied the rumors, telling reporters on the eve of Game 1 that there was “no way” Ohtani would make the playoffs. “Nothing at all.”

Game 3 is scheduled for Monday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York.

When asked how the Dodgers will handle Ohtani potentially missing games, Roberts quickly responded that he's “not there yet.”

“I expect him to be there. I expect him to be in the lineup,” Roberts said.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN's George Ramsay contributed to this report.