Dodgers Place 2-Way Star Shohei Ohtani on 15-Day Injured List After Series Against Reds

Shohei Ohtani was out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup on Tuesday and Wednesday after returning on Monday following a 4-day rest.

Dodgers Place 2-Way Star Shohei Ohtani on 15-Day Injured List After Series Against Reds

Shohei Ohtani (Image via X/@UnderdogMLB)

The Los Angeles Dodgers officially put Shohei Ohtani on the injured list. After their series against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, the two-time defending champions placed the 2-way star on the 15-day injured list following his recent health issues.

Ohtani has been dealing with physical issues for a while now. The 32-year-old is battling lingering injuries to his left knee, right biceps, neck, and left hip. As a result of left knee soreness, he has not pitched in a game since July 3rd.

Last Wednesday, he went 0-for-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals with 4 strikeouts. He then missed the next 4 games due to some trouble in his bicep and returned to action on Monday night.

In the series opener, the Japanese international went hitless once again. He was then out of the lineup on Tuesday as the Dodgers tried to ease him back and expected him to play on Wednesday.

As per reports from MLB.com, the 4-time MLB MVP expressed that his right biceps was not feeling great on Tuesday night due to the swings he took on Monday and did not feature in Wednesday’s 14-1 victory. It was after the game that manager Dave Roberts announced he was going on the injured list.

We’re gonna IL Shohei … It’s the right thing to do.

Dave Roberts told the reporters

The minimum-length IL stint for two-way players is 15 days. He will not be eligible to return until September 23. Once he returns, he will play only as the designated hitter (DH), not as a two-way star. This week he confirmed that he will not pitch again this season.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have called up Josue De Paula from Double-A. He will join the team on their road trip to Miami and will make his MLB debut on Friday when they face the Marlins.

The NL West side did have the option to put their talisman on the injured list last week. However, they decided against it and gave him a few days off, which they thought would be sufficient.

When he returns, the Dodgers will have just 5 more games to go in the regular season. With the Atlanta Braves losing on Wednesday, the Dodgers strengthened their hold on the second-seed spot in the NL. The third seed team in the NL will play in the Wild Card round while the top two automatically qualify for the National League Division Series (NLDS).

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Shohei Ohtani is not the only Dodgers star who is dealing with some pain at the moment

Shohei Ohtani will not be in the lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers for at least 2 weeks. Given his health conditions, the LA-based team finally put him on the injured list. However, he is not the only Dodgers star who is dealing with some pain at the moment.

Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani (Image via X/@MLBONFOX)

Wednesday saw the team play without Freddie Freeman as well. The first baseman is dealing with some issues in his right knee. He was out of the lineup on Wednesday with Will Smith playing as the DH.

Freeman, who leads the team in games played and at-bats, is batting .136 in September. However, as per Roberts, his injury is not as serious as Ohtani’s, and he could be back in the lineup on Friday.

The Dodgers’ current injured list includes center fielder Andy Pages, backup catcher Dalton Rushing, closing pitcher Edwin Diaz, and starter Roki Sasaki. With Ohtani joining them, the last thing the team wants is to see another top name like Freeman end up on the IL.

As for the team’s current form, their 14-1 win on Wednesday saw them sweep the last-place Reds and clinch their season-best 7th win in a row. With an 89-57 record, their magic number to win the division has come down to 6.

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