Subscribe
Follow Us
With the Los Angeles Dodgers preparing for the series against the San Diego Padres, there are some fans concerned about the status of star Shohei Ohtani after exiting Wednesday's 8-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Pitching in the game, the Dodgers' two-way player seemed limping after a comeback hit him in the side of his upper right leg and eventually left the game, though there is more insight given into his issue.
It would be a rough start for Ohtani on the mound as he gave up five runs and even allowed nine hits, tying a career-high, while striking out three batters. It would be a thigh contusion, as said by manager Dave Roberts after the game, and even expressed that he is “hopeful” that the 31-year-old is available for Friday's contest, which is also the “intention” for Ohtani, according to MLB.com.
“That’s my intention,” Ohtani said, via interpreter Will Ireton, “is to make sure I get my treatment, and the goal is to make sure that I’m back to normal again. … I got hit in the same spot, hit by a pitch [earlier this season]. Right now, it feels pretty good. I'm going to do everything in my ability to make sure that it doesn't affect me moving forward.”
Roberts would remove Ohtani in the eighth inning from action altogether and explained his reasoning since he saw there was some “swelling.”
“It was getting stiff and there was some swelling in there,” Roberts said. “It was in the thigh, fortunately, and not off the knee. But it got him square. … I felt as the game was going to go on, it was going to stiffen up more.”
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani calls loss “very regrettable”
The Dodgers' superstar in Ohtani would say that it was a regrettable outing for himself, taking accountability for the loss to the Rockies on Wednesday night. While he wasn't ready for the full impact of the altitude change in Denver, he still believes it shouldn't have led to the rough start.
“Very regrettable,” Ohtani said, as he sports a 4.61 ERA to go along with 35 strikeouts and a 0-1 record in 10 starts. “I put the team in a bad spot. It was just a very regrettable outing. I wish I could have done better. … I was aware in my bullpen session that the ball doesn't move quite as much as it does at normal sea level. But again, that's not an excuse.”
While the game left a sour taste in Ohtani's mouth, it was not a great outing for anybody else on the Los Angeles team, leading to the loss. Though on the bright side, the Dodgers would bounce back in Thursday's series finale in Colorado with a 9-5 win.
At any rate, Los Angeles is currently 73-55, which puts them first in the NL West, as with the Padres second with a 72-56, it can't be stated enough how crucial this three-game series between the two ball clubs is, starting on Friday.
