The Los Angeles Dodgers ended their series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday with a 3-1 victory, yet they also witnessed superstar Shohei Ohtani sustain an injury. During the Rays game, the two-time American League Most Valuable Player was struck on his forearm by a pitch in the eighth inning. Luckily for Los Angeles, it appears that Ohtani did not suffer a significant injury, as post-game X-rays revealed negative results, according to The Los Angeles Times’ Mike DiGiovanna.
“Dodgers powerhouse Shohei Ohtani got hit on the inner side of his left forearm,” DiGiovanna wrote on X (the social media platform previously known as Twitter). “X-rays came back negative. He’s expected to be fine.”
Ohtani was facing Rays reliever Richard Lovelady when he was struck by a pitch. The Japanese sensation was leading in the count 2-1 when Lovelady delivered a 91 MPH sinker that veered outside the strike zone and hit Ohtani. Following the impact, the 30-year-old Ohtani proceeded to first base while clutching his left wrist and displaying signs of discomfort.
It was a positive indicator that Ohtani remained in the game post-injury. Despite the challenging plate appearance, he managed to score a run, thanks to Mookie Betts’ 387-foot home run that brought Ohtani home and handed the Dodgers a 3-1 advantage. Ohtani wrapped up his night with 0 hits in 3 at-bats, a run scored, and a strikeout.
Although it seems Ohtani dodged a severe injury, there is a likelihood that he might sit out a game or two to ensure complete healing of his arm. Should that be the case, Ohtani would potentially miss at least one match during the upcoming high-profile three-game interleague series at Dodger Stadium versus the Baltimore Orioles commencing this Tuesday.
Up to this point in the 2024 MLB regular season, Ohtani has maintained a .292 batting average with 41 home runs and 40 stolen bases. He also boasts a .368 on-base percentage and .566 slugging percentage, contributing to his .934 OPS.
Naturally, Dodgers enthusiasts (and baseball enthusiasts) expressed strong sentiments regarding that alarming incident involving LA’s cherished asset.
“It’s astonishing how the ball always manages to hit that one small spot without any protection 😭,” remarked @DrMahnoor0.
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“My heart rate spiked when it happened. Reminded me of Mookie.” – @nic_ly1028
“So hitting Muncy wasn’t payback for Mookie’s home run #Dodgers” – @nkvball
“Goodness! I never comprehend why pitchers won’t apologize for hitting a batter, even if unintentional.” – @JudyAPenner
“That pitch was intentional 🤬” – @charro209
Image Source: Conor P. Fitzgerald @ShutterStock
