Shohei Ohtani IL stint ‘not impossible’ after Thursday scratch, per Dodgers’ Dave Roberts

Shohei Ohtani does not seem presently equipped to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a third straight World Series championship. What fans were hoping was a mere slump or just exhaustion could be something more. The four-time MVP is still battling a lingering knee issue and is now dealing with biceps and neck discomfort. His ongoing struggles reinforce the notion that Ohtani is not himself physically. The Dodgers manager is leaving the Japanese superstar out of the lineup for Thursday night’s game versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Will further action be taken?

“Dave Roberts described Shohei Ohtani’s status as ‘day to day’ right now,” the California Post’s Jack Harris reported on X. “He said an {injured list} stint is still ‘unlikely’ but not impossible depending on how he feels the next couple days.”

Dodgers fans are willing to do without No. 17 for a couple of weeks if that is what it takes to get him healthy for October baseball. Though, perhaps such a scenario will not even be necessary. A couple days off or long weekend could be enough to rejuvenate the 2025 National League Championship Series MVP. Only time will tell.

August marked the first time this season that Ohtani posted a sub-.800 OPS in a full month. He also batted just .241, which while fine for some stars, is well below the standard the 32-year-old has established for himself. Whether he is breaking down, running out of gas, or some combination of both, LA needs to take this situation seriously.

Despite an abundance of firepower in both the pitching staff and lineup, overcoming a fierce NL gauntlet without a healthy Shohei Ohtani would be a daunting task. Dave Roberts and company nicely optimized the Dodgers’ title chances last season by taking caution when necessary. Now, they will see if their big-picture outlook pays dividends once again.

Los Angeles (82-57) will try to avoid a series sweep when it faces the Cardinals (70-70) on Thursday, beginning at 10:10 p.m. ET.

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