The Los Angeles Dodgers are taking the cautious approach with two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.
The Dodgers pinch hit for Ohtani in the bottom of the 7th inning during Friday’s game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. The move happened with a man on base and the team holding a 4-3 lead.
Ohtani, who was also the Dodgers’ starting pitcher in the contest, later explained that it was a bicep injury. While he did not call his early exit precautionary, Shohei admitted there was some concern over his arm issue.
“I was a little concerned with my biceps, with the last at-bat that I took,” Ohtani said, via his translator Will Ireton. “It’s my right biceps. It’s the same location that I felt a couple of months ago.”
Ohtani added that the hope is that it goes away relatively quickly. But the early outlook is not the best news for Dodgers fans, as it has been a recurring issue for the big-time slugger.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described pinch-hitting for Ohtani on Friday as a “precautionary move.” He also confirmed to reporters after the game that Ohtani will not be the designated hitter for Saturday’s rematch on the Fourth of July.
Ohtani was able to get through six innings on the mound, but did not look like the untouchable force that he was earlier in the season.
Shohei the pitcher gave up 3 earned runs on 7 hits and was on the hook for the loss until Teoscar Hernandez’s go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the 7th inning — right before Ohtani was replaced by a pinch hitter.
