Dodgers Place Shohei Ohtani on 15-Day Injured List With Right Arm Discomfort

POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, United States — Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to right arm discomfort, sidelining the four-time MVP as his team closes in on securing their 13th NL West title in 14 years.

Manager Dave Roberts announced the roster move late Wednesday evening, explaining that consulting with Ohtani, the medical team, and trainers made it clear this course of action was necessary after attempting to push through the issue.

Ohtani is currently slated to return when the Dodgers host the San Diego Padres for a three-game series beginning September 22, meaning he will miss the team’s upcoming seven-game East Coast road trip starting Friday.

Roberts expressed confidence regarding his recovery timeline, noting that if tomorrow were a playoff game, the player would undoubtedly be in the starting lineup and should be fully prepared by the conclusion of his 15-day stint.

The four-time MVP missed his sixth game out of seven on Wednesday night while the Dodgers secured a 14-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds to complete a series sweep and extend their winning streak to seven games.

Ohtani has dealt with lingering discomfort in his left knee and right biceps for weeks, but only notified training staff following Tuesday’s game that he felt unusual sensations in his arm after playing on Monday.

Roberts elaborated that a swing taken on Monday did not feel right and the athlete has not completely recovered from that specific effort.

While the team travels to the East Coast, Ohtani will stay behind in Los Angeles to rest for two or three days to calm his arm down before resuming batting practice.

Roberts emphasized the plan is to let his body recover properly and gradually build his workload back up since the organization currently has sufficient schedule flexibility.

In a historic roster move, the Dodgers will promote Josue De Paula directly from Double-A Tulsa to take over Ohtani’s roster position, with the young prospect scheduled to make his major league debut on Friday in Miami as the designated hitter.

This marks the first time the franchise has called up a position player straight from Double-A since Andrew Friedman assumed the role of president of baseball operations in 2015.

Roberts voiced strong faith that the 21-year-old top prospect from the Dominican Republic possesses the temperament to manage high-pressure situations at the highest level.

The player development department holds immense confidence in his capacity to handle competitive plate appearances, and Roberts noted that talent levels in Double-A feature arms comparable to Triple-A capabilities.

Having observed his progress in training camps for two to three years, team leadership notes that he refuses to shy away from high-velocity pitching and maintains exceptional control over the strike zone.

Upon his eventual return, Ohtani will have approximately six games alongside live batting sessions to regain his timing before the postseason commences and the Dodgers pursue their third consecutive World Series championship.

Roberts acknowledged that the situation is far from optimal but stressed that the primary objective is ensuring maximum physical health without altering his natural swing mechanics.

Ohtani previously took swings inside the batting cage on Tuesday evening when he remained available solely as a pinch-hitter.

Team management has reiterated to Ohtani the absolute necessity of immediately reporting any physical ailments to the training staff without delay.

Roberts admitted some retrospective disappointment regarding not placing the star on the injured list a week earlier, though he noted everyone initially agreed that four days of rest would suffice.

First baseman Freddie Freeman was also absent from the starting lineup on Wednesday due to ongoing soreness in his right knee, following a rare appearance as the designated hitter on Tuesday where he went 0 for 2 with a strikeout in a 3-2 win against the Cincinnati Reds.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)