Shohei Ohtani Injury: Dodgers Star Hit on Knee, Exits Game
- Denver, Colorado - Shohei Ohtani's return to the pitching mound took a jarring turn Wednesday at coors Field, as the Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way superstar was struck by...
- The incident occured with runners on second and third and one out in the fourth inning.
- "I was just really relieved that it was the thigh, because it hit him flush," Roberts said after the game.
Shohei Ohtani shakes Off Line Drive, Eyes Swift Return After Rocky Rockies Outing
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A Painful But Potentially Minor Setback
Denver, Colorado – Shohei Ohtani’s return to the pitching mound took a jarring turn Wednesday at coors Field, as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar was struck by a 93-mph line drive off the bat of Colorado Rockies outfielder Orlando Arcia during his start against the Rockies.Despite the impact, which caused him to visibly grimace and limp, Ohtani completed four innings, though he allowed five earned runs and a career-high tying nine hits in a game the Dodgers ultimately lost 8-3.
The Impact and Immediate Response
The incident occured with runners on second and third and one out in the fourth inning. Arcia’s liner struck Ohtani squarely on his right thigh. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts immediately came to the mound, along with team medical personnel, to assess the damage. Remarkably, Ohtani remained in the game, recording the final two outs of the inning before exiting. Roberts later confirmed the line drive avoided contact with Ohtani’s knee, hitting the thigh “flush” but thankfully not impacting the bone.
“I was just really relieved that it was the thigh, because it hit him flush,” Roberts said after the game. “If you’re talking about the kneecap, that’s a different conversation. When I saw the ball mark on his thigh, I was very relieved, relative to the situation.”
Ohtani, through a translator, revealed he had been hit in the same area of his leg by a pitch recently, suggesting a possible vulnerability. “I’m glad it didn’t hit the knee,” Ohtani stated. “I think we avoided the worst-case scenario.So, I’m going to focus on the treatment.”
A Challenging Outing After Elbow surgery
Wednesday’s start was Ohtani’s 10th of the season, marking his return to pitching after undergoing elbow surgery and missing the entire 2023 season. The nine hits allowed matched a career high, and the five earned runs were the moast he’d surrendered since July 2022. He threw 66 pitches, 49 for strikes, without exceeding the pitch count limits established for his return. Despite the difficult outing, Ohtani remained a threat at the plate, drawing a walk in the fifth inning and extending his on-base streak to 18 games, despite being replaced by Alex Call in the eighth inning.
“I put the team in a bad spot,” Ohtani said,expressing his disappointment. “It was just a very regrettable outing.I wish I could have done better.”
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Innings Pitched | 4 |
| Earned Runs Allowed | 5 |
| Hits Allowed | 9 |
| Pitches Thrown | 66 |
| Strikes | 49 |
Looking Ahead: Padres and Beyond
Despite the injury scare,Roberts expressed confidence that Ohtani would be available for Friday’s game against the San Diego Padres. Ohtani was already scheduled to have Thursday off for the series finale against the Rockies. Entering Wednesday’s game, Ohtani held a 3.47 ERA and was a force at the plate, batting .284 with 44 home runs – just one behind National League leader Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies – and 83 RBIs.