LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Shohei Ohtani is expected to play in Game 3 of the World Series against the New York Yankees Monday at Yankee Stadium after suffering a “little left shoulder subluxation,” Dodger manager Dave Roberts said.
Roberts told reporters at his workout day news conference Sunday he based his comments on conversations with “the training staff and getting the reports.”
“If he is able to play, willing to play, he’s going to play,” Roberts said.
The final decision will be based on Ohtani’s performance in the workout, Roberts said.
“Today feels better than yesterday, and our assumption is tomorrow’s going to feel better than today. So with that, that’s what I’m banking on,” Roberts said on Sunday.
Ohtani suffered the injury attempting to steal second base in the seventh inning of Saturday’s 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees that gave the Dodgers a two games to none lead in best-of-seven series.
The Dodgers’ designated hitter remained on the ground after being tagged out on the slide, clutching his left arm and wincing in pain before being led off the field by trainers.
“I think he slides on his left knee, right foot forward, that’s my assumption, and then he probably — as he put his hand down, it probably subluxed out,” Roberts said on Saturday.
A shoulder subluxation is a partial dislocation of the shoulder joint.
Following the injury, Ohtani went into the training room and met with “the trainers, the doctors, and did a lot of strength and range of motion tests, then got some ice on it. Then at some point he got imaging,” Roberts said on Sunday, adding that he was unsure if the MRI was done Saturday night or Sunday morning.
Ohtani did not fly to New York with the rest of the team on Saturday, arriving in New York Sunday afternoon, Roberts said.
Walker Buehler will pitch for the Dodgers Monday against fellow right- hander Clarke Schmidt.
The 30-year-old is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in two starts in the 2024 postseason, with the Dodgers splitting the two games.
Buehler last pitched on Oct. 16, pitching four shutout innings in an 8- 0 victory over the New York Mets in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, striking out six and walking two. He did not qualify for the win because he did not pitch the required five innings.
Buehler generated 18 swings and misses, his most in a game, regular season or postseason, since Oct. 3, 2021 when he generated 20 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Buehler allowed six runs and seven hits in five innings and was charged with the loss in a 6-5 loss to the San Diego Padres in Game 3 of a National League Division Series on Oct. 8.
Buehler was 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in the regular season. The Dodgers were 9-7 in Buehler’s 16 regular-season starts.
Buehler will be facing the Yankees for the first time.
Schmidt has a 3.86 ERA and no record in two 2024 postseason starts, both games the Yankees won.
The 28-year-old was 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA in the regular season. The Yankees were 11-5 in his 16 starts.
Schmidt has never faced the Dodgers. Ohtani has a home run and two RBIs in three at-bats against Schmidt.
Both starters spent extensive time on the injured list in 2024.
Buehler began on the season on the injured list because of right elbow surgery. He was sent to their Class-A California League Rancho Cucamonga affiliate on a rehabilitation assignment April 12 and to their Triple-A Pacific Coast League Oklahoma City affiliate April 18.
Buehler made his first major league appearance of 2024 on May 6, went 1-4 with a 5.83 ERA in eight starts, then was placed on the injured list because of right hip inflammation on June 19.
Buehler began a rehabilitation assignment at Oklahoma City on July 26 and returned to the Dodgers on Aug. 14.
The Yankees placed Schmidt on the injured list on May 30 due to a right lat strain. He was sent to their Double-A Eastern League Somerset affiliate on a rehabilitation assignment Aug. 23, to their Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre International League affiliate Aug. 28, back to Somerset Sept. 2 to continue his rehabilitation assignment and returned to the Yankees Sept. 7.
This is the 57th time a team has taken a 2-0 lead in the World Series. Of the previous 56, 45 have gone on to win the World Series, 80.4%. The Dodgers had 2-0 leads in four previous World Series, going on to win in 1963 and 1988 but lose in 1956, when they were based in Brooklyn, and 1978.
ESPN’s matchup predictor gives New York a 60.7% chance of winning, the Dodgers a 39.3% chance.
The 5:08 p.m. game will be televised by Fox.
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