After batting regularly all season, Shohei Ohtani was recently scratched from the lineup for several games. Unfortunately, that was when an international Ohtani fan traveled to the U.S. for the first time to see the team play. But she was reduced to tears after learning that the best player would not be in the lineup. After a video of her crying went viral, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager apologized for playing the villain in her story.
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“Shohei understands that people want to see him perform; they come a long way to see him play. That’s part of why he wants to be out there every day, and I respect the heck out of him for that,” Dave Roberts said when asked about how Ohtani feels about disappointing fans, per Dodgers Nation on X. “But that’s why sometimes I got to make those decisions, and they can yell at me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry to all the fans.”
The Japanese player with unique two-way abilities evokes strong emotions among fans. Last season, a kid started crying after his father failed to catch Ohtani’s home run ball. The kid wanted it as a souvenir. This year, it was the young woman from Japan who went home without even seeing Shohei Ohtani play.
Following her realization that Ohtani won’t be playing, the lady uploaded a video on social media. In the now-viral clip, she can be seen crying over Ohtani’s absence from the lineup. As her video quickly spread, the Los Angeles Dodgers gave her a gift bag as consolation.
She also uploaded another video telling everyone how her evening took an unexpected turn when the Dodgers reached out to her. The club asked her to reach out to the team’s social media section. There, they presented her with the gift bag.
In her second video, the fan showed that the bag contained a rally towel, part 1 of Shohei Ohtani’s greatest game bobblehead, a Blake Snell starter series bobblehead, and Ohtani’s replica World Series ring. However, if she still feels frustrated, manager Roberts is open to being yelled at. But it was a necessary decision.
The multi-time MVP, Shohei Ohtani, experienced a sore neck and biceps discomfort when he played on September 2. To avoid an IL stint and stop the issues from flaring up any further, the Dodgers decided to rest him. The team scratched Ohtani from the lineup for four games in a row. The Dodgers reinstated him to the lineup after he went through batting practice pain-free.
After a brief hiatus, Ohtani played again on September 7 against the Cincinnati Reds. He drew a walk and went hitless in his 3 at-bats. Though Ohtani was available as a pinch-hitter on Tuesday, the Dodgers sat him again the next day. He had reportedly felt discomfort in his right arm while swinging at a pitch on Monday.
“There was a swing Monday that he didn’t feel great on, hasn’t totally recovered from Monday,” manager Roberts told the media. “So the thought is to give him today and then huddle up with him, the medical staff, and figure out what the next steps.”
The Dodgers have a day off on Thursday before they begin a series against the Miami Marlins on Friday.
Ohtani will most likely not pitch for the rest of the year after his left knee discomfort flared up every time he threw. The Dodgers have kept him from pitching since July 3, when they were initially trying to build him up for a return, but that no longer seems to be the case. His most recent throwing session came on August 28, when he threw a short bullpen session. Roberts also said that there is not enough time to build him back up this season.
“Not officially, but obviously, if you’re looking at the calendar, how much he’s thrown in the last week, I think we can all do the math,” Roberts said about Ohtani’s return to pitching.
The Dodgers will probably not have Ohtani’s pitching skills to lean on this postseason. They will not risk missing out on his bat either, even if that means temporarily disappointing fans.