Ohtani Sits 3rd Straight Game; IL Decision After Cage Session — SkimNews
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- Shohei Ohtani is out of the Dodgers lineup for a third straight game Saturday, with soreness in his neck and right arm that surfaced late in Wednesday's 8-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals
- Manager Dave Roberts told reporters Ohtani was scheduled to hit in the cage Saturday and that the team's assessment of that session would determine whether an IL stint comes Sunday
- Roberts softened his stance on avoiding the IL, telling reporters Friday he's "hopeful" but "wouldn't say confident" about Ohtani staying off it
- The Dodgers have avoided placing Ohtani on the IL all season despite "small ailments," but Roberts said lingering discomfort after the cage session could force a temporary shutdown
- Los Angeles entered Saturday at 84-57, sitting first in the National League West and tied with the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays for the second-best record in the majors behind the Milwaukee Brewers
Why it matters: Ohtani is day-to-day with a neck and arm issue that could land him on the IL as soon as Sunday, leaving the first-place Dodgers (84-57) to manage a key stretch without their superstar's bat. With the cage session serving as a real-time decision point, the Dodgers face a direct trade-off between caution and lineup continuity as they chase the Brewers' top mark in the majors.
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