As the L.A. Dodgers wrap up the 2024 season with another World Series win, there is one big name hanging in everyone’s minds- Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers’ star player this season, number seventeen. Shohei is the team’s designated hitter, as well as one of the pitchers, and prior to his time with the Dodgers he played in the outfield. Ohtani played one of the best seasons of all time regarding Major League Baseball in 2023, leading him to signing a seven-hundred million dollar contract with a length of ten years for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This year, he became the first ever player in the history of the entire MLB to score fifty home runs, as well as, steal fifty bases in the same season, creating a new league in the game. Thus was born the “5050” club, the first member being Shohei Ohtani. He did not stop there either, he went on to break his own record, ending the regular season with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases.
During his first season with the team, they won the World Series for the first time since 2020, though he suffered an injury in one of the postseason games. In an attempt to steal another base, he partially dislocated his left shoulder. Momentarily, there was talk of Shohei missing the next game, if not the rest of the postseason.This was quickly dismissed though, and he returned to the field. Fans are concerned about what this means for his numbers. Especially with changing messages from the team. Originally the team was adamant that he would be ready to pitch by Opening Day, the first game of the next year.. Now though, the story has changed, with a statement from the team outlining that they want things to take their natural course, so as not to force any timelines on Ohtani. While the injury was not sustained to his throwing arm, in the games following, it became very apparent he was in some level of pain, and could still cause potential issues to his game. There is also concern that because the Dodgers continued to keep him playing through pain, it already being an injury that required surgical attention, that further damage may have been sustained.
This is not the first time Ohtani has been injured either. After struggling with injuries through the 2018, 2019 seasons, both of which required surgery, he returned to the mound in June of 2020. His numbers had dramatically decreased, however he was still a valuable player. Then, he was injured again in 2023, and secured a new contract in the same season. Due to these previous issues he did not pitch during this season so he could recover from surgery on his right elbow for the second time, but the team was eager to have him as a two way player for the next year. While he returned to stardom over time, the fear is that his injury will hamper the 2025 season for the Dodgers, postpone his return to pitching, and cost him the momentum he has regained over the last few years. Shohei is a fan favorite among many, and it would be truly sad to see another bump in the road for one of America’s favorite players.