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Shohei Ohtani is in the midst of a terrific season, but he is still recovering from an injury. He had Tommy John surgery over the offseason, which is why he is not pitching in 2024. Thus far, he has played in 142 out of a possible 145 games. That kind of durability hasn't always been there for him in the past. Is he going to play tonight and continue his historic year?
As of now, there's no reason to expect the superstar slugger to be on the bench when the game starts Wednesday at 10:10 p.m. EDT at Dodger Stadium. He only plays DH, so he doesn't do anything during defensive half-innings. The wear and tear is less on him as a result.
Additionally, the Los Angeles Dodgers have lost two in a row to the Chicago Cubs, and they'd like to avoid a stunning sweep. Keeping Ohtani in the lineup is a good way to try and achieve that goal.
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Furthermore, Ohtani is seeking to be the first-ever member of the 50 home run and 50 steal club, and he can't do from the bench. The Dodgers' recent losses have dropped them out of the best record in baseball, so they need to turn things around to catch the Philadelphia Phillies once more.
In the last seven days, Ohtani is six for 24 with two home runs, a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs. He continues marching toward the historic season with 46 home runs and 47 steals total.
Shohei Ohtani inches closer to 50/50 season
No player in MLB history has hit 50 home runs and stolen 50 bases in a single season. Shohei Ohtani is looking to be the first, and he just moved one step closer to that. On Monday, the slugger stole his 47th base.
He has 46 home runs, a total he reached just days before the stolen base. That means that in the remaining 17 games that the Dodgers have on the schedule, Ohtani needs to homer four times and steal three bases.
He is in a good position to pull off this feat, but hitting home runs is difficult. Stealing bases, even though Ohtani does have great speed, requires getting on base with an empty one ahead and several other factors for consideration.
