Dodgers Curse Strikes Again: Shohei Ohtani Exits Start With Trainer
Shohei Ohtani injury sparks concern for Dodgers
Just when it seemed like the Los Angeles Dodgers might finally be turning the corner with their league-leading injuries, they found a way to get more bad news.
Shohei Ohtani, who'd been virtually unhittable since returning to the mound earlier in the season, made his scheduled start against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Ohtani wasn't quite at his best, and in the miserable Ohio summer weather, that wasn't too surprising.
Still, the team's plan for Ohtani was for him to go two starts at the same number of innings. One and one, two and two and so on. Wednesday's start was supposed to be his second at four innings, as he builds up to go deeper into games in the postseason.
Which is why it was all the more concerning to see him leave his start before finishing the fourth inning, after throwing two wild pitches in a row, and getting a visit from the training staff.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani stands at the mound in the first inning between Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on July 30, 2025. © Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Shohei Ohtani Seems To Have Avoided Disaster With Injury Update
In the middle of an at-bat, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and the training staff went out to visit Ohtani, who left for the dugout with a displeased expression.
Obviously, with any pitcher injury, you fear the worst, but Ohtani stayed in the game on offense after leaving the clubhouse and returning to the dugout.
Later on in the game, the Dodgers announced that he'd left the start with cramping. With the game time temperature near 90 degrees with oppressive humidity, that's the best case scenario, and not a surprising one. Still, the Dodgers have to be holding their breath, especially with Blake Snell returning from a lengthy stint on the injured list on Saturday in Tampa.
Ohtani's next start would line up sometime around Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. We'll see if he makes it.