1 of 5 | Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hit .305 through his first 63 appearances this season. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani experienced knee and hamstring inflammation and exited early during a win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ohtani departed in the seventh inning of the 8-6 triumph Thursday in Pittsburgh.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t rule Ohtani out for the Dodgers’ game against the Chicago White Sox on Friday in Chicago. Roberts said Ohtani would attempt to throw Friday and take additional swings to see how his body reacts.
“We tried to be smart about it and get him out of the game,” Roberts said. “I talked to the trainer and he said he had a little behind the knee, a little hamstring, so just wanted to be smart and not push it.”
Roberts said he believes Ohtani sustained the injury while trying to steal second base in the fourth inning at PNC Park. Ohtani went 2 for 2 with two runs scored, two walks and an RBI. He hit his 13th home run of the season in the third inning. That 391-foot solo shot off Pirates starter Mitch Keller gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
Ohtani scored the Dodgers’ fourth run off an RBI single by first baseman Freddie Freeman in the top of the fourth.
The Dodgers slugger/pitcher hit .305 with 15 doubles, two triples, 40 RBIs and six stolen bases through his first 67 appearances this season. Ohtani also went 6-2 with a 1.06 ERA through his first 11 starts, but allowed a season-high six hits and four runs over 6 2/3 innings Wednesday in a 9-8 loss to the Pirates.
The Dodgers (44-25) won four of their last six games and own baseball’s second-best record, behind the National League East leading Atlanta Braves (45-23). They hold an eight game lead on the San Diego Padres (35-32) in the National League West.
The White Sox (36-31) will host the Dodgers at 7:40 p.m. EDT Friday at Rate Field.
