​The Los Angeles Dodgers will be without Shohei Ohtani on Saturday after the two-way phenom exited Friday’s game against the San Diego Padres with a biceps injury. Miguel Rojas pinch-hit for him in the seventh inning, and Ohtani told reporters after the game that he felt something in his right biceps while swinging, calling the removal precautionary. The Dodgers still beat the Padres 4-3.
Ohtani suggested he expected to be ready for Saturday, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he would sit out to be safe, per Jack Harris of the California Post. Roberts indicated the team isn’t concerned about the injury’s severity, while Ohtani noted it’s something he felt about two months ago and that it didn’t disappear quickly. Even a seemingly minor issue involving Ohtani is a concern for the Dodgers until he’s back on the field, and the situation may prompt the team to be more cautious about having him hit and pitch in the same game, a stance they had already taken at times earlier this season because of fatigue.
The good news for Los Angeles is that Ohtani’s exit did not derail another victory. With him both pitching and batting leadoff, the Dodgers fell behind 3-0 early but surged back to take the lead for good on Teoscar Hernández’s grand slam in the seventh inning. Ohtani contributed a 0-for-3 at the plate while delivering a quality start on the mound, with 7 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks and 9 strikeouts in six innings. His 1.79 ERA would rank second in the majors in the event of qualifying innings.
Friday’s win moved the Dodgers to a majors-best 58-31 record. With Arizona’s loss on Friday, Los Angeles extended its NL West lead to 14 games, matching the largest division lead in MLB. It also marked the Dodgers’ second consecutive comeback win over the Padres after erasing a six-run deficit the night before.