Sujjin Jang

The shoulder injury sustained by Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani turned out to be more serious than initially reported, prompting questions from American media about Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ comments on the matter.

According to MLB.com on November 6, Ohtani underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage damage caused by a partial dislocation in his left shoulder. The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

The injury occurred during Game 2 of the 2024 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, where Ohtani started as the designated hitter. Though he went hitless, he managed to draw a walk in the seventh inning. Attempting to steal second base, he suffered a partial dislocation of his left shoulder. Despite this, he continued to play in Games 3, 4, and 5, though his performance noticeably dipped, going 1-for-11 over those games. Thanks to his teammates’ efforts, Ohtani celebrated a World Series victory but struggled to showcase his usual offensive power.

After Game 4, Roberts was asked if the shoulder injury impacted Ohtani's performance at the plate. He replied, “He’s fine, he hasn’t felt anything significant,” adding that while Ohtani would avoid steals, he didn’t think the injury was a concern. However, as it turns out, the injury was indeed significant enough to require surgery. U.S. media, including ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, pointed out that the initial description of the injury as a "mild dislocation" was inaccurate, given the severity of the subsequent surgery.

With Ohtani now recovering from this shoulder procedure, attention is turning to his ability to resume his celebrated two-way role as both pitcher and hitter next season. After ending his tenure with the Los Angeles Angels last season, Ohtani signed a historic $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers.

While Ohtani’s time with the Angels featured two unanimous MVP awards in the American League, his stint with the Dodgers finally brought him the postseason experience he had long sought. Ohtani not only played in October but also celebrated a World Series title.

His regular season was nothing short of remarkable, setting a new benchmark with an unprecedented 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. Across 159 games, Ohtani hit .310 with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, 59 stolen bases, a .390 on-base percentage, a .646 slugging percentage, and a 1.036 OPS. It was a record-breaking offensive season as he led the National League in hits (2nd overall), home runs, RBIs, stolen bases (2nd overall), batting average (2nd), on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS.

Although he focused solely on hitting in 2024 due to elbow surgery from September 2023, Ohtani remains a dual-threat talent. He was a 10-win pitcher in both 2022 and 2023, falling just one win short in 2021, when his dual role as both a slugger and a pitcher earned him a unanimous MVP title in the American League. Now, with shoulder surgery behind him, Ohtani is preparing to return to his dual role next season—if his recovery goes as planned.

Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if Ohtani can regain his two-way dominance following the surgery, a feat that would only further solidify his status as one of the most extraordinary players in MLB history.