The Los Angeles Dodgers need Shohei Ohtani in one piece if they are going to make a serious run at the World Series.
Yes, they might be able to win in the regular season without him, but his presence in October is a must for LA.
Ohtani, currently going through rehab as a pitcher, is having another stellar season at the dish and already has 27 home runs as of Wednesday afternoon.
However, despite his obvious power and his ability to put people on seats and in front of their TVs, the Dodgers and the player himself are saying he won’t be participating in this year’s Home Run Derby.
“Shohei Ohtani is not planning to participate in the Home Run Derby, he and Dave Roberts said Ohtani had interest in participating and, per Roberts, recognized fans would want to watch him in it. But, given his rehab, he and the team decided it wasn’t worth the risk,” Dodgers insider Jack Harris tweeted.
It would have been an excellent opportunity for fans to witness one of the best players in the history of the sport take some hacks and put on a show.
However, the Dodgers want to give him that extra day of rest he, like every baseball player (particularly one going through rehab while playing almost every day as a hitter), badly needs.
Obviously, Los Angeles’ priority here is to preserve Ohtani’s health and avoid disrupting his routine as much as possible, especially when he is still expected to play in the All-Star Game.
For the season, the two-time MVP is hitting .320/.402/.646 with 27 long balls and 64 RBI.
It has been another incredible year for the all-time star.
