Max Muncy reveals Shohei Ohtani's text message before Game 3
10/28/2024 05:31 PM
Los Angeles Dodgers fans breathed a collective sigh of relief when manager Dave Roberts penciled Shohei Ohtani into the lineup ahead of Game 3 of the World Series against the New York Yankees. Dodgers players, however, got an early inkling that their superstar teammate would be ready to play, according to third baseman Max Muncy.
Muncy said that most of the Dodgers team flew to New York after their Game 2 win on Saturday, while Ohtani stayed behind for an MRI on the shoulder he injured in the seventh inning. Speaking to reporters before Game 3, Muncy said Ohtani texted the team while they were headed east.
“He texted the whole team as we were on our way to the airport [after Game 2] and said he was going to be fine,” Muncy said. “And that was it. He said he was gonna play, and so we all just put it to the side at that moment. We all said, ‘All right, he’s got us. We’ll be ready for him to be in the lineup.'”
That matches what Roberts told the media on Sunday, the off day between games 2 and 3. ESPN’s Karl Ravech reported that Roberts told him Ohtani is "in a great spot and will be playing in Game 3 tomorrow."
As expected, Ohtani will lead off the game for the visiting Dodgers at Yankee Stadium, facing New York’s Game 3 starter Clarke Schmidt. Ohtani is 1-3 in his career off of Schmidt with his one hit being a home run.
Dodgers Shohei Ohtani looks to put his Yankee Stadium struggles behind him
Roberts called Ohtani’s injury a left shoulder subluxation, which is similar to a shoulder dislocation. That means Los Angeles dodged a major bullet with their MVP.
The next challenge for Ohtani will be to turn around his luck against the Yankees. He’s 1-8 so far in the World Series, not that it means much. Looking at a larger sample size, he is a career .136 hitter at Yankee Stadium in 16 games and 59 career at bats in the Bronx. Though he’s only 8-59 at Yankee Stadium with 17 strikeouts, four of his hits have gone for home runs.
If he can get going, it will go a long way toward bringing the Dodgers their second World Series title of the decade. As the tone-setter of arguably the best offense in baseball, Ohtani will again bat in front of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in Game 3. With Ohtani on base, it would set up Betts, who is hitting .429 in his last five games, and Freeman, who hit one of the most memorable home runs in franchise history to end Game 1.
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