The unstoppable run of ‘two swords’, a short shadow cast on Otani’s knees. > News

Ohtani played as the number 1 designated hitter in the last away game against Pittsburgh and showed a near-perfect performance at the plate, hitting his 13th home run of the season. His record of 2 hits and 2 walks in 2 at-bats proved that his batting ability was at its peak, but he was suddenly replaced by a pinch hitter during the attack in the top of the 7th inning, raising concerns. The club immediately announced that he had shown signs of inflammation in his left knee and decided to leave work early to protect the player. His exclusion from the starting lineup in subsequent games against the White Sox was also interpreted as the Dodgers' careful management strategy to prevent the injury from worsening.

The reason this injury issue is being taken more keenly is because Ohtani is not just a hitter, but an unrivaled ‘dual-wielding’ player who plays both pitcher and hitter. He currently has a decent batting average of .300 and 13 home runs, while also showing overwhelming dominance on the mound with 6 wins and 2 losses in 11 games and an ERA of 1.06. If he, who is the team's core strength in both pitching and batting, cannot maintain normal condition due to a knee injury, the Dodgers' power in both pitchers and hitters is bound to suffer a serious blow. Therefore, the club appears to be focusing on thorough preventive management to avoid the worst-case scenario of him being placed on the long-term injured list.

The good news is that both the club and the local media see this knee pain as ‘manageable’. In fact, even after experiencing pain, Ohtani showed off his health by hitting a leadoff home run again just one day later, and is showing off his prowess by recording a slugging percentage of .800 in June. This suggests that his injury is not serious enough to significantly hinder his performance and is a temporary phenomenon that can be easily overcome with appropriate rest and treatment. His heart-warming anecdotes with teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto and his unwavering concentration during games clearly show that he is overcoming physical pain with mental strength.

Of course, the impact of Ohtani's absence on the entire team is not small. Recently, as the Dodgers have been observed struggling against the opposing team due to Ohtani's silence or absence, there are concerns about the team's dependence on the team. However, this is also proof that Ohtani is an irreplaceable superstar. How he, who is cruising toward the season's MVP award, overcomes the small hurdle of knee inflammation will likely determine the success or failure of the Dodgers in fall baseball and whether Ohtani will win his fifth MVP award. In the end, the key is to strike a balance between strategic rest for long-term races rather than forcing too much participation.