NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Shohei Ohtani was in his regular leadoff spot as the Los Angeles Dodgers' designated hitter for on Monday night, two days after the star slugger partially dislocated his left shoulder.
鈥淚f you keep the best player in the game in the lineup, that鈥檚 usually good for your team,鈥� Dodgers infielder Max Muncy said. 鈥淗aving him in there, obviously it鈥檚 a big guy to have in there. It helps a lot. He鈥檚 had some big moments for us, and we鈥檙e obviously expecting a couple more big moments out of him.鈥�
Seeking their eighth title and second in five years, the Dodgers held a 2-0 lead over the New York Yankees in the best-of-seven series. Walker Buehler was scheduled to start Game 3 for Los Angeles against Clarke Schmidt.
Muncy said Ohtani informed teammates late Saturday night he would be available this week in New York.
鈥淗e texted the whole team as we were on our way to the airport and said he was going to be fine, and that鈥檚 it. He said he was going to play, so we all put it to the side at that moment,鈥� Muncy said. 鈥淲e said, all right, he鈥檚 got us. We鈥檒l be ready for him to be in the lineup.鈥�
sliding into second base when he was caught stealing to end the seventh inning of in Game 2 at Los Angeles.
He clutched his left forearm after being tagged by shortstop Anthony Volpe on a feetfirst slide. Ohtani laid near the bag for a couple of minutes before being tended to by athletic trainers and leaving the field.
鈥淥bviously, it was very tough in the moment to see him in pain like that,鈥� Muncy said. "We were two innings away from winning that ballgame. We knew we had to refocus. Obviously, it sucks seeing Sho in that kind of pain, but we still had a job to do in the moment.
鈥淎fter the game we all checked on him to see how he was doing. It was like a buffet line going in there to see how he鈥檚 doing. Yeah, it was tough in the moment, but we refocused to win the game.鈥�
Ohtani was 0 for 3 with a walk in Game 2. The likely NL MVP is 1 for 8 in the first two games of the Fall Classic and is batting .260 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in his first postseason in the majors.
A with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani joined the Dodgers last December for a record .
The 30-year-old Ohtani hit .310 with 54 homers, 130 RBIs and 59 stolen bases, becoming the first player with at least in a season. The two-way star did not pitch this season while recovering from , and has been limited to designated hitter.
鈥淵ou see him walk off holding it like that, obviously that鈥檚 a concern. But hopefully he is OK,鈥� Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Game 3. 鈥淲e want to all be out here competing with and against the best, and obviously Shohei embodies that. So hopefully everything鈥檚 OK, and we鈥檒l get to go compete against him.鈥�
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