Shohei Ohtani was out of the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup for the fourth consecutive game on Sunday, his ongoing absence attributed to persistent biceps and knee problems. Max Muncy started at designated hitter in Ohtani's place for the team's series finale against the Washington Nationals.
The Dodgers are now considering placing the two-way star on the injured list. Under Major League Baseball rules, IL stints can be backdated up to three days. This would allow the games Ohtani has already missed to count towards the minimum time he would need to be sidelined. As a two-way player, Ohtani would be required to miss a minimum of 15 days if placed on the IL, compared to the 10-day minimum for position players.
Ohtani last appeared in a game on Wednesday, where he went hitless in four at-bats and struck out four times during an extra-innings loss to the Cardinals. He was observed shaking his arm during and after his final at-bat in that game, and his left knee also appeared to impede his performance, limiting his ability to stay back on pitches and generate power.
His recent hitting performance has seen a decline, with six hits in his last 46 at-bats. He has hit only one home run in his last 21 games played outside of Coors Field in Denver.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated that Ohtani participated in batting practice in the team's indoor cages on Saturday night. "During the game, all game, I think he was hitting," Roberts said. "I don’t know what intensity, but the hitting coaches said that he was swinging with some intent."