The Dodgers’ injury woes grew Wednesday when first baseman Freddie Freeman joined Shohei Ohtani on the sidelines with a right knee issue.
The Dodgers entered Wednesday’s game with the Cincinnati Reds with a magic number of seven to clinch their 13th National West title in 14 seasons.
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Ohtani, who leads the Dodgers in home runs (30) and RBIs (80), has just nine at-bats this month, the last four coming Monday when he apparently aggravated something in his right arm. Dodger manager Dave Roberts had hoped Ohtani could play Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds but that plans was scrapped and there is no date for his return to the lineup.
“The concern is that, after four days and then to take four at-bats and to feel something in an at bat where you know we can’t keep going forward, that’s disappointing,” Roberts said. “But that’s kind of where we’re at.”
Read more: Shohei Ohtani out of the Dodgers lineup, available to pinch-hit
Ohtani did not speak to reporters.
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Now the Dodgers are without Freeman, the team’s leading hitter at .297 Roberts said that by taking Wednesday off ahead of Thursday’s travel day, Freeman might be available this weekend in Miami.
“The right knee has been bothering him, and so just on the heels of an off day tomorrow, we felt it was it was best to just give him and then see how he is on Friday,” he said.
Roberts said there is a chance Ohtani could go on the injury list, but Freeman isn’t a candidate for that just yet. The Dodgers are already without center fielder Andy Pages and back-up catcher Dalton Rushing. Right-hander Roki Sasaki, who went on the IL last month with a blister on the middle finger of his right hand, threw a simulated game Wednesday afternoon and could return shortly.
“The pitching [coaches] said it was it was really good and they’re encouraged,” Roberts said of Sasaki’s session.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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