Dodgers to place struggling Ohtani on IL for 1st time

The Los Angeles Dodgers will place four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani on the 15-day injured list, manager Dave Roberts announced.

Ohtani has been struggling at the plate while dealing with soreness in his right biceps and left knee. He’s hit .186/.324/.390 with 22 strikeouts in his last 15 games, and the Dodgers already shut him down from pitching in an effort to get him healthier.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Roberts said. “We tried to kick the can as much as we could.”

The IL stint will force Ohtani to sit out until the final week of the regular season. It will mark the superstar’s first trip to the IL since he signed with the Dodgers three years ago.

Unlike ordinary position players who can come off the IL after 10 days, Ohtani must be deactivated for 15 days based on his status as a two-way player.

Los Angeles will call up its top prospect, outfielder Josue De Paula, to take Ohtani’s spot on the roster, Roberts said.

The Dodgers defeated the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday to pick up their seventh consecutive win. They hold MLB’s second-best record at 89-57, trailing only the Milwaukee Brewers.

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