Shohei Ohtani surgery shocker confirms Dodgers’ World Series came at a price

Shohei Ohtani collected 59 stolen bases during the Los Angeles Dodgers' regular season. When he attempted a steal of second base during Game 2 of the World Series, Dodger fans thought nothing of it.

But when Ohtani winced in pain and grabbed his arm after he slid into the bag, the noise dropped out of Dodger Stadium. The star was in noticeable distress, and after the game, it was revealed he had experienced a shoulder subluxation. Still, he pushed through and played in the Dodgers' three remaining games.

On Nov. 5, the Dodgers organization announced that Ohtani underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his affected shoulder, per MLB insider Robert Murray. Yes, Ohtani played three World Series games through a shoulder subluxation and a torn labrum.

Los Angeles expects the designated hitter to be ready by spring training, which is great news for Dodgers fans. Ohtani is also expected to return to the mound next season after a year as just an offensive player. The 30-year-old underwent his second UCL repair surgery in 2023, which left him unable to pitch in his first year in Dodger Blue.

Dodgers announce Shohei Ohtani underwent labrum surgery after World Series win

Luckily, Ohtani's latest surgery was on his non-throwing shoulder. Although he won't be able to have the full, healthy offseason the Dodgers initially hoped he'd get before returning to the mound, his pitching arm did escape the World Series unscathed.

Notably, Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger underwent a similar procedure after knocking his shoulder out of place celebrating during the 2020 World Series. He was back by Opening Day, but Ohtani suffered an injury to his back shoulder rather than his lead shoulder like Bellinger. Padres standout and current free agent Ha-Seong Kim is also purported to be laid up longer by his labrum tear than Ohtani is currently planned to be.

Ohtani's offensive production noticeably decreased after the slide that injured his arm, but playing through a torn labrum isn't an ideal situation for any player. He finished the postseason with a .230/.373/.393 slash line, notching just one hit after the shoulder subluxation took place.