With the World Series lead left, the Dodgers were left in limbo after Shohei Ohtani’s shoulder injury

As the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their World Series victory, Dodger Stadium suffered a potentially catastrophic defeat. Just a few minutes after the final end The 4-2 win on Saturday Shohei Ohtani, who won in Game 2 against the New York Yankees, boarded the elevator to the parking lot in street clothes, his hair wet, presumably from the shower, and his face expressionless. He did not appear to have a brace or cast on his left shoulder suffered a subluxation– a partial dislocation – on a Failed attempt to steal the base in the seventh inning.

As he left, I asked him how his shoulder felt. He didn’t answer. The elevator doors closed.

Manager Dave Roberts said the team knew more about Ohtani’s status after the superstar DH underwent an MRI, but that initial physical tests did not indicate an injury that would end his World Series.

“The strength was great, the range of motion was good,” Roberts said. “So we are encouraged. But of course I can’t speculate because we don’t have the scans yet. Once we get the scans we’ll know more.” Roberts added that, at least in theory, an injury to the left shoulder of a left-handed player is preferable to an injury to the right shoulder.

In two games, the Dodgers looked like the clearly superior team – their starting pitchers lasted longer, their relievers gave up fewer runs, their offense scored more runs, they played cleaner baseball. But if Ohtani does indeed miss time, the dynamics of the series could change.

When Ohtani slid into second base in the seventh and failed to immediately get up, Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández said, “There was silence not only in the dugout but throughout the stadium.”

They knew what it was all about: Ohtani is probably the most talented player in the history of the sport. He will almost certainly win his third Most Valuable Player award next month and had an OPS of 1.185 in the National League Championship Series.

The Yankees have largely held him in check in this series, limiting him to one hit in Game 1 (although it was a big one – a one-out double in which he reached third on an error and then hit a Sacrifice- Fly scored the decisive run). ) and the walk in Game 2 that led to the fateful base steal attempt. But his very presence in the lineup influences the way the Yankees approach the Dodgers: With Game 1 on the line, New York manager Aaron Boone switched to lefty starter Nestor Cortés, who hadn’t pitched in more than a month had done more because he didn’t like left guard Tim Hill’s matchup against Ohtani. Ohtani flew out, but Freddie Freeman hit one Walk-Off Grand Slam.

The series continues on Monday in New York. Hernández said he hoped Sunday’s rest day would help give Ohtani time to recover. Roberts declined to offer platitudes about how the team might respond if Ohtani can’t play.

“I’m not here,” Roberts said. “I expect him to be there. I expect him to be in the lineup.”