Shohei Ohtani’s recent struggles have now forced the Los Angeles Dodgers to question whether allowing him to play through his physical issues is really helping the team. After the Dodgers suffered another loss to the St. Louis Cardinals and dropped the series at home, Dave Roberts admitted that the superstar didn’t look like himself at the plate. The Dodgers manager acknowledged seeing Ohtani shaking his arm and wincing during the game, forcing him to consider whether the two-way star needs some time away from the action.

“He definitely doesn’t want to take the day. I think I know he feels that he needs to post and be in the lineup,” Roberts said, per SportsNet LA on X. “And if he’s upright, he should play. I respect that. But if he’s, you know, feeling the way that visibly looks, then really not helping anyone.”

The manager stated that his next course of action would be to speak with Ohtani before discussing the situation with the training staff. He wants to understand where the star stands physically.

Roberts acknowledged that he would make a decision on Ohtani’s availability only after getting a clear picture of his physical condition.

The Dodgers suffered back-to-back losses at home against the Cardinals, falling 13-8 on Tuesday and then suffering an 8-6 defeat. On Wednesday, the Dodgers had all the momentum, though.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto was giving the Cardinals a tough time, while Freddie Freeman ended a 47-game home run drought with a three-run blast in the first inning. Then Mookie Betts added another home run in the sixth. The Dodgers had an early lead, only for them to tank it and ultimately lose in the 10th inning.

Relief pitcher Brock Stewart struggled in the 10th inning, giving up three straight hits to Nathan Church, Thomas Saggese, and Joshua Báez that put St. Louis ahead 8-5. Then, in the bottom, Ohtani struck out, and Betts lined out to center to end the game. The only score in the inning came with the help of Tommy Edman and Will Smith.

Edman grounded out to shortstop, driving in Smith from third. And the score went to 8-6.

But beyond the scorelines, what concerned most was the continued struggles of their two-way star, Shohei Ohtani.

During the series opener, Ohtani made a hard slide back to third base after a late stop sign from third-base coach Dino Ebel. He remained on the ground for a while, and even after getting up, Ohtani was visibly in discomfort because of his knee.

Then came the bottom of the seventh, when he suffered a hit-by-pitch.

The bat dropped from his grip, and the 32-year-old was visibly in pain. But Dave Roberts claimed that he was good enough to continue. 

However, the second game proved that he wasn’t in the best shape.

He managed a walk, scored, and even stole a base early in the game, but then he had four strikeouts. That’s why the manager said that his swing looked compromised. 

Shohei Ohtani hasn’t pitched since July 3 due to his knee inflammation, but the Dodgers were happy with his contributions with the bat. The current situation, however, has created some concerns.

Although Roberts recently said that shutting Ohtani down from the mound is an option, his current form isn’t giving the manager much reason for optimism, and the team needs to find a solution before entering October.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have slipped to the third-best spot in the National League wild card standings. This means they would probably have to play an additional series in the postseason, making Ohtani’s availability all the more crucial for their three-peat dream.