Dodgers fans have another reason to cheer before the start of Game 3 Monday night of the World Series.
The team released its Game 3 lineup early Monday afternoon, which showed superstar Shohei Ohtani in the leadoff spot as the designated hitter.
Tonight’s #WorldSeries Game 3 Dodgers lineup at Yankees: pic.twitter.com/KzersBGjja
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 28, 2024
Ohtani suffered a partially dislocated left shoulder on a slide into second base in Game 2, a 4-2 win over the Yankees, at Dodger Stadium. Fans exhaled a collective sigh of relief after an update Sunday from manager Dave Roberts.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
“I just don’t see him not playing Game 3,” Roberts said before Sunday night's workout. “If he feels good enough to go, then I see no reason why he wouldn’t be in there.”
Ohtani did not travel with the team to New York after Game 2. He arrived on a separate flight after imaging tests on his shoulder.
“As far as test results, we’ve got doctors scrambling everywhere. I don’t have them,” Roberts said. “This is more me going by the training staff, Shohei feeling good this morning, range of motion, strength.”
Ohtani, 30, is 1 for 8 in the first two games of the World Series. He is batting .260 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in his first MLB postseason.
Clarke Schmidt is scheduled to pitch for New York against Walker Buehler, who is making his Yankee Stadium debut
Los Angeles is looking to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 and, if needed, 5 also will be in New York. The series is scheduled to return to Los Angeles for games 6 and 7, if needed.