The Dodgers have lost this gamble once before.
asserted
Dodgers → lose → gamble
But that won’t stop them from placing the same wager again.
asserted
that → stop → wager
Rather than take every precaution to ensure Shohei Ohtani doesn’t worsen the injuries to his right arm and left knee, the Dodgers will prioritize giving him at-bats to get him ready for the playoffs.
asserted
him → take → playoffs
Ohtani is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list Wednesday, and manager Dave Roberts said the plan is for him to play in every one of the five games that remain in the regular season.
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that → expect → season
“He’ll need those live at-bats,” Roberts said.
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Roberts → need → bats
This feels reckless — and unnecessarily risky, especially when considering what happened the last time the Dodgers were in this position, just earlier this month.
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Dodgers → feel → position
Ohtani was experiencing discomfort in his arm and knee.
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Ohtani → experience → arm
The Dodgers downplayed the severity of his injuries, with general manager Brandon Gomes claiming the physical problems weren’t responsible for his hitting slump and shouldn’t require him to be placed on the IL.
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him → downplay → IL
Roberts described Ohtani as being “pain-free” Sunday, but acknowledged he was still experiencing “discomfort you can play through.”
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you → describe → discomfort
Certain levels of discomfort can be tolerated — until they can’t be, of course.
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they → tolerate → course
When Ohtani started feeling pain in his knee, he insisted he could pitch through it.
uncertain
he → start → it
When he started to be affected in the batter’s box by the throbbing in his arm and knee, he claimed he could play it.
uncertain
he → start → it
Roberts said Ohtani’s condition has improved over the last two weeks.
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condition → say → weeks
But Roberts also didn’t claim Ohtani was completely healthy.
uncertain
Ohtani → claim → ?
“Is he 100%?” Roberts said.
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Roberts → say → ?
In other words, what bothered Ohtani when he landed on the IL still bothers him, just not as much.
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he → bother → him
What happened earlier this month showed that if Ohtani plays too many games with these particular injuries, he will reach a point where he won’t even be able to take the field.
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he → happen → field
Will playing five more regular-season games instead of three make that much of a difference?
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playing → play → difference
Because the question isn’t whether Ohtani can make it through the next five games.
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Ohtani → make → games
The question is how much closer these games will push him to the point of no return.
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games → push → return
The objective should be to make sure Ohtani is available in some capacity throughout the entire postseason, not only at the start of it.
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Ohtani → make → it
If he has to be gradually work his way into form over the playoffs, so be it.
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it → have → playoffs
Ohtani would almost certainly reject such cautious thinking.
asserted
Ohtani → reject → thinking
He doesn’t like half-measures.
asserted
He → like → measures
Ohtani takes big swings without much regard to the consequences.
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Ohtani → take → consequences
So, if he’s going to use the final week of the regular season to prepare for the playoffs, he’ll probably do so with visions of being an impact player.
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he → go → visions
He doesn’t want a Kirk Gibson moment; he wants to be Mr. October.
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he → want → moment
Before he went on the IL, Ohtani offered a realistic assessment of his health, saying he didn’t expect to be at 100% between now and the end of the season.
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he → go → season
But he said he believed he could overcome his physical problems by making adjustments to his swing.
uncertain
he → say → swing
“With some creativity, I think I can make up for what’s not right,” Ohtani said in Japanese.
asserted
Ohtani → think → Japanese
“Another way to say it is that it’s an opportunity to create new ways to compete.”
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it → say → ways
At the time, that meant learning how to hit with one arm and one leg.
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that → mean → arm
The Dodgers let him, and Ohtani ended up on the IL.
asserted
Ohtani → let → IL
Once again, it sounds as if Ohtani is determined to squeeze in as many at-bats as possible, and once again, it sounds as if the Dodgers will let him try.
asserted
him → sound → bats
This approach has significant upside — and downside, too.
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approach → have → upside
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asserted
News → download → newsletters
The Aporia
