Shohei Ohtani gave Dodgers fans a brief heart attack Wednesday when he suddenly flinched and grabbed his right elbow after a freak mishap during a dugout celebration in Philadelphia. Right after Los Angeles wrapped up a 9-5 win at Citizens Bank Park, players hopped the dugout railing to rush the field, and Alex Call’s left cleat clipped Ohtani’s elbow, sending the two-way star stepping out of the crowd looking clearly shaken.
Video of the moment spread quickly on X and other platforms, showing Call’s cleat making contact with Ohtani’s arm and capturing the instant concern from teammates. Sports outlets covering the game highlighted Call’s immediate look of regret and Ohtani’s visible discomfort, according to Yahoo Sports.
Elbow Jolt Hits While Ohtani Manages Knee Trouble
The scare landed at a touchy time for Ohtani, who has been dealing with left-knee irritation that cost him a scheduled start and led him to receive treatments over the All-Star break, according to the Los Angeles Times. He had also recently thrown a bullpen session for the first time in two weeks before Wednesday’s game, a step the club described as encouraging, per the New York Post.
Roberts Calls Bullpen Session ‘A Big Sign’
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts labeled Ohtani’s bullpen appearance “a big sign” as the team closely tracks his workload and recovery. Roberts characterized the knee issue as “wear and tear” tied to Ohtani’s full-time two-way role, according to reporting by the New York Post.
What’s Next
There have been no official reports that the cleat contact caused any structural damage, and Ohtani was seen waving off concern after the brief scare, based on the video and game coverage. With an off day on Thursday, the Dodgers are expected to keep monitoring Ohtani and provide further updates through team communications and beat reporters, per game coverage and postgame accounts from Yahoo Sports.
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