World Series: Inside the 48 hours that got Shohei Ohtani back - ESPN

NEW YORK — On the bus ride to the airport after their win in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night, the players on the Los Angeles Dodgers felt their phones begin to buzz. A new message had popped into their group chat. It was from Shohei Ohtani.

Earlier that night, Ohtani had jammed his left shoulder while sliding into second base on an attempted steal. He left the field immediately, cradling his arm. Both the dugout and Dodger Stadium fell silent. At first glance, trainers feared the injury was severe. At that point on the bus, none of his teammates knew what to think. Until they read the message.

«Nice game, guys,» Ohtani wrote. «Last time, Bellinger's shoulder was dislocated. This time, my shoulder was dislocated. This is a good sign for a world champion.»

The message invigorated Dodgers players. In 2020, when they last won the World Series, star Cody Bellinger dislocated his right shoulder when he forearm-smashed teammate Kiké Hernández to celebrate a clutch National League Championship Series home run. Bellinger played in the World Series. And after their phones dinged again and they saw another message, Dodgers players were convinced Ohtani would continue to do the same.

«I'll do my best to play the day after tomorrow,» Ohtani wrote. «See you in New York.»

Ohtani did play Monday night in Game 3, a 4-2 victory against the New York Yankees that left Los Angeles one win shy of that world championship. As hairy as those early moments looked — Ohtani laying on the ground in pain, saying he had injured his non-throwing shoulder — the Dodgers' $700 million star was confident he would play through pain within minutes.

Immediately after he left the field in Game 2 holding his shoulder, Ohtani was spirited into the