Ohtani has reportedly been cleared to play in World Series Game 3 after suffering a shoulder problem

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is expected to play in the next World Series game on Monday night after suffering a shoulder injury on a slide while attempting to take a base against the New York Yankees over the weekend.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told ESPN on Sunday that Ohtani is in good shape and “will play in the third game tomorrow,” said reporter Karl Ravech. The Japanese two-way The player startled fans when he attempted to steal second base in the bottom of the seventh and slid hard to the ground.

Ohtani failed to steal, instead lying on his stomach and raising a hand to call for help after the play. He stayed down until the Los Angeles training staff came to help him off the field.

Ultimately, the Dodgers won the game and led the World Series 2-0, but Ohtani's future in the postseason championship was uncertain Saturday night. Roberts told reporters that Ohtani suffered a “minor left shoulder subluxation” after the game.

“Sometime tonight or tomorrow we'll do some tests and we'll know more in the next few days,” Roberts said at the time. “But the strength was great, the range of motion was good, so we’re encouraged.”

It appears that testing has confirmed that assessment and Ohtani will win the title on Monday night in the Bronx, likely to the dismay of many Yankees fans. While the Dodgers certainly have a strong hitting lineup, it's no secret that Ohtani is one of the best baseball players of all time.

The National League MVP favorite, Ohtani posted a .310 batting average with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs and stole 59 bases that year. He is the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season.

Baseball fans were excited to see him face off against Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge in the World Series, but Judge found himself in dire straits after the season. The Yankees captain is considered one of the greatest home run hitters in the MLB, but has not made significant progress against the Dodgers so far.

At 6-foot-3, Judge hit home runs in five consecutive games this September, bringing his total to 58 home runs in the regular season. He is one of the few hitters to hit at least 58 home runs in multiple seasons, joining the ranks of legends like the late Babe Ruth.