Ohtani exits early with hip cramp as Dodgers let sweep slip away

CINCINNATI — The sweep was within reach. Then, the eighth inning happened. The Dodgers’ bid for a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds unraveled late Wednesday night after a costly blunder in the bottom of the eighth, giving way to a 5-2 loss at Great American Ball Park.

In a game that started with concern and ended in frustration, Shohei Ohtani took the mound for his seventh start of the season—but didn’t stay long. Ohtani exited abruptly in the fourth inning with what the team described as cramping. Ohtani had cramping in his right hip from the first inning on. Affected his delivery and command which was the reason he exited the game. 

The two-way star had thrown six straight balls, including two errant fastballs that were ruled wild pitches, before walking off mid-at-bat. Ohtani’s night was a short one: three innings, five hits, two walks, two runs, and four strikeouts on 51 pitches. It wasn’t his sharpest outing, and it ended with more questions than answers about his health going forward.

Left-hander Anthony Banda stepped in with composure, delivering a clean inning with two strikeouts. Emmet Sheehan followed with 3 2/3 innings of solid work, but the decision to keep him in for the eighth would prove to be a turning point.

After a Freddie Freeman two-run homer in the fourth—the only offense the Dodgers could muster all night—the game settled into a tense rhythm. Freeman’s blast, his 11th of the season, briefly gave the Dodgers hope they could win despite Ohtani’s early exit.

Rookie Alex Freeland added a personal milestone in the fifth inning with his first major league hit, a two-out single off Reds right-hander Nick Martinez. 

With two outs and runners on first and second, Spencer Steer stepped to the plate and ripped a triple to deep center, clearing the bases and flipping the lead in Cincinnati’s favor at 4-2. Will Benson followed with a single to bring in Steer, pushing the Reds' advantage to 5-2 and effectively sealing the game.

The late collapse stung, particularly after a mostly solid pitching performance and missed chances at the plate.

The Dodgers had the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning but failed to score when Andy Pages and Michael Conforto flew out to end the inning. 

Now, the Dodgers have Thursday off as the trade deadline is on Thursday at 6pm ET/3pm PT as they head to Tampa Bay. Left-hander Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to start the series on Friday, hoping to set the tone and keep L.A. on track amid a demanding stretch of the season.

Despite Wednesday’s stumble in Cincinnati, the Dodgers are starting to see some positive signs on the injury front—key reinforcements could be on the way soon. Dave Roberts provided several updates on Wednesday.

— Blake Snell is set to make his next start on Saturday against the Rays. The left-hander continues to work his way back into form after missing time due to injury.

— Roki Sasaki is expected to face live hitters this weekend in Arizona, a significant step forward in his rehab process. There’s growing optimism that his long-awaited MLB debut could be coming into focus.

— Max Muncy, who’s been sidelined since mid-June with an oblique strain, could return to the lineup early next week if his ramp-up continues without setbacks.

With Ohtani’s status still uncertain and the bullpen absorbing more innings than expected, these returns couldn’t come at a better time for a team with postseason ambitions and a demanding August ahead.