After suffering a minor shoulder injury that prompted some dramatic exits, Shohei Ohtani is set to grace Game 3 of the World Series, proving that baseball players are indeed tougher than they look—until they slide into second base.

Ohtani's quick turnaround from a left shoulder subluxation—sustained during his dramatic exit from Game 2—highlights not only his physical prowess but also the intense pressure players face in the high-stakes postseason. With his remarkable stats and a record-breaking contract of $700 million, Ohtani is not only competing for the National League MVP but also showing that even the toughest players can have a soft spot when it comes to base sliding.

Subluxation sounds like something that might happen when you're trying to open a particularly stubborn jar of pickles, but in Ohtani's case, it came after an ambitious slide into second base that left spectators wondering if he would continue barking orders from the dugout or be hobbling off to deliver dramatic monologues in pain.

For baseball fans used to perpetual optimism, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts offered a reading straight from the Glass Half Full Handbook. He commented on Ohtani’s strength and range of motion, making it sound less like a medical evaluation and more like a backhanded endorsement of Ohtani’s rigorous stretching regimen. Let’s hope his range of motion is not limited to just hand raises for the next few plays.

As it stands, the blushing concern for Ohtani's health seems misplaced; during the regular season, he smashed 54 home runs, racked up 130 RBIs, and stole 59 bases. That's not just your average player's stat line, but more of a fantasy-comic-book character’s profile—a hyperbolic superhero living out the dreams of aspiring players everywhere. He even progressed to become the first player in MLB history to achieve a 50-50 season, cementing his immutable status as a modern-day legend—with perhaps less emphasis on the physical response after an ill-timed slide.

Yet, as thrilling as Ohtani's achievements are, the postseason has been less forgiving. With a batting line of 1-for-8 in the first two World Series games, it may appear he’s more of an extraordinary talent with a penchant for getting on base than an actual hitting machine in October. Despite these less-than-stellar statistics, the anticipation surrounding his Game 3 appearance only thickens the plot of this baseball drama.

Ohtani's 10-year contract with the Dodgers—worth a record-breaking $700 million—makes his health a hot topic. Perhaps a touch too hot when you're dealing with players and their fragile shoulders. One must wonder if all that dough gives him a superhuman ability to shrug off injuries, or if it's more of a reflection that even a financial titan can have an off day sliding into bases.

Diving into Ohtani's recent injury history reveals a somewhat colorful palette of physical setbacks that reads like a player suffering from an unusually high number of unfortunate slips. Just last September, he managed an oblique injury, and then a month later, Tommy John surgery made sure his elbow also had its moment in the spotlight. Each injury adds another layer of intrigue to his playing career: Is this man resilient or hopelessly doomed in a slump of injuries?

As the baseball world collectively holds its breath for Game 3, the question beckons: will Shohei Ohtani’s left shoulder hold up against the stress of carrying the Dodgers’ dreams on its superhero-like strength? Or are we just witnesses to the world’s most expensive game of ‘Will He or Won't He?’—the game where the experience of sliding into bases reigns supreme? All we can do is await the game with bated breath, fingers crossed, and possibly a jar of pickles at the ready.