Dodgers sound reluctant about letting Shohei Ohtani compete in Home Run Derby

The MLB Home Run Derby is truly one of the most exciting single events in sports. All of the game's best power hitters come together and slug tape measure home runs one after another. Fans, players and anybody with any sort of interest in the game tunes in to see the biggest stars on the brightest stage.

This season is shaping up to be a true spectacle in terms of home runs. Aaron Judge, Gunnar Henderson and Shohei Ohtani are just three of the names that come to mind when speaking about the long ball in 2024.

But it seems as though the Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts may be pouring cold water on the idea of Ohtani participating in the derby.

Dave Roberts wary on the idea of Shohei Ohtani participating in the Home Run Derby

Roberts is wary of the idea of Ohtani participating in the derby, citing his Tommy John surgery from last September as the wrinkle in the idea that could be an issue.

"The one side of it, for him to be in the Home Run Derby, it's great for baseball, clearly," Roberts said earlier this week, h/t ESPN. "The other side of it, on the manager of the Dodgers side of it, you're trying to be more cautious and appreciating the fact that there's a lot more swings, higher intensity, you know, going through the rehab process with his elbow."

Obviously, the workload of a 162 game season is an incredible one, especially as Ohtani continues to progress back from Tommy John Surgery, but he had surgery nine months ago. Hitting really shouldn't be of any concern for the Dodgers' superstar, especially considering the fact that he's taken 311 at bats this year and thousands of more swings outside of the games.

Ultimately, Roberts admitted that he would concede the decision to Ohtani as he wouldn't want to be the guy to shut down one of his players like this, but the comments alone may be enough to steer him from participating in the event.

As of now, there's no official word on which way Ohtani is leaning. He told reporters that he would need to get cleared with his doctors, trainers and the Dodgers before he would be able to commit to it or not.

For now, we'll just have to enjoy Ohtani slugging home runs in real games and hope that he gets to participate in the derby.