Shohei Ohtani is in the Dodgers’ starting lineup as their leadoff hitter and designated hitter for Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Monday, two days after sustaining a left shoulder subluxation while sliding into second base on a stolen-base attempt in the seventh inning of Game 2.

"He was very adamant that he was going to play," manager Dave Roberts said before Game 3. "I watched him take swings last night in the cage, looked really good, strong. Ball was coming off the bat. I think there was more uncertainty in all of our minds, but in his mind from day one, from Saturday evening, he was going to play."

The injury cast a dark cloud over the Dodgers’ 4-2 victory in Game 2, which gave them a two games to none series lead over the Yankees. Although initial indications of Ohtani’s injury -- a partial dislocation of the shoulder -- were positive, the Dodgers had legitimate concern about whether the superstar slugger would be able to return for the rest of the Fall Classic.

"He texted the whole team as we were on our way to the airport [after Game 2] and said he was going to be fine," Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said before Game 3. "And that was it. He said he was gonna play, and so we all just put it to the side at that moment. We all said, 'All right, he's got us. We'll be ready for him to be in the lineup.'"

Ohtani had improved enough by Sunday that Roberts said he expected to have Ohtani in the lineup if he was able to go through baseball activity -- including hitting balls off a tee and taking batting practice in the cage -- without issue prior to Game 3.

The favorite to win this year’s NL MVP Award after producing the first 50-50 campaign in MLB history, Ohtani is hitting .260 with three homers, 10 RBIs, 12 walks and an .863 OPS in his first postseason as a member of the Dodgers, who signed him to a 10-year, $700 million deal in free agency last offseason.

The Yankees have kept Ohtani in check during the World Series, holding him to one hit (a double) in eight at-bats with a walk and two strikeouts through the first two games, but the Dodgers have edged out a pair of victories nonetheless.

Here is the full Dodgers Game 3 lineup: