October is getting closer, and two World Series contenders are learning the same lesson: getting healthy for the MLB playoffs can matter just as much as getting hot.

On this episode of Injury Territory, Will Carroll and Edward Egros look at the injury challenges facing the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees as both clubs begin building the rosters they hope will carry them through October. The Dodgers have lost Andy Pages for several weeks, thinning an outfield that has already dealt with its share of health problems. There may finally be reinforcements coming on the mound, however, with several pitchers nearing returns, including Shohei Ohtani. What does Ohtani’s return mean for the Dodgers rotation, his workload, and the balancing act of keeping baseball’s most unique player healthy when the games matter most?

The Yankees have their own version of the October injury puzzle. Giancarlo Stanton is likely lost for the season, taking a major power threat out of the lineup at exactly the wrong time. Cody Bellinger is coming back, Max Fried may not be far behind, and New York has to figure out what its healthiest and most effective playoff roster actually looks like. Will and Edward examine the injuries, rehab timelines, roster implications, and risks involved in bringing important players back for the stretch run.

The playoffs rarely arrive with a perfectly healthy roster. The contenders that survive are often the ones that manage injuries, workload, rehabilitation, and depth well enough to still have their best players available when October arrives. For the Dodgers and Yankees, that process is already underway.

If you’re looking for MLB injury news, Dodgers injury updates, Yankees injury updates, Shohei Ohtani return news, Andy Pages injury analysis, Giancarlo Stanton injury news, Cody Bellinger return, Max Fried injury updates, MLB playoff races, sports medicine, rehab timelines, pitching health, and baseball analytics, Injury Territory has you covered.

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