The Los Angeles Dodgers have spent much of the season trying to keep Shohei Ohtani available despite a series of physical problems. With the postseason only a few weeks away, that approach has finally reached its limit.

After days of uncertainty, Los Angeles placed Ohtani on the Injured List.

Replacing him is practically impossible. Ohtani is MLB’s only active two-way player, giving the Dodgers a combination of skills no other player can replicate.

As the situation developed, Ken Rosenthal from Foul Territory questioned whether Ohtani’s desire to remain available contributed to the Dodgers waiting so long.

Rosenthal wondered whether the situation involved a player having too much control or, instead, Ohtani failing to communicate the full extent of his physical condition. He noted that players sometimes minimize injuries because they want to remain on the field.

“Is this a case of a player just having too much control?” Rosenthal said.

“And I don’t know that it is, as much as a player who is not communicating his physical condition well enough to the team, and we’ve seen this over the years with a lot of players who want to stay on the field. They basically lie about their injuries.”

Injuries have followed Ohtani throughout the season since he resumed two-way responsibilities.

He has dealt with left knee discomfort, a sore neck and other physical setbacks, but the Dodgers previously responded by resting him instead of placing him on the Injured List.

Manager Dave Roberts has repeatedly discussed how much Ohtani enjoys playing and how reluctant he is to sit when he is not completely healthy.

Rosenthal speculated that Ohtani’s unwillingness to miss time might have influenced the delayed Injured List decision, including the possibility that he downplayed injuries to the team’s trainers.

Whether that happened remains unclear.

What is known is that Ohtani did not inform trainers about his recently injured right arm until Tuesday night. He initially experienced discomfort while swinging at a pitch Monday.

Roberts explained to reporters that Ohtani did not feel right on that swing and had not completely recovered by the following day.

The Dodgers planned to give him another day before discussing the situation with Ohtani and the medical staff and determining the next step.

“There was a swing Monday that he didn’t feel great on, hasn’t totally recovered from Monday,” Roberts told the media.

“So the thought is to give him today and then huddle up with him, the medical staff, and figure out what the next steps.”

That next step became his first Injured List placement this season.

Roberts also acknowledged that, in hindsight, Los Angeles should have placed Ohtani on the Injured List earlier.

Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 against the San Diego Padres because of left knee discomfort. More recently, a sore neck and right biceps discomfort sidelined him for four games and forced him to miss six of the last seven games.

He went just 4-for-39 (.103) with a double and a triple in his last 10 games.

The timing complicated the Dodgers’ decision because MLB rules require Ohtani, as a two-way player, to spend at least 15 days on the Injured List.

Los Angeles can backdate the move to Tuesday, making Sept. 23 his earliest possible return.

The Dodgers recalled Josue De Paula from Double-A Tulsa in the corresponding move.

Ohtani’s competitiveness has made him exceptional, but it also helps explain why managing his workload can be difficult.

He wants to contribute regardless of discomfort and carries the responsibility of preparing for two completely different roles.

His discipline, preparation and ability to handle that workload separate him from every other active player.

The Dodgers now need recovery to take priority.

With October approaching, Ohtani’s ability to communicate how his body responds during rehabilitation will be just as important as his determination to return.