CINCINNATI (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has been playing with a bruised hamstring and has been advised to take it easy on it, manager Dave Roberts said Saturday.

Ohtani sustained the injury when he was hit by a pickoff throw during the Dodgers’ previous homestand, Roberts explained.

The issue was brought up to the Dodgers manager after Ohtani seemed to be moving slower than usual while running out a triple in the sixth inning.

“Our guidance to him is to be cautious,” Roberts stated. “I believe he was initially aiming for a double but ended up running for a triple. It’s about him managing the hamstring.

“Today, he felt better than yesterday. We rely on him. We just didn’t want to risk further aggravating the injury.”

Ohtani went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts in Saturday night’s 3-1 defeat against the Reds. He had gone 0 for 5 in the series opener on Friday, which was also claimed by Cincinnati.

The two teams will meet for the final game of the series on Sunday afternoon.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB