Shohei Ohtani won’t be at the All-Star Game next week, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are treating it like a minor detour, not a crisis. The team announced Friday that Ohtani is sitting out the Midsummer Classic because of a knee issue, ending what would have been his first appearance as a National League designated hitter. Manager Dave Roberts addressed it before Friday night’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and his tone was basically: no big deal.
According to reporter David Vassegh, Roberts said Ohtani already wasn’t available for Friday’s game. The manager doesn’t think this changes anything about Ohtani returning to pitch in the second half. The only real question is when exactly he slots back into the rotation after the break. That part is still TBD.
What’s actually going on with Ohtani’s knee
The Dodgers haven’t called it anything serious. Ohtani was the starting pitcher and DH for the AL team in 2022, but now he’s essentially getting a forced rest. The All-Star Game is an exhibition, which is why the Dodgers aren’t sweating it. They’d rather use the break as a chance for Ohtani to fully recover than risk aggravation by having him swing a bat for a few at-bats that don’t count.
Fans are bummed, sure. Ohtani is the biggest draw in baseball, and watching him hit bombs in a game that’s all about fun is a letdown. But the Dodgers have a bigger priority: winning a third straight World Series. That requires Ohtani on the field, preferably doing both things—hitting and pitching—come October. If the knee is a little sore right now, better to deal with it in July than in a playoff series.
What’s next
There’s no timeline yet for when Ohtani will pitch again, though Roberts sounded confident it’ll happen after the break. The Dodgers and D-backs played Friday night at Dodger Stadium, first pitch at 10:10 PM Eastern. As for Ohtani, the team will keep monitoring him and share updates when they know more. For now, it’s a waiting game—and a pretty low-stakes one, all things considered.
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