Shohei Ohtani’s Knee Problem Just Cost Him the All-Star Game

The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped some bad news on Friday. Shohei Ohtani won’t start tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks. And he won’t be in Philadelphia next week for the All-Star Game either.

The team said Ohtani has inflammation in his left knee. It’s been bugging him enough that they pulled him from Friday’s start. He’ll still hit as the designated hitter this weekend. But after the D-backs series wraps up, he’s getting some kind of procedure done on that knee.

“Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled start on the mound this evening against the D-backs due to continued irritation in his left knee,” the Dodgers announced. “He will serve as the designated hitter the rest of the weekend, but following the series against the D-backs he will have some interventions on his knee to put him in the best position for the second half of the season. Unfortunately, due to these events, he will not be able to travel to Philadelphia and participate in the 2026 All-Star Game.”

What This Means for Ohtani and the Dodgers

The timing isn’t great. Ohtani’s been having a pretty solid year at the plate, and his pitching has been, well, Ohtani-level good. But this knee thing has been nagging. The Dodgers probably figure it’s better to knock out whatever needs doing now rather than let it drag into August or September.

Missing the All-Star Game stinks for fans. Ohtani is basically the biggest draw in baseball right now. But the Dodgers are thinking long-term. They didn’t get this guy to win a midsummer exhibition. They got him to win in October.

As for what “interventions” means exactly? The team hasn’t spelled it out. Could be a cortisone shot, could be a minor cleanup procedure. They haven’t said how much time he’ll miss, if any, after the break.

One thing’s clear: the Dodgers are being cautious. And with the second half coming fast, they’d rather lose Ohtani for a few days now than lose him for weeks later.

More details should come once the team figures out the full plan. For now, Ohtani’s weekend is limited to swinging the bat. No throwing. And no trip to Philly.