Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled pitching start on Friday and will not travel to the All-Star Game in Philadelphia due to "continued irritation in his left knee," the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Friday. The same knee experienced inflammation last month.
The Dodgers stated that Ohtani will continue to serve as the club's designated hitter for the weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Following the series, he will undergo "interventions on his knee to put him in the best position for the second half of the season."
Ohtani's knee problem first surfaced after a June 10 pitching start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The following day, he was removed from a game as a designated hitter due to swelling in his knee and missed the subsequent game before returning to the lineup.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated that the current knee issue is not related to a previous surgery Ohtani underwent in 2019. That surgery addressed a rare congenital condition known as bipartite patella, where the kneecaps do not fuse properly at birth. Despite the past surgery, Ohtani has continued to receive treatment for his knee this season and has been observed wearing a knee sleeve.
Ohtani's absence means he will miss his pitching start and the midsummer classic, impacting the highly anticipated event for fans and the league.