Shohei Ohtani has been scratched from the 2026 MLB All-Star Game due to irritation in his left knee, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced. The team plans interventions to address the nagging injury as they aim to position him for the second half of the season.
Ohtani, a fixture in recent All-Star Games, earned the honor for the fifth consecutive season. He has been a significant contributor for the Dodgers, batting .290 with a .939 OPS and pitching to a 1.79 ERA, which is the second-lowest among qualified pitchers in the league. His OPS ranks seventh in MLB.
The Dodgers stated that Ohtani will continue to serve as the designated hitter up until the All-Star break. This marks another instance of Ohtani dealing with knee issues, as he experienced similar problems earlier in the season.
Ohtani's absence from the All-Star Game is a notable development, especially with Aaron Judge also missing the event due to a fractured rib. Ohtani, often referred to as the "Japanese Babe Ruth," has a unique track record in MLB history. He is the only player to achieve over 300 plate appearances and 40 innings pitched in six separate seasons, excelling in both hitting and pitching capacities.
In the current season, Ohtani has hit 20 home runs with 56 RBIs. This follows a period where he hit 99 home runs combined in 2024 and 2025, leading the National League with a 1.025 OPS in that span. He returned to pitching last year after elbow surgery in 2024, posting a 2.87 ERA and 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings, a figure he also achieved in 2022.