Crowncoin

Ohtani Shut Down Indefinitely, Dodgers Chase Repeat

Sport
July 20, 2026
Ohtani Knee Injury Hero

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch again soon. The Los Angeles Dodgers shut down their two-way star indefinitely, citing lingering left knee soreness. Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani’s return will not be a day-to-day situation.

A Knee That Has Derailed Baseball’s Best Story

Ohtani was scratched from his scheduled Wednesday start in Philadelphia. He last pitched July 3, throwing six innings against the San Diego Padres. The knee first flared during a June 11 game in Pittsburgh. Ohtani was pulled from his final first-half start on July 10 as the soreness lingered. Roberts said the decision came after the knee failed to respond as hoped.

Ohtani carried an 8-2 record and a 1.58 ERA into July. He struck out 86 batters across 79.2 innings on the mound. At the plate, he is hitting .291 with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs. His .954 OPS ranks among the best marks in the National League. The Dodgers sit 62-36, the best record in baseball, atop the NL West.

Roberts revealed the Dodgers tried an Orthovisc injection over the All-Star break. The shot eases joint friction but does not repair structural damage. Ohtani’s knee issue now traces back more than five weeks, to that June 11 flare-up. No timetable exists for his next mound appearance. Roberts stressed the recovery could stretch well beyond a typical two-week absence.

Los Angeles is chasing a third straight World Series title this fall. No team has three-peated since the New York Yankees won it in 2000. Ohtani’s bat keeps producing at an MVP pace, even as his arm rests. Every start he misses shifts more innings onto the bullpen and rotation. The Dodgers hold a comfortable division lead, but October favors healthy pitching depth.

Roberts declined to set even a rough return window Sunday. The Dodgers next host the Philadelphia Phillies before a run of NL West games. Ohtani remains locked into the lineup as a hitter every day this week. Los Angeles will check the knee daily before planning any fresh mound trial. The trade deadline arrives July 31, adding urgency to the team’s rotation math.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow now carry a heavier share of the rotation. Both starters have battled their own injury interruptions already in 2026. A six-man plan built around Ohtani now runs five deep instead. Los Angeles has roughly ten weeks left to sort the staff before October baseball begins. The Dodgers have not needed a six-man mound rotation from Ohtani since early June.

Related Sports Coverage

MLB.com and MLB Trade Rumors both reported the Dodgers have no target date for Ohtani’s return. Dodgers Nation and Yahoo Sports confirmed the knee has bothered him since early June.