Shohei Ohtani first reported discomfort a day after pitching 6 2/3 innings on Wednesday. Joe Robbins / Getty ImagesJune 12, 2026 4:51 pm EDT Updated CHICAGO — Shohei Ohtani was not in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup on Friday, at least temporarily increasing the level of concern around the four-time MVP’s sore left knee.Ohtani was pinch hit for in the seventh inning of Thursday’s 8-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, with manager Dave Roberts telling reporters afterward that the two-way superstar felt some discomfort in the back of his left knee. Roberts dismissed concerns about the issue and said Ohtani could be back in the lineup as soon as Friday’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox.Instead, Santiago Espinal was in the Dodgers’ lineup as the designated hitter Friday, while Alex Call slid into Ohtani’s customary leadoff spot.
This is the same knee Ohtani had surgery on in 2019, a procedure that ended his second season with the Los Angeles Angels. The nature of the 2019 procedure doesn’t appear linked – Ohtani’s surgery was to address a bipartite patella that he was born with – but the history is worth considering here.Ohtani’s discomfort came a day after he pitched 6 2/3 innings in Wednesday’s loss to the Pirates, ending the night with a 1.06 ERA that leads all pitchers with at least 60 innings this season. The slugger homered in his second at-bat on Thursday, his second home run in as many days, as he raised his OPS to .964. That mark leads all National League qualified hitters.The Dodgers have approached Ohtani’s workload with an abundance of caution. He has pitched just once a week as the organization adheres to a six-man rotation. Roberts has, on multiple occasions, had Ohtani pitch but not hit during certain starts to give him extra rest. During Ohtani’s start on the mound on Wednesday, the club deployed a fan in the tunnel to blow air on him and help him keep cool in the humid Pittsburgh conditions.— This story will be updated.Jun 12, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
