PHILADELPHIA — MLB will be without its two biggest stars for this year’s All-Star Game events.
Dodgers two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, the two-time reigning National League MVP and by far the NL ASG vote leader, will sit out the All-Star Game to receive treatment on his left knee. The pain Ohtani experiences in his knee happens when he pitches, but not when he hits; he is also skipping his final pitching start before the midseason showcase.
In addition, Ohtani is set to have fluid in that left knee drained on Sunday.
“He’s been managing this quite well, the knee, and so if there’s a chance that we could be proactive and get it drained and do whatever we need to do to try to manage it, along with the rest for the All-Star break, we were going to do that,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
With that absence, Ohtani will join Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, the two-time reigning American League MVP and No. 2 in AL ASG voting behind Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement, despite having not played in nearly six weeks. Judge has been on the injured list since early June with a rib stress fracture.
