Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter/starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani has had a complicated last month in regards to his knee. The superstar quickly emerged as a frontrunner for the Cy Young award and currently has a 1.79 ERA through 14 starts on the mound. Ahead of what was going to be his 15th start of the season, Ohtani was scratched six hours before first pitch due to "continued irritation in his left knee. He also missed the All-Star Game to rest and receive treatment.The saga started when Ohtani left a mid-June game early with what was later diagnosed as knee inflammation. After missing just one contest, the four-time MVP's returned and hit a leadoff solo home run. As time would reveal, the problem existed more on the pitching side of things. Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior recently shared his concern level with the Los Angeles Times' Maddie Lee regarding Ohtani's recent knee complications.“I would say, moderately concerned,” Prior said. “But no more concerned than I probably am with anybody else who’s had to deal with aches and pains. Hopefully, this break and this rest will get it to calm down a little bit, and then we’ll see where we’re at next weekend.”Prior touched on what he thinks the actual issue is, and echoed what Ohtani previously noted in the belief that his mechanics may lay at the root of the problem.“I think we’ve identified the issue,” Prior said. “Sometimes the fix isn’t always the easiest, especially with a guy who doesn’t spend probably the same amount of time on the mechanics of it.”Back in 2019, Ohtani required surgery to address bipartite patella, an uncommon congenital condition where the two bones of his knee cap failed to fuse. He wasn't sure if there is any connection between his current and past knee issues. Manager Dave Roberts recently spoke on Ohtani's knee treatment and confirmed that fluid was drained but no injection was given.As for this weekend's series against the New York Yankees, he said that Ohtani will be in the starting lineup. On Thursday, it was announced that he will not be pitching in the Bronx. Ohtani is well on his way to earning his fifth MVP award this season, but will likely fall short of his Cy Young goals. His health is the most important part of his game at this point in the season, and though accolades are nice, October success is likely the only way Ohtani wants to end the 2026 campaign. Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on X/Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow