Ohtani sidelined with left knee injury, ending his Cy Young pursuit for 2026

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the near term after manager Dave Roberts said the two-way star is dealing with ongoing left-knee discomfort. Roberts described the injury as “not a day-to-day thing” and indicated that a return to the mound will take time.

The knee problem was first noted on June 11 when Ohtani left a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He continued to play through the pain until the Dodgers asked him to sit out his final start before the All-Star break and skip the All-Star festivities for rest and an injection. He was expected to start again in Philadelphia after the break, but the injury has kept him out of the rotation.

"Because it had not gotten better — the All-Star break, the Orthovisc shot, not pitching him — all that stuff is trying to ensure, to give us the best chance for him to be out of the woods entirely with that," Roberts told reporters.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman previously said Ohtani seemed “on a mission” with his pitching, and his early-season numbers reflected strong performance: a 1.79 ERA, 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings and only one outing allowing more than three runs. However, the Dodgers’ six-man rotation limits his weekly starts, reducing the innings needed to compete for a Cy Young Award.

Although he will not pitch, Ohtani remains active as a hitter and has been seen throwing long toss in the dugout to maintain arm mechanics. The injury underscores the physical limits that can affect even elite two-way players.