Any time Shohei Ohtani leaves a baseball game early is major news. The two-way star was pinch-hit for in the seventh inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ 8-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The club later announced that Ohtani left due to left knee inflammation.
The Dodgers sent Santiago Espinal to pinch-hit for Ohtani in the seventh. Their lead at the time was only by two runs entering that at-bat, indicating that something was wrong with their best player. Espinal singled to load the bases, with a wild pitch growing their lead to three.
Ohtani is well on his way to capturing a third straight National League MVP award, and possibly his first career Cy Young Award. In 2026, he’s hitting .305 with 13 home runs and a 165 wRC+, while also pitching to a 1.06 ERA in 11 starts. His all-around impact has helped the Dodgers establish a stranglehold on the National League West lead.
Dodgers Concern Level on Ohtani ‘Not High’
Following the Dodgers’ win over the Pirates, manager Dave Roberts provided an update on Shohei Ohtani’s left knee injury. Roberts said his concern level regarding Ohtani is “not high.”
“I think that we tried to be smart about it,” said Roberts on SportsNet LA’s postgame coverage of the game. “Talked to the trainer and he said he had a little (inflammation) behind the knee. Behind the knee, a little hamstring. So I wanted to be a little smart and not push it.”
Roberts says he feels good about Ohtani being in the lineup against the Chicago White Sox. But with the club en route to Chicago, he wants to make sure his star slugger is fine when he reports for the game.
Asked about whether this was an ongoing problem or not, Roberts said it was the first time they heard about it. The Dodgers manager speculated that it could have happened on a stolen base attempt, but he didn’t hear of any issues until the sixth inning of the game. Ohtani was subsequently removed in the next inning.
Why Shohei Ohtani’s Injury Matters for the Dodgers
The Dodgers’ chances of completing the first three-peat depend a lot on Shohei Ohtani’s availability. He’s not only their primary leadoff hitter, but also their No. 2 starter behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman summed it up best, describing Ohtani as “the best player in the world.” He’s both an MVP and a Cy Young candidate in any given season, as he can be both an elite hitter and pitcher, sometimes both in the same game. And in the postseason, he’s the type of player who can not only swing a game, but a series.
The Dodgers can ill-afford more injuries with their starting rotation. Justin Wrobleski is fine after a scary collision at first base. The left-hander was struck in the right hamstring by a Bryan Reynolds batted ball before the collision.
“I’m OK, Reynolds is OK, thankfully that whole situation, everyone’s good,” said Wrobleski.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, it seems like they avoided serious issues with both Wrobleski and Ohtani. All eyes will be on if the two-way star is in the lineup against the White Sox.
Dodgers Reveal Shohei Ohtani Injury After Leaving Pirates Game