Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior did not sound alarm bells over Shohei Ohtani’s troublesome left knee, but he also stopped short of dismissing the issue as routine.
“I would say, moderately concerned,” Prior told Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times, via Dodgers on SI.
Ohtani’s knee has affected the part of his game that made his 2026 season extraordinary. The four-time MVP owns a 1.79 ERA through 14 starts, but the Dodgers scratched him from his scheduled outing before the All-Star break because of continued irritation. Los Angeles then decided he would not pitch during its first series back against the New York Yankees.
Ohtani is expected to remain in the lineup as a hitter.
Mark Prior Believes Dodgers Identified the Cause
GettyPitching coach Mark Prior #99 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Prior’s concern appears focused less on structural damage and more on whether the Dodgers can correct the movement repeatedly aggravating the knee.
“I think we’ve identified the issue,” Prior said, adding that fixing it is not necessarily easy for a two-way player who cannot devote the same amount of time to pitching mechanics.
Ohtani reportedly believes his delivery could be contributing to the inflammation. Each start requires him to land on his left leg more than 100 times, not counting bullpen work between outings. That repeated force helps explain why Ohtani can continue hitting while the Dodgers hesitate to clear him to pitch.
This is not a simple question of whether he can tolerate discomfort. If a mechanical flaw is causing irritation, another start could recreate the same problem even after treatment and rest. The Dodgers have to determine whether the break allowed the knee to calm down and whether Ohtani can adjust his delivery without compromising effectiveness or creating stress elsewhere.
Dodgers Have Little Reason to Test Ohtani Against Yankees
GettyShohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch during batting practice prior to the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on June 13, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images)
Manager Dave Roberts confirmed that doctors drained fluid from Ohtani’s knee but did not administer an injection. Ohtani also skipped the All-Star Game, giving him more than two weeks without pitching.
The fact that Los Angeles still withheld him from the Yankees series suggests caution, even if Prior’s concern has not reached an alarming level. According to LA Sports Report, Ohtani could instead return during the Dodgers’ series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
That is the tradeoff with Ohtani. Protecting his knee means removing one of baseball’s best starters from the rotation, yet forcing the issue could jeopardize both halves of his value. No July matchup, even one at Yankee Stadium, justifies that gamble.
Ohtani underwent surgery in 2019 for bipartite patella, although no connection between that condition and the current inflammation has been established. That history alone makes patience logical.
The Dodgers would certainly benefit from Ohtani continuing a Cy Young-caliber season. They need him healthy in October more. Prior’s “moderately concerned” assessment reflects the balance: the injury is manageable enough to avoid panic, but persistent enough that Los Angeles cannot treat his next start like an ordinary scheduling decision.
Dodgers Pitching Coach Admits Concern Over Shohei Ohtani’s Knee Injury