Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will miss the upcoming All-Star Game in Philadelphia because of ongoing discomfort in his left knee, the club announced on Friday.
Ohtani, who was the National League's leading vote-getter and the fans' choice at designated hitter, was also a candidate to pitch for the NL and his Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Tuesday. Instead, he'll miss his scheduled Friday night start against the Arizona Diamondbacks and sit out the Midsummer Classic altogether. He will, however, remain in the lineup at DH this weekend for the Dodgers' last three games before the All-Star break.
After the Arizona series, Ohtani will "have some interventions on his knee," the team said.
"Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled start on the mound this evening against the D-backs due to continued irritation in his left knee," the Dodgers said. "He will serve as the designated hitter the rest of the weekend, but following the series against the D-backs he will have some interventions on his knee to put him in the best position for the second half of the season. Unfortunately, due to these events, he will not be able to travel to Philadelphia and participate in the 2026 All-Star Game."
Kyle Schwarber of the host Phillies will be a candidate to replace Ohtani in the NL starting lineup at DH. Additionally, the loss of Ohtani and Jacob Misiorowski's unavailability due to the Brewers' rotation schedule means Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez may be Roberts' choice as the NL's starting pitcher on Tuesday.
As for Ohtani, the winner of three straight MVP awards is once again playing at a high level. As a hitter, he goes into Friday evening's slate with an OPS+ of 158 with 20 home runs and 60 walks in 85 games. On the mound, Ohtani has been enjoying perhaps his finest season to date:
That kind of pitching performance positions Ohtani as a Cy Young contender as the first half of the season draws to a close. The more immediate concern, though, is how his ailing left knee will affect his availability and his performance as a pitcher moving forward.
Ohtani was removed from a mid-June game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with inflammation in his left knee following a stolen base attempt. However, as MLB.com notes, Ohtani himself has attributed the knee problem to an issue with his pitching mechanics.
Ohtani's Dodgers enter their final series of the first half with MLB's best record at 61-33. They also have a comfortable 14½ lead in the NL West and an MLB-best run differential of plus-164. Given that success and a secure footing in the division, the Dodgers can afford to be conservative with Ohtani's recovery.
