Ohtani out vs. Mariners with sore knee, back Friday
Shohei Ohtani was held out of the Dodgers' lineup Thursday against the Seattle Mariners because of left-knee soreness, a precautionary day off after he reached base seven times over two nights. Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani will return Friday against Boston. Fans watching the dodger score should note Los Angeles still won, and Ohtani was available off the bench.
Key Takeaways
- Ohtani sat Thursday vs. Seattle with lingering left-knee soreness; Roberts called it precautionary and said he would return Friday vs. Boston.
- The same left knee—his pitching landing leg—has kept him off the mound since July 3, and doctors say it will not fully heal until the offseason.
- Roberts linked the irritation to Ohtani reaching base seven times over the prior two nights, not a single new incident.
- MLB.com confirmed Ohtani returned to the leadoff spot as designated hitter for Friday's Red Sox opener after the rest day.
- The Dodgers are not planning an injured-list shutdown; Friedman still expects Ohtani to pitch again this season.
Thursday's lineup scratch was notable because Dodgers officials have long said the left knee mainly bothers Ohtani when he pitches. That it flared while he was only hitting raised eyebrows, even as Roberts framed the move as prevention—"just so it doesn't turn into something that it shouldn't that we can prevent."
For viewers and bettors checking every Streaming & TV Alerts update tied to the dodger score, the bigger story is availability: Ohtani sat, Los Angeles still won the series finale, and he was ready to pinch-hit if needed.
Why was Ohtani out against the Mariners?
According to ESPN, Ohtani reported lingering soreness in his left knee. Roberts said training staff recommended the day off after Ohtani communicated how he felt.
"I appreciate the communication," Roberts said. "I can't read minds, the training staff can't read minds, so just for him to communicate that allows for us to make a decision."
Yahoo Sports reported Teoscar Hernández filled in as DH, with Kiké Hernández in left field after coming off the injured list earlier in the week.
When will Ohtani return to the Dodgers lineup?
Roberts said after Thursday's win that Ohtani would be back for Friday's series opener against the Boston Red Sox. MLB.com later confirmed he returned to the leadoff spot as the Dodgers' designated hitter.
Roberts cautioned the rest day might not end management of the knee. He said Ohtani could feel refreshed for several games—or need another blow after a few starts—depending on how the joint responds.
How do the knee and biceps issues affect his pitching?
Ohtani, 32, last pitched July 3 (season-high 110 pitches) and later exited after tweaking his right biceps on a swing. After the Dodgers' final pre–All-Star game, he received a lubricant (Orthovisc) injection in the left knee and sat four days.
His July 22 start in Philadelphia was skipped. A bullpen that day further irritated the knee and flared the biceps, pushing him away from throwing. In 14 starts he owns a 1.79 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings.
Andrew Friedman said Wednesday he is confident Ohtani will pitch again this season. Roberts hoped he could resume playing catch as soon as this weekend. Entering Friday, Ohtani had hit .263/.344/.526 with 10 homers and 25 RBIs in 36 games since the knee issue surfaced June 11.
Roberts resisted shutting him down: the knee has improved markedly, Ohtani remains productive, and the club trusts him to manage the most important stretch ahead. "We're talking about this constantly," Roberts added. "Nothing should be off the table, and nothing is set in stone."