Dodgers Manager Updates Shohei Ohtani’s Injury Status Ahead of Start vs Rays

The Rays might be catching Ohtani at a good time, if such a thing exists.

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) warms up before the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on June 13, 2026. | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers moved Shohei Ohtani's next pitching appearance back a day, to Wednesday, after knee inflammation knocked him out of last Thursday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ohtani did not play last Friday in Chicago. He returned for the second game of the Dodgers' series against the White Sox on Saturday. In his first plate appearance of the game, he hit a home run.

That, however, was Ohtani's only hit since he returned from the injury. He walked in his next three plate appearances Saturday. In his 12 subsequent plate appearances between Saturday and Sunday, Ohtani is 0-for-9 with two walks.

The state of the two-time MVP is always a concern for the Dodgers. With his bat in a mini-slump, and his next pitching performance on the horizon, how is his knee holding up?

“Shohei’s fine," Roberts told ESPN during his dugout interview in the third inning of Monday's game. "The knee is a little balky. He feels it more throwing or pitching. With the bat — we’re going to be mindful of running, stealing things like that — but he’s in a good spot right now.”

Ohtani is the early favorite to win a third consecutive National League MVP award. The season is not yet halfway over, but he has already accrued 5.4 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference.

As the Dodgers' everyday leadoff hitter, Ohtani is slashing .298/.421/.540 with 14 home runs and 41 RBIs. His .421 on-base percentage leads the National League. Monday, he was announced as the leading vote-getter among fans for the All-Star Game.

The Dodgers have managed Ohtani's pitching schedule with surgical precision. He is 6-2 with a 1.06 ERA, but does not have enough innings (67.2) to qualify for an ERA title.

To his credit, Ohtani is averaging more than six innings per start, but one wonders if Roberts will have a quicker trigger Wednesday given the state of his knee.

After he was removed from the game in Pittsburgh last Thursday, Ohtani underwent imaging to determine the severity of the injury. Tests came back clean.

Ohtani admitted he's not 100%, and probably would not take the mound unless he feels he can perform to expectations.

Still, it seems as if the Rays are catching him at as good a time as possible.

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