Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Announces Concerning Injury Update as Pitching Absence Continues

It felt like it was going to be a good night for the Los Angeles Dodgers when Shohei Ohtani stepped up to the plate in the first inning and crushed a 432-foot leadoff home run.

After going nine games without a homer, watching Ohtani return to form was a welcome site for Dodgers fans.

Shohei Ohtani just led off Tuesday's Dodgers game with a home run.

It's his 23rd of the season. Great sign as he's been struggling with the bat as of late.

It's his 10th leadoff home run this season. pic.twitter.com/DeX9TfMtR9
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) July 29, 2026

However, despite Ohtani having his best game in nearly three weeks, the Dodgers couldn't put together enough to earn the series-opening win over Seattle. With Justin Wrobleski stumbling out the gate — allowing four home runs and five total runs — the Dodgers fell 7-6 to the Mariners.

To add some salt to the wound of a Dodgers team that was a Mookie Betts hit away from potentially winning the game in the ninth inning, Ohtani made some major revelations when he spoke to the media following the game.

Ohtani revealed a second injury that he has been monitoring in addition to his knee.

Reporters and fans already knew about the knee injury that required an orthovisc injection over the All-Star break and has kept him off the mound. Ohtani said Tuesday night that he is also struggling with his right biceps injury.

“My biceps not 100%,” Ohtani told reporters in his first media availability in nearly three weeks. “Just [a] similar issue with the knee. Do we consider pushing this? It is still July. So, I think the conversation would be a little different if we’re in August or September.”

Ohtani felt his biceps tighten up during an at-bat on July 3, a game in which he was also the starting pitcher. Ohtani was removed from the game early, and has not made another pitching start since.

Ohtani revealed at the time of that injury that he dealt with a similar biceps issue early in the year, but didn't say anything and it went away rather quickly. It appears this one has lingered.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts thinks the two injuries could be connected, and explained that Ohtani would continue abstaining from any pitching activities since suffering a setback in Philadelphia last week.

“I think in the bullpen in Philadelphia, [his bicep] just wasn’t responding, nor was his knee,” Roberts said. “There is an effect on the lower half to the compromising of the upper half, the arm. So trying to mitigate that, we stopped the throwing, stopped the bullpens.

"Hopefully No. 1, take care of the knee, and then not try to have him create velocity with the arm that’s not 100%.”

In addition to his injuries affecting his ability to pitch, Ohtani added that his knee injury has been impacting him as a baserunner.

“The discomfort was caused initially by the pitching,” Ohtani said. “So, it’s something I have to work around. In terms of running, I’m not exactly at 100% capacity. When I know it’s not, then it’s always a little harder to be aggressive on the basepath.”

Clearly, after Ohtani went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs Tuesday night, the two-way superstar can still have an impact at the plate despite his injuries. However, the Dodgers would love to have the four-time MVP in full health come October to truly maximize his impact as a baserunner and elite starting pitcher.

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