Sports

Dodgers Manager Announces Shohei Ohtani's Status for Yankees Series After Knee Procedure

By Noah Camras Sports Illustrated

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided an injury update on two-way star Shohei Ohtani ahead of Tuesday's All-Star Game.

Roberts, who's managing the National League All-Stars on Tuesday night, revealed that Ohtani underwent a procedure to relieve irritation in his left knee after the team's final game of the first half on Sunday. Roberts said Ohtani had fluid drained from his knee but didn't have any sort of injection.

As far as his status moving forward goes, Roberts said Ohtani will be the team's designated hitter this weekend for their highly-anticipated series against the New York Yankees.

"He's going to be in the lineup," Roberts said.

As for if he'll be pitching, Roberts was less committal.

"We haven't decided that yet," the manager said.

Ohtani was scratched from his scheduled pitching start this past Friday as the team wanted him to get additional rest on his inflamed knee heading into the break. He was still the team's designated hitter in their final series of the first half, and went 4-for-11 with two home runs.

Ohtani has said his knee issue affects him more while pitching than it does hitting. Based on how he's looked at the plate since leaving a mid-June game with the knee injury, it doesn't appear to affect him as a hitter at all.

In terms of his offense, the only restriction that Ohtani has had with the injury is base stealing. While he wasn't restricted as a pitcher, the injury coincided with his least dominant stretch of the season on the mound.

Ohtani decided to skip this week's All-Star festivities, instead undergoing the procedure before getting some much-needed rest.

He did say that he could've pitched this past Friday, which likely means he'll be able to make a start during the team's first turn through the rotation out of the break.

"Although I could've started [Friday], it would've still been pushing the envelope a little bit," Ohtani said. "But my every intention is to use the off days to make sure I'm in a good place to be able to be in the rotation."

Roberts appreciated the decision from his superstar.

"I think that No. 1, he's always said, we've always said, the goal is October, for all of our players," Roberts said last week. "With that, yeah, he's had the Cy Young in mind, and understandably so. But nothing is going to come in front of being healthy for October.

"And so for him to concede and miss a start in the best interest of him and the team, that's not a surprise. Those are two separate things, but No. 1 is being ready for October, and he's always said that."

When Will Shohei Ohtani Pitch for the Dodgers Next?

The Dodgers can give Ohtani even more rest as a pitcher by using their other five starting pitchers first coming out of the break. The Dodgers have preferred to have Ohtani's starts line up before off days when possible, which is why he's mainly pitched on Wednesdays this season.

The Dodgers play six straight games out of the break before having an off day on Thursday, July 23. Thus, it would make sense for Ohtani's first pitching start of the second half to come on Wednesday, July 22 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Dodgers Manager Announces Shohei Ohtani's Status for Yankees Series After Knee Procedure.

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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 2:49 PM.

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