Shohei Ohtani’s Knee Treatment and Its Effect on the Dodgers’ Pitching Schedule

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that two-way star Shohei Ohtani received a lubricant injection in his left knee after the team’s Sunday game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The procedure was performed without draining joint fluid, and the Dodgers announced that Ohtani will not pitch the weekend series against the New York Yankees. He is expected to make his next mound appearance on Wednesday, June 22, in the series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Shohei Ohtani likely to pitch Wednesday at PhiladelphiaHeavyHeavyESPN

Ohtani first reported irritation in his left knee during the Dodgers’ series win over the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in the season. The discomfort escalated, leading to his removal from a scheduled start against Arizona and his omission from the All-Star Game on Tuesday. The left-knee issue follows a 2019 surgery for a bipartite patella, though doctors have found no direct link between that operation and the current inflammation.

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• Shohei Ohtani – Four-time MVP, batting .293 with 22 home runs and 58 RBIs, and posting an 8-2 record, 1.79 ERA, and 95 strikeouts in 85  2/3 innings.

Shohei Ohtani likely to pitch Wednesday at Philadelphia

• Dave Roberts – Dodgers manager, overseeing Ohtani’s treatment plan and workload management.

Shohei Ohtani likely to pitch Wednesday at Philadelphia

• Mark Prior – Dodgers pitching coach, who described his assessment of Ohtani’s knee as “moderately concerned.”

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• Batting line: .293 average, 22 HR, 58 RBI.

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• Pitching line (through 14 starts): 8-2 record, 1.79 ERA, 95 K in 85  2/3  IP.

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• Dodgers’ team record entering the second half: 61-36, leading the NL West by 11.5 games.

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Roberts explained that the injection “gives him some relief in his knee… and then the four days off from activity, which gets it all to kind of settle in.” He added that the club is prepared to “back off on the workload if it calls for it,” while still honoring Ohtani’s desire to stay on the field. Roberts also said the team will try to provide an off-day after each of Ohtani’s pitching starts, though scheduling constraints sometimes prevent it. Pitching coach Prior cautioned that the injury is “moderately concerning,” noting that the repeated stress of landing on the left leg more than 100 times per start could perpetuate irritation.

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Analysts have warned that prolonged caution could jeopardize Ohtani’s MVP candidacy. His “continued irritation” and the decision to keep him out of the Yankees series have sparked debate about whether the Dodgers are being overly conservative, potentially sacrificing short-term rotation depth for long-term health.

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One report states that doctors drained fluid from Ohtani’s knee but did not administer an injection, directly contradicting Roberts’ claim of a lubricant injection without fluid drainage. No source clarifies which medical procedure was performed, leaving the exact treatment ambiguous.

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• “It gives him some relief in his knee, which we were hoping to get, and then the four days off from activity, which gets it all to kind of settle in,” — Dave Roberts

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• “I think we are certainly more prepared to back off on the workload if it calls for it, but Shohei wants to be out there as much as he possibly can.” — Dave Roberts

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• “I would say, moderately concerned,” — Mark Prior

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• “Safe to say that even if there isn't an off day behind it, I would like to give him that next day off,” — Dave Roberts

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The Dodgers plan to slot Ohtani into the rotation for the June 22 start in Philadelphia, with the expectation that he will receive a brief mound session in the days preceding to test his knee. The club intends to monitor his condition closely and provide off-days when feasible, aiming to keep him healthy for a potential postseason run.

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