Shohei Ohtani has remained in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup throughout the weekend despite continued irritation in his left knee that resulted in being scratched from a pitching start against the Arizona Diamondbacks and will prevent him from participating in the All-Star Game.
Ohtani earned a starting spot in the National League lineup as the designated hitter by virtue of leading all players in All-Star voting. He instead is expected to have the balky left knee drained on Saturday and it’s going to be accompanied by a cortisone injection.
Shohei Ohtani’s kneecap surgery to blame?
Ohtani’s latest trouble is in the same knee he previously had surgery on in 2019 to repair a bipartite patella, which is a rare congenital condition. Bipartite patella occurs when the two bones of the kneecap did not fuse together at birth.
After confirming plans to have the knee drained during the English portion of his interview on Friday night, Ohtani spoke with members of the Japanese media and revealed he’s primarily dealing with discomfort in the kneecap, as translated by Dylan Hernandez of the California Post.
When asked if the latest trouble is related the season-ending left knee surgery from his time with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani answered, “I wonder.”
Despite not pitching in the series opener against the Diamondbacks and being physically limited, Ohtani hit a home run in his first at-bat. The leadoff home run was his eighth of the season and tied Ohtani with James Wood for the MLB lead.
“It affects more of my pitching rather than the hitting side of the game,” he said through interpreter Will Ireton.
Along with the left knee injury, Ohtani has dealt with a blister on the middle finger of his right hand this season and two bouts of discomfort in his right bicep.
“I see the overall wear and tear. What’s been happening over the course of this year, I believe it’s more of a wear and tear,” he said. “But in terms of the knee, I think it’s more of my pitching mechanics. So that’s something I need to work on.”
Ohtani and the Dodgers have expressed confidence he will be available when the Dodgers resume their schedule on the Friday after the All-Star Game, and he is expected to continue pitching this year.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
