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Shohei Ohtani hasn't pitched since July 3. The Japanese superstar of the Dodgers has been dealing with a stubborn left knee since mid-June and a right biceps issue that complicates the picture. Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations, said it bluntly: without that knee, Ohtani would already be on the mound. In the meantime, he just hits. And he still hits hard.
A knee, a biceps, zero pitches in a month
Seven weeks later, the assessment is heavier: the 32-year-old star received a lubricant injection during the All-Star break, which he deliberately skipped to stay in Los Angeles and treat the joint.
On June 11, Ohtani felt discomfort in his left knee. It was thought to be a simple temporary inflammation. Seven weeks later, the assessment is heavier: the 32-year-old star received a lubricant injection during the All-Star break, which he deliberately skipped to stay in Los Angeles and treat the joint. He hasn't returned to the mound since July 3, and no return date for pitching has been announced by the club.
On July 29, Ohtani revealed to the Associated Press that a right biceps issue had been added to the equation. The muscle, stressed differently when the knee compensates, slows down the recovery. The Dodgers don't want to take any risk: sending a pitcher with an altered mechanics to the mound is opening the door to an elbow or shoulder injury that would wipe out the rest of his season.
Designated hitter, effective hitter
Deprived of his pitching role, Ohtani remains a top offensive asset. On July 28 against the Seattle Mariners, he sent a Luis Castillo offering 432 feet from home plate, at 109.1 mph exit velocity. A leadoff home run, his twenty-third of the season and the tenth in the first inning in 2026. The Dodgers lost 7-6 that night, but the power display reminded why the club tolerates the absence of his arm: even diminished, Ohtani changes the face of a game with one swing.
Dave Roberts, the manager, alternates rest days and presence in the lineup. The team spares the Japanese player by confining him to the designated hitter role, knowing that batting stances stress the knee less than the explosive push needed for a pitch. July numbers remain solid: a batting average flirting with .290 and consistent run production at the heart of the offensive order.
A season with two faces
The rotation was starting on solid ground though. Deprived of Walker Buehler, who left in free agency last winter, it relied on the Ohtani-Glasnow-Yamamoto trident. Without the first, Roberts has to improvise. Justin Wrobleski and Landon Knack are discovering the constraints of the five-day rest, and the bullpen, called upon earlier than usual, shows signs of wear since the post-All-Star resumption.
Friedman indicated that the absolute priority was to get Ohtani back as a pitcher for the playoffs, even if it means he doesn't pitch a single regular-season game. The calculation is transparent: an Ohtani at 80% of his abilities in October is better than a broken Ohtani in September. The fans at Chavez Ravine, who saw him lift the World Series trophy in 2024 and 2025, know the tune.
Rehabilitation continues at the Camelback Ranch training center in Arizona. The medical team adjusts the workloads day by day. Each physiotherapy session brings the return of the Japanese phenomenon closer or further away. One thing is certain: the Dodgers will go as far as their superstar's knee carries them.