Ohtani Sits Friday With Knee Inflammation, Avoids IL
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- Ohtani was out of the Dodgers' lineup for Friday's series opener against the White Sox in Chicago, one day after being pulled from a game in Pittsburgh because of left knee inflammation.
- Dave Roberts framed the scratch as precautionary, saying the team got pictures that showed "no findings" and called the issue "normal wear and tear" — adding Ohtani would have played if it were a more crucial part of the season.
- Roberts said there was no specific precipitating event behind the knee flare-up, noting Ohtani had surgery on the same left knee in 2019 with the Angels and that current soreness and swelling sit "in the back" of the joint, though his range of motion Friday was good.
- Roberts said Ohtani is not headed for the injured list, calling the situation "something that I think that we can manage," with the manager expecting Ohtani to return "either tomorrow or the next day."
- Ohtani is still scheduled to make his next start on the mound Wednesday when the Dodgers host the Tampa Bay Rays, with Roberts answering "as of now, yes" when asked if that plan holds.
- Ohtani is hitting .305 with 13 homers and 40 RBIs this season and leads the National League with a .421 on-base percentage, while going 6-2 with a 1.06 ERA on the mound — numbers that have him in line for a fourth straight MVP and a possible first Cy Young Award.
Why it matters: The Dodgers are managing a one-day absence rather than an IL stint for their two-way superstar, preserving Ohtani's Wednesday start against the Rays and his pursuit of a fourth straight MVP and a possible first Cy Young. The scare also revives a known vulnerability: Ohtani's left knee, which was surgically repaired in 2019, making any future swelling a story worth monitoring for a team whose title hopes run through him on both sides of the ball.
