Key facts
- Shohei Ohtani was removed from the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting lineup on Friday due to left knee inflammation.
- Manager Dave Roberts stated Ohtani is day-to-day and could play this weekend.
- Ohtani is still scheduled to make his next pitching start on Wednesday.
- Ohtani hit his 13th home run in Thursday's 8-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates before exiting with the injury.
- The inflammation is in the back of Ohtani's left knee, which he had surgery on in 2019.
Shohei Ohtani was absent from the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting lineup on Friday against the Chicago White Sox due to left knee inflammation. Manager Dave Roberts stated that Ohtani is day-to-day and could potentially play over the weekend, while remaining on schedule for his next pitching start on Wednesday.
Ohtani exited Thursday night's 8-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh inning after hitting his 13th home run of the season. Roberts indicated that imaging showed no significant findings and attributed the issue to "normal wear and tear," noting swelling at the back of Ohtani's left knee, which he had surgically repaired in September 2019. The manager added that Ohtani's range of motion is currently good.
Ohtani, 31, is batting .305 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs in 67 games for the NL West-leading Dodgers. As a pitcher, he holds a 6-2 record with a 1.06 ERA in 11 starts this season.