Knee: Shohei Ohtani leaves the Dodgers’ game

Right now, the Dodgers are holding their breath.

During last night's game, they were forced to remove Shohei Ohtani from the lineup. Santiago Espinal batted in his place.

We suspected something was wrong, and it was quickly confirmed: inflammation in his left knee was detected.

That's why he left the game against the Pirates.

In 2026, even though he's having an extraordinary season, you can sense that the ace pitcher and slugger is feeling the effects of time a bit more. He sometimes has minor slumps at the plate.

At nearly 32 years old, he sometimes gets more rest than in the past, just to keep him in shape. However, that hasn't been enough to prevent his knee pain.

But yesterday, once again, Ohtani was at the top of his game. He reached base four times, including twice via walks and twice via hits.

One of them was a home run.

The day before, he had also hit a two-run homer in addition to pitching a quality start on the mound at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Ohtani, who has had his ups and downs this season, was really starting to turn things around at the plate. Will his knee hold him back? We'll see.

One thing is certain, in any case: the Dodgers can't afford to lose both the pitcher and the hitter. Caution will be needed to ensure he can continue playing in the short term.

But it's worth noting that Dave Roberts isn't very worried, for what it's worth. Ohtani could play today.

Note that today's starter, Justin Wrobleski, left the Dodgers' game due to a thigh injury.

Tough night in L.A…

• Shane Bieber was excellent in Buffalo. Will his next start be in the MLB?

• Alejandro Kirk is expected to be in the Blue Jays' lineup tomorrow.

• Tommy Pham becomes a free agent.

• Dodgers team doctor Neal ElAttrache could be in trouble for supporting Conor McGregor and his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.