Dave Roberts Offers Insight on Shohei Ohtani’s Knee Issue

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided an update regarding Shohei Ohtani's recent knee injury, which forced him to exit the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 11. According to Roberts, Ohtani may have sustained the injury to his left leg while attempting to steal a base, though he acknowledged uncertainty about the exact cause. Despite the early exit, the manager expressed that his concern is “not high” and is optimistic about Ohtani's return to the lineup the following day, as well as his next scheduled pitching appearance.

The Dodgers confirmed that Ohtani left the game due to left knee inflammation; however, Roberts speculated that the issue might actually stem from the hamstring area, which lies behind the knee. “I think that we try to be smart about it and talk to the trainer, and said he had a little pain behind the knee and a little hamstring,” Roberts explained. “We just wanted to be smart and not push it. I feel good about him being in there tomorrow, but obviously, with the travel tonight, we’ll just kind of see how he comes in.”

Roberts also noted that the injury affected Ohtani's landing leg rather than his push-off leg, which could be advantageous for his pitching. “You could argue that it’s better the landing leg versus the push off,” he stated. “Tomorrow, he’ll get there, do his routine, play catch, push off, or land on it, see how it reacts, and then obviously take swings and then see how that reacts too.”

This injury comes at a challenging moment for Ohtani, who had been finding his rhythm both as a hitter and pitcher. With his exceptional performance on the mound and a surge in home runs, his recent form has been a vital asset for the team.