Shohei Ohtani exited the game after hitting a home run due to left knee inflammation, Roberts says he is highly likely to play tomorrow

During today's matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates, Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani blasted his 13th homer of the season but was pulled from the game in the later innings because of physical issues. The Dodgers' organization confirmed his departure was due to "left knee inflammation." Manager Dave Roberts provided an update, stating that while the exact cause of the injury remains unclear, he believes there is a strong chance Ohtani will be available to play tomorrow.

In this game, Ohtani served as the leadoff designated hitter, recording 2 hits in 2 at-bats, 2 walks, and 1 RBI, including a solo home run. His batting average increased to 0.305 after the contest.

However, when the game reached the seventh inning with one out and runners on first and second, Ohtani was expected to step up to the plate but did not appear. Instead, pinch-hitter Santiago Espinal took his place, and Ohtani was subsequently removed from the game. The team later explained that his substitution was due to "left knee inflammation."

It was reported that after drawing a walk in the fifth inning and returning to the dugout, Ohtani had a brief conversation with Roberts before heading to the back of the clubhouse for an evaluation by the medical staff.

Roberts commented, "We just wanted to make the most prudent decision," emphasizing that the substitution was purely a precautionary measure to protect the player.

He further revealed, "After discussing with the trainer, I learned that he felt some discomfort from the back of his knee down to his hamstring area, so we decided not to take any risks and adopted a more cautious approach."

Regarding whether Ohtani can play tomorrow, Roberts expressed optimism: "I think there's a very high probability he'll be in the lineup tomorrow. However, the team still needs to travel tonight, so we'll have to wait until we get to Chicago tomorrow to assess his condition and make a final decision."

When asked about the cause of the injury, Roberts admitted that he still cannot pinpoint it: "To be honest, we don't yet know the exact reason. This issue only came up later in the game. Neither yesterday nor today, up until about the sixth inning, did anyone mention this problem."

In addition, Roberts specifically clarified that Ohtani did not ask to be taken out of the game: "This was a preventive decision made by the team. It wasn't because something suddenly snapped or because of a serious injury."

It is worth noting that Ohtani has a history of left knee issues. He underwent left knee patella surgery in September 2019. The recurrence of discomfort in his left knee has drawn increased attention to his recovery progress going forward.