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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani won’t be playing in the upcoming MLB All-Star Game despite being the leading vote-getter in the league.
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Ohtani is currently dealing with an ongoing knee problem that has lingered for weeks. The Dodgers made the decision to scratch Ohtani from his scheduled start this past Friday, as well as pull him from the All-Star Game.
But this wasn’t a decision that the superstar made lightly, with the slugger sending an apology to all the fans.
“I feel bad for the fans who voted for me,” Ohtani said. “I think they voted for me because they wanted to see me play and I feel bad that I can’t. I regret that I have to drop out after being voted in.”
Ohtani wanted to represent the Dodgers at the All-Star Game, but due to the uncertainty around his knee, the decision was in the best interest of everyone for him to miss. Los Angeles also announced that Ohtani would be receiving “interventions” on his knee to put him in the best position for the second half of the season.
Thankfully, Ohtani won’t have to undergo any surgical procedures with the injury and his two-way duties are expected to proceed normally. But if the knee doesn’t respond to the treatment, the Dodgers will have some tough decisions to make.
Ohtani has taken on a heavy workload in the first half of the season, and it’s clearly taken a toll on his body. The veteran has played through the knee injury, with the Dodgers’ medical staff paying close attention to him.
The slugger has recently been dealing with tightness in his biceps as well, seeing him be removed from a recent game. It was also revealed that Ohtani hid that same biceps injury from manager Dave Roberts earlier this season.
Finally, Ohtani has been dealing with a blister on his pitching hand. But the ace has said that the issue hasn’t impacted him on the mound.
Overall, the injuries have been minor, but they are something to watch as the year goes forward.
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Shohei Ohtani’s First Half in Review
Ohtani is again a heavy favorite to take home the NL MVP award
On the mound, he’s been one of the best pitchers in the game, sporting an ERA of 1.79.
At the dish, he’s hitting 293 with 22 home runs and 58 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .952.
It has been a very strong season for the Dodgers two-way star again, but the team needs to prioritize his health for the stretch run. The postseason is the most important part of the year, with Ohtani recognizing that team success is the No. 1 priority.
“I think that No. 1, he’s always said, we’ve always said, the goal is October, for all of our players,” manager Dave Roberts said. “With that, yeah, he’s had the Cy Young in mind, and understandably so. But nothing is going to come in front of being healthy for October.”
The Dodgers will carefully watch how Ohtani’s knee responds to the treatment before making any decisions on how to proceed. Ohtani doesn’t like to miss any games – especially one like the All-Star Game – but this is the best way to make sure he’s fully ready to go for the playoffs.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Sends Apology to Fans After Injury Decision.
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This story was originally published July 12, 2026 at 4:09 PM.