​LOS ANGELES — For the second consecutive summer, the Dodgers are bound for a White House visit, but the latest development in their championship chase centers on Shohei Ohtani’s health rather than politics or pomp. He was scratched from his scheduled Friday night start against the Arizona Diamondbacks due to lingering irritation in his left knee. The move cost fans a chance to see him on the mound and, ultimately, forced him to withdraw from next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, yet the Dodgers made the purpose clear: this is about protecting October, not July.
The decision, though unfortunate in timing, was driven by a practical consideration. “If there’s a chance that we could kind of be proactive and get it drained and do whatever we need to do to kind of try to manage it, and along with the rest for the All-Star break, we were going to do that,” manager Dave Roberts explained. The plan, in his view, was straightforward: address the issue now so it does not flare into a bigger problem later in the season.
Ohtani remains one of baseball’s most compelling figures, a dual-threat presence who continues to impress both at the plate and on the mound as he resumes his pitching duties. Missing the All-Star Game deprives the sport of one of its brightest stars on its biggest midsummer showcase, but from the Dodgers’ perspective, the choice was clear and necessary.
Roberts did not mince words when addressing the gravity of the situation. “If it were a postseason game,” he said, “he’d be pitching.” That remark underlines the team’s priority: safeguarding Ohtani’s health and availability for the late-season push, even if it means a temporary setback in mid-July. The Dodgers are not worried about his readiness for the second half. Ohtani is slated to have his knee drained on Sunday, after finishing the weekend as the designated hitter against Arizona. Roberts stressed repeatedly that the procedure is not expected to affect his pitching schedule after the All-Star break, insisting, “It’s not going to change anything for the second half as far as pitching. I’m not sure where he’s going to be slotted in after the break… that’s more opponent-driven.” He later made the commitment even more explicit: “He will be ready in the second half.”
Offensively, the knee issue has barely dampened Ohtani’s impact. The Dodgers have dialed back his stolen-base attempts to reduce the risk of aggravation, but his bat remains as potent as ever. “The way he’s swinging the bat, it hasn’t really affected performance,” Roberts noted. “We have certainly curtailed the stealing bases, but he feels good… and he’s going to DH in the next three games.” The team’s approach to Ohtani throughout the season has been characterized by careful, purposeful decisions aimed at preserving his value for the long haul.
As July winds toward August, the Dodgers’ overarching strategy is clear: balance the need to win now with the imperative to protect the organization’s most valuable asset for October’s battles. Ohtani’s health remains the anchor of that plan, a constant reminder that in baseball, as in many pursuits, durability often trumps spectacle. With the knee draining ahead and the All-Star break approaching, the Dodgers appear steadfast in their belief that their ace will be ready to contribute when it matters most, even if it costs him a start and a place in this year’s midsummer pageantry.