​The Dodgers opened their final series before the All-Star break with a deflating 9-3 defeat at Dodger Stadium on Friday, a performance that left them searching for a spark after a rough night. Yet amid the setback, there was a glimmer of good news: Shohei Ohtani appeared comfortable as the designated hitter, even though he had been scratched from his scheduled pitching assignment due to irritation in his left knee. Ohtani will not participate in next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, but he did deliver a leadoff homer off Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez, a moment that stood out on a night otherwise dominated by Arizona.
Manager Dave Roberts spoke about Ohtani’s situation, noting that the team learned of the knee issue yesterday morning. The plan, if feasible, was to be proactive—drain the area and take any necessary measures to manage the condition in conjunction with rest for the All-Star break. Roberts emphasized that, despite the discomfort, Ohtani’s swing had not hampered his performance, and the team had already scaled back on stolen-base attempts. Ohtani is slated to serve as the DH for the next three games, as he continues to contribute offensively while the knee is monitored.
Arizona capitalized on the Dodgers’ bullpen-heavy approach and a trio of defensive miscues to seize control of the game early. Right-hander Kyle Hurt began the proceedings, allowing two runs on three hits through 1⅔ innings. The Diamondbacks took advantage of Ohtani’s quiet night on the field early in the game, with Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo starting the inning with base hits. Corbin Carroll moved Marte to third on a force out at second, then Gabriel Moreno lined a single to right to score Marte. Carroll scored on a throwing error from Kyle Tucker that sailed into the Dodgers’ dugout, giving Arizona an early 2-0 lead.
After Ohtani’s 21st homer of the season had the Dodgers tied briefly, Andy Pages answered with a 419-foot solo shot to left-center for his 17th homer, tying the game at 2. That moment, however, would be the Dodgers’ only offense against Rodriguez, who worked six innings with seven hits allowed and five strikeouts, earning the win to improve to 8-3 on the season.
The Dodgers (61-34) could muster just two more hits—both in the ninth inning against Drey Jameson—against Arizona’s bullpen. Will Klein was charged with the loss after giving up a single run in 1⅔ innings. The game’s turning point came earlier in the fourth inning, when Brock Stewart surrendered a two-run homer to Tim Tawa. Arizona extended its lead in the fifth with two more runs following the Dodgers’ second defensive error of the night. Perdomo scored after Stewart walked him to start the frame, Carroll reached on a fielder’s choice that plated Perdomo thanks to a throwing error by Rushing, Moreno grounded out to drive in Perdomo, and a balk followed by a wild pitch allowed Carroll to score. The Diamondbacks’ lead swelled, and the Dodgers were left chasing throughout the night.
As the All-Star break approaches, the Dodgers will need to regroup after a game that exposed vulnerabilities in the bullpen and defense, even as Ohtani continued to swing with purpose at the plate. The focus for Los Angeles will be tightening their defense, stabilizing bullpen usage, and ensuring that Ohtani’s knee issue does not escalate as they head toward a midseason pause and the opportunity to reset heading into the second half of the season.