​TORONTO, ONTARIO – OCTOBER 24: Manager Dave Roberts #30 and Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers look on before game one of the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Center on October 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – MAY 3: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits an RBI double against the St. Louis Cardinals in the second inning at Busch Stadium on May 3, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) GettyThe absolute best baseball players in the world will take the field on Tuesday night in Citizens Bank Park for the 96th Midsummer Classic presented by Mastercard, but perhaps Major League Baseball’s BIGGEST star is nowhere to be found.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSo, why isn’t Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani (and two-way star) not participating in the 2026 MLB All-Star game? The National League’s manager is Dave Roberts, and the Dodgers are being treated like royalty for this event due to being the reigning, defending World Series champions. Well, turns out that baseball’s best player right now needs some rest, too, and Ohtani’s lingering (also very ominous) knee injury is keeping him away from All-Star game festivities. The 96th edition of the All-Star game is Tuesday, July 14 @ 8:00 p.m. on FOX.More MLB on Heavy: Recently Cut Tigers Outfielder Traded to Boston Red Sox During All-Star BreakMore MLB on Heavy: MLB Trade Rumors: Pirates/Orioles Announce Deal, Rays Interest in Tarik Skubal, Luis Arraez Makes DemandGettyTORONTO, ONTARIO – OCTOBER 24: Manager Dave Roberts #30 and Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers look on before game one of the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Center on October 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe main reason that Shohei Ohtani is not playing in the MLB All-Star game is due to an ongoing knee injury that caused him to miss his last scheduled start.Dave Roberts was clear months ago that ‘Unicorn’ Ohtani would not be pitching in the ASG, but then further news broke this past week that Shohei Ohtani would be missing the game altogether.On 7/10, here is what the Los Angeles Dodgers X account wrote (about Ohtani’s ASG status):“Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled start on the mound this evening against the D-backs due to continued irritation in his left knee. He will serve as the designated hitter the rest of the weekend, but following the series against the D-backs he will have some interventions on his knee to put him in the best position for the second half of the season. Unfortunately, due to these events, he will not be able to travel to Philadelphia and participate in the 2026 All-Star Game.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementShohei Ohtani was named to his sixth straight All-Star game, and is usually the star of the ‘Sho’ whenever he step