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Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, with the game very much in the balance in the seventh inning, left Thursday’s game vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates early.
All of a sudden, when it came to Ohtani’s spot in the lineup, he did not appear from the on-deck circle; instead, it was Santiago Espinal who pinch-hit for him.
Espinal got a base hit single to load the bases with one out, which eventually led to Andy Pages scoring on a wild pitch.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers said later on in the inning that Ohtani left with left knee inflammation, an injury that was not immediately clear on the field.
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Jun 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) runs on a hit-and-run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Ohtani has been hitting the leather off the ball recently, hovering around .300 as a hitter, and his ERA just went up to 1.06 as a pitcher.
During Thursday’s game, Ohtani was already 2-for-2 with two walks and an RBI, which came on a solo home run blast. He has kicked things up into high gear as a hitter, hitting for power more often, and the swing mechanics look pristine.
How concerned should fans be about Ohtani’s injury?
Ohtani is known for being a rock on the field, playing through pain no matter what is happening.
Manager Dave Roberts and the staff typically need to force him to leave the field, whether he is at a high pitch count or when questioned about his rest.
Given that Ohtani felt he could not play through it, there is good reason for concern, but details about the injury and its nature remain scant at this time.
The Dodgers, knowing how much stress two-way play has on the human body, are already on the careful side when handling Ohtani, especially in the regular season, to keep him ready for the postseason.
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