Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani was well on his way to a third consecutive National League MVP award on June 11 when he left a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with an injury.
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Ohtani left the game with left knee inflammation, the Dodgers announced, and was replaced with pinch hitter Santiago Espinal in the seventh inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
The Dodgers were leading the Pirates at the time Ohtani left the game, but they might have bigger issues on their hand than the outcome of the series finale. Starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski also was removed from the game with an injury, which the Dodgers announced as a right hamstring contusion.
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Ohtani was 2-for-2 with a home run and two walks in the game as the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter and DH.
One day earlier, he started on the mound and allowed three runs over 6.2 innings. Overall this season, Ohtani is 6-2 with a 1.06 ERA on the mound and slashing .305/.421/.543 at the plate.
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Wrobleski was on the leg by a comebacker, hastening his exit. It’s unclear how Ohtani sustained his injury.
Wrobleski has been one of the most surprising pitchers in the National League this season, going 7-2 with a 2.95 ERA in 12 games.
Only Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have thrown more than 40 innings for the Dodgers this season with a lower ERA; only Yamamoto (77.1) has thrown more innings than Wrobleski (73.1).
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But the greater concern is Ohtani, who has been the best player in baseball again thanks to his stellar two-way play.
Ohtani’s 1.06 ERA is the lowest of any pitcher with at least 40 innings pitched this season. He has yet to miss a start in 2026, his first full season in the Dodgers’ rotation.
Ohtani’s .964 OPS is the highest in the National League and the fourth-highest in MLB.
After Thursday’s game, the Dodgers will travel to Chicago to play the White Sox. Ohtani’s long-term prognosis might not be known until Friday.