Overview
- The Dodgers removed Shohei Ohtani in the seventh inning of Thursday’s win over Pittsburgh after he reported a sensation behind his left knee and was pinch-hit for by Santiago Espinal.
- Team imaging and postgame evaluation produced no acute structural findings, and manager Dave Roberts called the move precautionary with the club describing Ohtani as day-to-day.
- Ohtani was left out of Friday’s lineup in Chicago while trainers monitor his swelling and range of motion, though the Dodgers still have him penciled in for his next mound start midweek.
- Also on Thursday, starter Justin Wrobleski left with a right hamstring contusion after a comebacker, adding short-term strain to Los Angeles’s pitching depth.
- Ohtani has a prior left-knee surgery for a bipartite patella and the Dodgers have used cautious workload management this season, so the club is prioritizing short-term rest and evaluation to avoid risking his two-way availability.