Shohei Ohtani to Miss 2026 All-Star Game Following Knee Injury

Shohei Ohtani was the first player to be confirmed as an All-Star this year after receiving over 3 million fan votes in Phase 1 of voting.

Shohei Ohtani to Miss 2026 All-Star Game Following Knee Injury

Shohei Ohtani (Image via Dodger Blue)

Shohei Ohtani will not be in Philadelphia on Tuesday when the 2026 All-Star Game takes place. The Los Angeles Dodgers star pulled out of this game following a knee injury.

The Japanese international was the first player confirmed as an All-Star this year. He earned an automatic spot in the National League lineup after receiving over 3 million fan votes in Phase 1 of voting.

Despite the support from the fans, he will not be playing this year. As per reports, he is dealing with some irritation in the left knee.

On Friday, the 4-time MVP was projected to start on the mound against the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, he was later scratched from his start and played only as the designated hitter (DH).

He once again opened the scoring for the Dodgers with a solo home run in the first inning. While circling the bases, he was seen limping a bit.

Ohtani went 1-for-4 in this game as the Dodgers lost 9-3 in the series opener at home. While speaking with the reporters later, the 32-year-old expressed that his injury was affecting his pitching rather than hitting.

St. Louis Cardinals star Ivan Herrera was later named as Ohtani’s replacement in the All-Star Game. This marks the first All-Star selection for the 26-year-old.

Last year, Ohtani started as the DH and was the leadoff hitter for the National League team. He went 1-for-2 with a single in the first inning. The NL side went on to win the game through a historic tiebreaker.

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How much will this knee injury affect Shohei Ohtani’s pitching?

MLB fans will not get to see Shohei Ohtani in the 2026 All-Star Game following his knee injury. While he was able to bat on Friday, he was removed from his scheduled start as the pitcher. So how much will this knee injury affect his pitching in the 2nd half?

Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani (Image via X/@AM570LASports)

As per manager Dave Roberts, Ohtani will have his knee drained on Sunday. This would give him a full 4 days to recover.

The Los Angeles-based side will start the second half of the season with a 3-game road series against the New York Yankees. According to Roberts, this injury will not affect his pitching in the second half of the season.

As per the Dodgers’ manager, had this injury taken place in October during a playoff run, Ohtani would have pitched. So the concern levels regarding his injury are low.

Ohtani has been in fine form with his pitching this season. In 14 starts, he has an 8-2 record, a 1.79 ERA, and 95 strikeouts. He has made a strong case for the NL Cy Young Award crown.

Apart from this, he recently celebrated another milestone moment. In the game against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, he smashed his 300th home run in MLB, becoming the 5th-fastest player to reach this mark.

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