Shohei Ohtani shares reason behind his recent knee injury

Ohtani Shares Insights on Knee Issue

CHICAGO — Shohei Ohtani has come up with a theory regarding his recent left knee inflammation.

After rejoining the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, hitting a leadoff home run and drawing three walks, Ohtani addressed the media for the first time since missing Friday’s game due to knee swelling. He had also left Thursday’s game early against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Initially, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts mentioned that the cause of Ohtani’s injury was unclear, speculating that it might have happened while running the bases.

However, Ohtani offered a different perspective on Saturday, suggesting that his pitching performance earlier in the week could be to blame. “It never happened suddenly,” he commented in Japanese. “I think it’s because of my last start.” He admitted he didn’t pitch very well.

Ohtani’s outing against the Pirates saw him allow a season-high four runs over six and two-thirds innings while throwing 102 pitches. He believes that his knee swelling the next day stemmed from his mechanics, especially since he didn’t take a day off after a series of games.

On a positive note, it seems Ohtani’s knee issue is under control for now. Roberts shared that medical imaging tests conducted on Friday showed no significant issues, and Ohtani reported feeling good the next morning, with swelling behind his knee having diminished. “I feel pretty confident that I can stay healthy,” he said.

He looked strong during his at-bats on Saturday, hitting his 14th home run of the season right off the bat.

Currently, Ohtani is testing his knee’s condition through catch play, preparing for his next scheduled start on Wednesday. He did admit that he wasn’t at 100% during Saturday’s game but expressed optimism about his recovery in the coming days.

The main concern moving forward is whether his pitching might exacerbate any knee problems.

Ohtani’s past knee issues, particularly a congenital defect in his patella that required surgery in 2019, had raised alarms. However, the Dodgers feel this current situation is different, and Roberts indicated there are no plans to adjust Ohtani’s role as a two-way player.