The latest update on Shohei Ohtani’s injury came over the weekend when Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that Ohtani will not pitch as he continues recovering from a lingering knee injury.
“It’s going to be some time,” Roberts said, via MLB.com. “And I’d say that it’s not going to be a day-to-day thing.”
While Roberts said he believes Ohtani will return to pitching this season, he did not provide a timetable, creating an unfortunate reality for a year in which the Dodgers star had been on a historic pace on the mound.
Ohtani Facing Unfortunate Reality
With Ohtani not pitching for the foreseeable future, his chances of winning the first Cy Young Award of his career will likely have to wait.
The Dodgers superstar is 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA, but his current workload of 85.2 innings leaves him well behind the league’s top starters.
Even if he returns this season, it’s difficult to envision him throwing enough innings to remain a legitimate Cy Young contender. While he will continue to hit, the missed time on the mound could also impact his National League MVP case.
Ken Rosenthal Breaks It Down
On Monday, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal discussed that reality.
“Also interesting about this physical setback is Ohtani and the implications for both the Cy Young and the MVP races,” Rosenthal said. “We remember we talked a lot about Ohtani wanting to win his first Cy Young. It seemed to be a clear goal. Dave Roberts acknowledged that it was a clear goal, and now it’s not going to happen. Simple as that. He simply doesn’t have the innings.
“He is way behind even now. Ohtani is at 85.2 innings, and frankly, we don’t know how much he’s going to pitch the rest of the year. The fewest innings pitched by a starting pitcher to win a Cy Young Award in a full season was Corbin Burnes with 167 innings in 2021. I had a problem with that one.”
Shohei Ohtani’s setback likely spells the end of his NL Cy Young Award campaign, says @Ken_Rosenthal.
“He simply doesn’t have the innings.” pic.twitter.com/XwFPQqm1Pz
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 20, 2026
Could Ohtani Pitch Through Injury?
According to Roberts, the risk simply isn’t worth the reward. With the Dodgers chasing a third consecutive World Series title, keeping Ohtani healthy remains the priority.
“Could he probably do it? Sure,” Roberts said of Ohtani pitching through the injury. “But right now, the benefits just don’t seem to outweigh the cost at this time of the season. I think we still have plenty of time to get him to a good spot.”
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