The Los Angeles Dodgers have been on a roll as of late, and that has seen them take their spot atop the majors with the best record in the league. L.A. already is sporting a nine-game lead atop the National League West division, and it appears intent on making a serious push to win its third-straight World Series title.
The guy who will likely play the biggest role in helping the Dodgers on their quest to win another championship is Shohei Ohtani, but he’s been dealing with a couple of minor injuries as of late. After his latest start for Los Angeles, manager Dave Roberts provided a crucial update on his injury status moving forward.
Dave Roberts Not Too Concerned with Shohei Ohtani’s Injury Status
After a bit of a slow start to the season at the plate, Ohtani has gotten himself back on track and put his name firmly in the MVP conversation once again (.296 BA, 15 HR, 42 RBI, .962 OPS). It also helps that Ohtani has enjoyed a return to form on the mound, as he’s posted a 7-2 record with a minuscule 1.47 ERA and 78 strikeouts through his first 12 starts.
Of course, Ohtani does more than any individual player in the majors, but he puts quite a bit of wear and tear on his body in the process. He’s been dealing with a bothersome knee injury as of late, and he has a blister on his pitching hand that has been causing him some problems, as it opened up and began bleeding late in his start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.
Los Angeles has made it clear it is going to play it safe with Ohtani throughout the regular season, and now that he is dealing with a couple of different ailments, his status is going to be worth keeping tabs on. Roberts and the rest of the team are aware of Ohtani’s minor injuries, but it doesn’t sound like they are going to prevent him from taking the mound as expected next week.
“Potentially,” Roberts said when asked if he could give Ohtani some extra rest moving forward. “We do this Dermabond (for his blister), and I think today, I don’t know if it came off or he didn’t use it today, and that’s what spurred the bleeding late. Right now, I don’t see why he won’t make his next start … But down the road, could it happen? Potentially, but right now, I think we’re still in a good spot.”
Should the Dodgers Be Concerned About Shohei Ohtani’s Injuries?
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 13: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the first inning of the game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on June 13, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Zoe Davis/Getty Images)
The Dodgers know that it’s World Series or bust once again this season, which is why Ohtani’s status is always going to be of the utmost importance. If Los Angeles intends on winning it all again this year, it is going to need Ohtani as healthy as possible, so if that requires him to miss some time in June or July in order for him to be ready to go by October, so be it.
But for the time being, Roberts doesn’t seem overly worried about Ohtani’s status. The team could take its foot off the pedal in the future, but for now, it is going to continue operating as expected with the Japanese phenom. After finishing off a sweep of the Rays on Wednesday, L.A. will enjoy a day off on Thursday before kicking off a new three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.
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