Shohei Ohtani injury situation takes another turn as Dodgers Cy Young run now in doubt

Shohei Ohtani’s latest injury development may not threaten his ability to remain in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup, but it could put a significant dent in his chances of adding another historic accomplishment to his résumé.

Manager Dave Roberts announced Sunday that Ohtani will not make his scheduled pitching start Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies because of lingering soreness in his left knee. More concerning, Roberts indicated this will not simply be a one-start absence.

The Dodgers still expect Ohtani to pitch again this season. For now, however, they are backing off his workload on the mound after discomfort persisted even following treatment and rest during the All-Star break. That could have major implications for Ohtani’s National League Cy Young candidacy.

Ohtani entered the second half having built a legitimate case to contend for the award, going 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts across 85.2 innings in 14 starts. The quality of his performance has been undeniable, but accumulating enough innings was already going to be one of the biggest questions surrounding his candidacy. An extended absence only makes that hurdle more difficult to clear.

Shohei Ohtani's return to mound unclear as knee injury concerns grow

Ohtani’s knee first began bothering him during the Dodgers' June 11 game in Pittsburgh. While the soreness hasn't significantly affected him at the plate, pitching places considerably more stress on the left knee, which serves as his landing leg.

Ohtani received a lubricating injection in his knee during the All-Star break and initially hoped to resume his normal two-way workload. But after still experiencing discomfort while playing catch over the weekend, the Dodgers decided there was little reason to push him.

Fortunately, the Dodgers have the luxury of patience. With a comfortable advantage in the NL West and the best record in baseball, preserving Ohtani for October matters far more than squeezing additional regular-season starts out of him in July.

That is undoubtedly the correct approach for the Dodgers, but the timing couldn't be worse for Ohtani's pursuit of pitching hardware. Every start he misses makes it more difficult to build the workload typically expected of a Cy Young winner, regardless of how dominant he has been when healthy.

Ohtani could still return and finish the season with numbers impressive enough to keep him in the conversation. But what once looked like another opportunity for the two-way superstar to make history is suddenly very much in doubt.

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