Shohei Ohtani Leaves Dodgers Game Early With Injury

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani left Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates early with an injury.

>The team took to social media to say Ohtani left with “left knee inflammation.”

Shohei Ohtani has left the game early vs. the Pirates with left knee inflammation, according to the Dodgers.

Ohtani was 2-for-2 with a home run, an RBI, and two walks as well.

Hopefully, it is nothing more serious. He was just starting to turn things up to his best. pic.twitter.com/tA1BIXpsdF

— Nelson Espinal (@nelson__espinal) June 12, 2026Interestingly, the no heads up about Ohtani’s knee was given before Santiago Espinal stepped in as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning.

How did Shohei Ohtani get hurt?Ohtani pitched and hit on Wednesday night, but nothing happened that night or during Ohtani’s at-bats as a designated hitter on Thursday that appeared to lead to the injury.

>In both games, he blasted a home run, and he had another homer robbed at the outfield wall on Wednesday.

>It could be, however, that Ohtani’s injury is a reoccurrence of something he’s been dealing with for years.

Jun 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) circles the bases on a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesAs Dodgers Nation’s Nelson Espinal notes, Ohtani had knee surgery “back in 2019 … to address bipartite patella, which was causing discomfort.

>“He was given a 10-12 week timeline,” Espinal explained. “Ohtani has dealt with bipartite patella since birth, which is a condition that means his knee is made up of two bones instead of one since they did not fuse together.

>“Only 1-2% of people are impacted by it, and most do not notice it.

>“It caused inflammation and irritation, which is the reason the Dodgers gave for his leaving.”

Should Dodgers fans be worried about Shohei Ohtani’s injury?Ohtani is known for playing through pain, and manager Dave Roberts has said the staff often has to force him off the field.

Feb 21, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images“The Dodgers, knowing how much stress two-way play has on the human body, are already on the careful side when handling Ohtani, especially in the regular season, to keep him ready for the postseason,” Espinal said. “It could also be that the Dodgers are just playing things very safe with the knee issue and do not want to push it even a little bit in early June.

>“Given that Ohtani felt he could not stay in the game, there is good reason for concern, but more will surely come out in due time.”

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