Why Shohei Ohtani won't play in 2026 MLB All-Star Game

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Why Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani won't play in 2026 MLB All-Star Game

By Kevin Henry | Last updated Jul 10, 2026 4:47 PM ET

One of baseball's biggest stages will be without one of its biggest stars.

Bothered by “continued irritation in his left knee,” Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers will not be a part of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia, the team announced on Friday.

In addition to missing the Midsummer Classic, Ohtani will also miss his scheduled start on the mound on Friday night in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

While the knee issue will keep Ohtani from pitching, he will reportedly still serve as the Dodgers' designated hitter as they finish up their final series before the All-Star Game festivities.

Shohei Ohtani won’t pitch tonight and won’t play in the All-Star Game due to “continued irritation in his left knee.” pic.twitter.com/WIOig7Kbe7
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 10, 2026

Dodgers should be worried about keeping Shohei Ohtani healthy

That break could come in handy for Ohtani, who was elected to serve as the National League designated hitter by gathering more than 3.3 million fan votes in Phase 1 of this year's All-Star balloting. This marks the sixth consecutive season that Ohtani has earned an All-Star nod.

While Ohtani will miss the All-Star Game, the Dodgers are more concerned about how to keep their MVP candidate healthy for the rest of the season and postseason.

Ohtani reportedly first felt irritation in the knee following a June 10 start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The following day, he was removed from the game with swelling in that knee. He eventually returned to the lineup on June 13 and has been a constant in the Los Angeles lineup ever since.

In 2019, Ohtani underwent surgery on that same knee. However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has cast aside any thought that this year's issues could be related to that.

Since that June 10 start, Ohtani's ERA has crept up from 0.74 to 1.79.

At the plate, Ohtani had a strong June, finishing the month with a .333/.435/.636 slash line in 109 plate appearances. The offense has dipped, however, in July, with Ohtani posting a .222/.323/.444 slash line in 31 plate appearances.

Kevin Henry

A member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), Kevin Henry has been covering MLB and MiLB for nearly two decades. Those assignments have included All-Star Games and the MLB postseason, including the World Series. Based in the Denver area, Kevin calls Coors Field his home base, but travels throughout North America during the season to discover the best stories possible

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