'This can't be' — Ohtani's injury finally manifests: Even after draining fluid from his knee, return remains elusive. What now?

*This content was translated by AI.

MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani (32, LA Dodgers) of the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) will temporarily halt his pitching duties for the time being and focus solely on hitting due to left knee pain.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced on the 20th (Korean time), ahead of the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York, U.S., that "Ohtani will not start against the Philadelphia Phillies on the 23rd." Ohtani plans not to pitch for the foreseeable future.

Ohtani was scheduled to start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the 11th but had previously canceled his appearance due to knee pain.

Since then, Ohtani has dedicated himself to recovery, even skipping the All-Star Game during his rest period. He went as far as receiving injections to drain fluid from his knee, doing everything possible to recover.

He was originally scheduled to make his return as a pitcher against Philadelphia on the 23rd. However, during weekend catch practice, Ohtani still felt discomfort in his left knee. Consequently, he canceled his planned bullpen session and temporarily postponed his return.

Manager Roberts stated, "It will take some time before Ohtani pitches again. This is not a minor issue that can be decided after observing his condition daily; we will manage him carefully as we have done so far."

The Dodgers currently hold an overwhelming lead in the National League West division, with a 11.5-game advantage over second-place Arizona Diamondbacks. Thus, there is no need to rush Ohtani's return as a pitcher.

Manager Roberts further added, "Since the team is in a strong position, there is no need to push Ohtani. Forcing him to pitch at this point carries greater long-term risk."

This season, Ohtani has appeared in 14 games as a pitcher, pitching 85⅔ innings with an 8-2 record and a 1.79 ERA. He recorded 95 strikeouts, delivering Cy Young-caliber performance. However, due to an unexpected knee injury, he has not returned to the mound since ending his start against the San Diego Padres on the 4th.

Although he cannot pitch, Ohtani's bat continues to swing. As a left-handed hitter, Ohtani puts weight on his left knee (back leg) while batting. However, compared to the heavy load placed on the front knee during pitching, the pain is minimal. The team has also determined that there is no issue with him playing as a hitter.

In the first game of the doubleheader against the Yankees held today, Ohtani started at designated hitter in the leadoff spot, going 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs and 1 run scored, demonstrating his readiness. He also recorded 1 hit in 4 at-bats in the second game of the doubleheader. Thanks to Ohtani's performance and starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto's complete game victory (9 innings, 4 hits allowed, 1 home run, 7 strikeouts, 2 earned runs; season record 10-6), the Dodgers defeated the Yankees 8-2 in the first game of the doubleheader. However, they narrowly lost the second game 1-2.

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*This content was translated by AI.