Uncertainty surrounding Shohei Ohtani grew once again on Sunday, July 19. The Los Angeles Dodgers ruled out the Japanese star making his anticipated midweek start and, for the first time since he began experiencing discomfort in his left knee, acknowledged that there is no estimated date for his return to the mound.

Manager Dave Roberts confirmed that the organization decided to put the Japanese player’s pitching schedule on hold; he will continue to contribute solely as a hitter while he recovers.

The Japanese star has not pitched since July 3, after experiencing discomfort that first appeared in mid-June. During the All-Star break, he received a lubricant injection in hopes of returning for the start of the second half of the season, but his recovery did not go as expected.

“With his knee, we simply want to give him the best chance to get better… We believe it’s the pitching motion and the twisting motion when landing on that leg that’s affecting it,” Roberts explained in remarks reported by journalist Jack Harris.

Dave Roberts Avoids Setting a Date for Shohei Ohtani’s Return

Beyond ruling out his scheduled start this week, Dave Roberts made it clear that his recovery won’t happen overnight.

“It’s not something that will be resolved day by day. First, we have to get him to a point where both he and we feel he can pitch without setting back his recovery. I just can’t say when that might be,” he said

The manager also revealed that Shohei Ohtani didn’t even hold a bullpen session because both the player and the coaching staff understood that the discomfort was still present.

“He already knew the answer before the bullpen session. For us, it’s better to err on the side of caution.”

Despite the situation, Roberts remains confident that the four-time MVP will return to the mound before the season ends.

“Could he pitch? Of course he could. But right now, the benefits don’t outweigh the risks. We still have time for him to come back in top form,” the manager clarified.

Meanwhile, the Japanese player will continue to be a key part of the Angels’ offense. In the 2026 season, he is batting .294 with 37 home runs, 69 RBIs, 91 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, and an OPS above 1.000 numbers that keep him among the candidates for the National League MVP award.

Should the Dodgers Look for Another Starter on the Market?

Although Dave Roberts said that “the rotation can continue without Shohei, for now,” the Japanese pitcher’s indefinite absence is once again raising questions with just a few weeks left before the August 3 trade deadline.

The Dodgers hope to get Blake Snell back soon he has already begun his rehab in Triple-A while Tyler Glasnow is also making progress in his recovery. Until then, the rotation will continue to rely on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, and other pitchers who have filled in for the injured players for much of the year.

However, the uncertainty surrounding Shohei Ohtani could change management’s plans. In recent weeks, pitchers such as Mitch Keller (Pirates), Sonny Gray (Boston), and Zac Gallen (Diamondbacks) have been mentioned in trade rumors and could become options to bolster a rotation aiming to enter October in top form.

Adding a starter of that caliber would not only lighten the workload on the rest of the rotation but also give the National League team more leeway to carefully manage their star’s recovery. Furthermore, adding a proven arm heading into the postseason would reduce the risk of relying solely on the return of their injured pitchers, strengthening one of the most critical areas for a team with aspirations of winning another World Series.

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