Shohei Ohtani Out Of MLB All-Star Game, Will Also Miss Friday Night’s Start

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will not take the mound on Friday night, and he will also be absent from the MLB All-Star Game. Ohtani will not pitch against the Diamondbacks due to irritation in his left knee, the team announced. He’s still available and will serve as the team’s designated hitter through the weekend. A replacement for Ohtani on the mound has yet to be announced, as is also the case for the All-Star Game. Ohtani’s injury also leaves him out of Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia. Instead of taking part in the Midsummer Classic, he will go through medical interventions after the series. In June, Ohtani underwent MRI scans that revealed inflammation and no serious injuries, leaving him available to play in most of their games. The four-time MVP has once again been one of the best players in the big leagues this season and stands alone as the game’s premier two-way player. Through 85 games as designated hitter, Ohtani has recorded 95 hits, 56 RBIs and 20 home runs. The Dodgers are 61-33 going into their weekend series, which sits as the league’s highest winning percentage with .649. The Associated Press contributed to this report.