Shohei Ohtani's Knee May Not Get Back to 100 Percent in 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter/starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (knee) may be battling discomfort in his left knee for the remainder of 2026, per Katie Woo and Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 due to nagging knee issues. While he's continued to play nearly every day as the Dodgers' designated hitter, he has not attempted to steal a base since May 22. The 32-year-old remains one of the best hitters in baseball even while playing at less than 100%, as he's slashed .289/.394/.537 with 23 home runs, 65 RBI, 68 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 456 plate appearances. However, Ohtani's barrel rate is down to 16.6% after he posted consecutive seasons with at least a 21% barrel rate in 2024 and 2025. It appears that fantasy managers may have to get used to slightly muted production from Ohtani the rest of the way.
Source: The Athletic - Katie Woo & Fabian Ardaya
Source: The Athletic - Katie Woo & Fabian Ardaya
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