Shohei Ohtani battles knee concerns and a batting slump while earning his 7th win for the Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup after left‑knee inflammation, but his third game back saw him go 0‑for‑4, dropping his batting average below .300. Manager Dave Roberts said, "He’s got a bit of an odd feeling in his knee, but there’s no problem with his hitting," and noted the need to watch his baserunning.

The following night Ohtani started as pitcher, delivering six innings of work with seven hits and four earned runs, securing his seventh win of the season. He pitched through a bleeding middle finger, which he showed on his uniform after the game. Although the Dodgers removed the designated‑hitter role for Ohtani after the fifth inning, he later entered as a pinch‑hitter, grounding out. The performance kept his earned‑run average at 1.47, though the fourth‑inning four‑run inning was his most runs allowed in a single inning since joining the Dodgers.