Shohei Ohtani will not play in tonight’s All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, sitting out to treat irritation in his left knee and prepare for the second half, per MLB.com. The Los Angeles Dodgers reach the break at 61-36, the best record in the National League.
Ohtani was one of four Dodgers elected to the NL starting lineup, alongside Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Andy Pages — tied for the most elected starters in franchise history, matching the 1974 and 1980 clubs, per MLB.com. Yoshinobu Yamamoto made the NL roster, and Justin Wrobleski was added as a replacement, giving Los Angeles six All-Stars.
The knee is the story that matters. Ohtani enters the break with 22 home runs, and the Dodgers limped in by dropping three straight at home to Arizona — their first losing streak of consequence in weeks. Neither development changes the standings picture; the division lead is 11.5 games. What a 61-36 first half buys is the freedom to be conservative with a knee in July so it is not a question in October, and skipping an exhibition is the cheapest possible version of that trade.
The front office, meanwhile, is shopping for the postseason rotation. CBS Sports reports the Dodgers have interest in Tigers ace Tarik Skubal ahead of the August 3 deadline — the kind of addition a team makes when it is planning for three playoff rounds rather than a division race it has already decided.
For fantasy managers, there is no reason to move. No injured-list stint has been reported, and the break gives Ohtani four days of rest with no games missed. Treat him as a normal hold, and check the Dodgers’ first post-break lineup to confirm he is in it before drawing any conclusions.
