Shohei Ohtani Injured During Dodgers vs. Pirates, Latest Updates on Star After Exiting Game

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is being held out of Friday's starting lineup against the Chicago White Sox due to left knee inflammation, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Ohtani underwent an MRI that confirmed the knee inflammation, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. He's expected to return to the lineup this weekend.

Ohtani left Thursday's matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning with the injury, the team announced.

Any injury to Ohtani will be met with concern, given the three-time defending NL MVP's importance to the Dodgers, even if manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the game that his removal was precautionary.

"We tried to be smart about it and get him out of the game," he said. "He told the trainer that he felt a little something behind his knee and I just didn't see any sense in risking it."

The 31-year-old is having another monster season, hitting .299 with 12 homers, 39 RBI, 46 runs, six stolen bases and a .940 OPS. It's a testament to his dominance at the plate that you could argue he's currently having a bit of a down season offensively, at least compared to his last two seasons (where he hit over 50 homers and had an OPS above 1.000).

But Ohtani also happens to be one of the best pitchers in the sport. In 11 starts this season he's 6-2 with a 1.06 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 67.2 innings. The Dodgers have a bounty of talented pitchers, and yet it's their best hitter who has also been the best on the mound (with apologies to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has also been fantastic).

Justin Wrobleski's been a pleasant surprise for the pitching staff as well and was also hurt on Thursday. He was removed from the game with a right hamstring contusion suffered after being hit by a comebacker, making it a tough night for the Dodgers on the injury front.

"I'll get some treatment on it and I'll be fine," Wrobleski told reporters. "I don't think it's a big deal. Just a little frustrating."

With Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow each on the 60-day injured list, L.A.'s deep rotation would have suddenly been pretty thin if Wrobleski and Ohtani suffered more serious injury issues.

The Dodgers have utilized a six-man rotation this season, which allows players like Ohtani, Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki to stay fresh. Ohtani isn't scheduled to pitch again until Tuesday, June 16—and Wrobleski a day later—so Thursday's injury issues likely won't affect the team's rotation.