Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed Shohei Ohtani's early exit from the game on June 11, 2026, stating that his concern about Ohtani's availability going forward was "not high" and that the team tried to be smart about the situation.
Roberts characterized the issue as hamstring-related rather than a knee problem. "It's more hamstring versus knee. It's behind the knee, but I think it's the attachment of the knee and the hamstring," he said during the press conference, noting that Ohtani reported discomfort rather than sharp pain and that there was no popping sensation. Roberts added that the team did not hear about the discomfort the previous night or earlier in the day — it was first reported around the sixth inning. Roberts also noted that Ohtani had surgery on his left knee in the past but indicated the current issue appears to be in a different area.
Roberts speculated that the discomfort may have occurred while Ohtani was attempting to steal second base, though he acknowledged he had not yet spoken directly with Ohtani to confirm. He also addressed the fact that the affected leg is Ohtani's landing leg for pitching, explaining, "You could argue that it's better the landing leg versus the push-off leg." On the topic of baserunning, Roberts stated the team needs to exercise caution: "We got to be smart on the bases and not take chances if we don't really need to." Despite the early exit, Roberts praised Ohtani's at-bats as exceptional, noting he was "really locked in tonight" even after the physical and mental fatigue that typically follows a pitching day.
Roberts also highlighted contributions from the bullpen, noting that Jack Dryer bounced back from the previous night's outing and that Tanner Scott recorded a four-out save. Roberts praised Alex Cole as well, stating that Cole worked a five or six pitch at-bat and added a base hit to help spark an inning. Roberts expressed relief at winning the series, acknowledging that the venue has historically been a difficult place for the Dodgers: "Here we just seem like it's hard to win baseball games here."
Ohtani is expected to go through his full routine on June 12, 2026 — playing catch, pushing off, landing, and taking swings — so the team can assess how the injury reacts before making any decisions about his availability.