Four Strikeouts in One Game—Then He Grabbed His Right Arm: Shohei Ohtani Collapses, Abruptly Rested on July 4

[Financial News] A serious warning sign has emerged regarding the condition of Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who once dominated Major League Baseball (MLB). His return to pitching has become uncertain because of chronic knee pain. Now, after the humiliation of four consecutive strikeouts, signs of a problem in his arm have also appeared, ultimately forcing him out of the starting lineup.
Ohtani will rest after being left off the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers' home game against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 4, 2026, at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
His absence stems from the poor performance and injury concerns that emerged in the previous day's game. Ohtani started as the leadoff designated hitter against St. Louis on July 3. After drawing a walk in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning, he struck out swinging in each of his next four plate appearances.

The most concerning moment came in the bottom of the 10th inning. After striking out swinging as the leadoff hitter, Ohtani appeared to feel severe pain and vigorously shook his right arm, startling the Dodgers' bench and fans.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts voiced serious concern about Ohtani's condition. Speaking to reporters after the previous day's game, Roberts admitted, "The movement of shaking his right arm was only the tip of the iceberg. For the past few weeks, we've continued to see a version of Ohtani who hasn't looked like the player we know."
The manager effectively acknowledged in public that the player's overall condition had deteriorated. The Dodgers' bench said it planned to speak closely with the training staff and Ohtani himself on July 4 to determine his exact physical condition.

Ohtani is currently caught in a web of injuries, both major and minor. Because of left-knee pain, he has been effectively sidelined from pitching since the San Diego Padres game on July 4. Roberts recently said, "The possibility that he may not pitch for the rest of the season is also one of the options," raising the prospect of a full pitching shutdown this season.
Although he stopped pitching and focused on hitting, his batting form has also cooled sharply. He is batting just .143 over his last seven games, going 4-for-28.
As a hitter this season, Ohtani has appeared in 133 games and is batting .279 with 30 home runs, 80 RBIs and a .906 OPS. As a pitcher in the first half, he posted an outstanding 8-2 record with a 1.79 ERA in 14 games. Through the first half of the season, he appeared poised to make a complete comeback as a two-way player and was considered a strong favorite to win the National League Most Valuable Player award for a fourth consecutive year. However, injuries and a batting slump in the second half have gradually dimmed his chances of achieving the feat.
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