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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Shohei Ohtani will make his next pitching start during the upcoming series against the Philadelphia Phillies, per Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic. Roberts shared the update with media at Yankee Stadium ahead of the Dodgers-Yankees series. The outing will mark Ohtani’s 15th start of the 2026 season.

This is a straightforward and encouraging piece of scheduling news, especially after the recent conversation around Ohtani’s knee concern that kept him out of the All-Star Game. The fact that Roberts is publicly locking in a start date tells us the organization is comfortable with where Ohtani is physically. No ambiguity, no “we’ll see how he feels” hedging — just a date on the calendar. That matters after a week where there was genuine uncertainty about his availability.

Ohtani has been the backbone of this rotation when healthy. Through 14 starts this season, he’s done exactly what the Dodgers signed him to do — anchor a pitching staff that needed a true ace presence alongside the two-way production that makes him unlike anyone else in the sport. His ability to stay on schedule here, rather than getting pushed back or skipping a turn, is the kind of thing that separates a good second half from a great one. We’ve seen what happens when the Dodgers have to patch rotation holes, and it’s not pretty.

The Phillies matchup is a significant one. Philadelphia has been one of the better lineups in the National League all season, and getting Ohtani on the mound for that series gives us our best chance to set the tone. It’s the kind of series where you want your top arm taking the ball, and Roberts clearly agrees.

I also think the timing here is telling. Roberts made this announcement from Yankee Stadium, which means the coaching staff has already mapped out the rotation through the Yankees series and beyond. That kind of planning suggests confidence — not just in Ohtani’s knee, but in the overall workload management picture. We’re past the halfway point of the season, and keeping Ohtani on a regular turn through the stretch run is priority number one for this franchise.

For the Dodgers, this is exactly the kind of news you want coming out of the All-Star break. No setbacks, no mystery — just their best pitcher lined up for a big series. The rotation depth has been tested at various points this year, and having Ohtani locked in and ready to go gives the entire staff a different feel. If the knee concern was ever more than minor, we’d be hearing a different story right now. We’re not, and that’s a good sign heading into the second half.

Source(s): Fabian Ardaya (The Athletic) | First reported: July 17, 2026 9:36 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers