The Los Angeles Dodgers will only get one side of Shohei Ohtani on Friday vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ohtani, who has been battling a knee issue, is still going to be hitting, but he will not make his scheduled start.

He will also end up missing the All-Star game, giving him more than a week in between pitching starts.

The Dodgers will instead go to a bullpen opener, which is quite easy to do since the team had a rest day on Thursday and should have a good amount of rested arms.

Dodgers’ Lineup vs. Rockies

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Andy Pages, CF
3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
4. Mookie Betts, SS
5. Tommy Edman, 3B
6. Kyle Tucker, RF
7. Teoscar Hernandez, LF
8. Miguel Rojas, 2B
9. Dalton Rushing, C

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The Dodgers are going up against a lefty in Eduardo Rodriguez. For the matchup and to give a veteran some rest before the All-Star game, LA is resting Max Muncy.

Muncy is making his third All-Star appearance next week.

In his absence, Tommy Edman moves to third base, while Miguel Rojas enters at third base.

Against Rodriguez, Andy Pages and Mookie Betts will have the ideal matchups. Both, especially Betts of late, have proven to be good contact bats.

Additionally, Teoscar Hernandez will look to get going since his return from the injured list.

Who is pitching for the Dodgers?

In a bullpen game, the Dodgers are turning to Kyle Hurt, who has experience as a starting pitcher and an arsenal to go multiple innings.

Hurt was pitching really well when he slotted into the bullpen amid a run of injuries. He has a 4.55 ERA in 31 games this year, but his FIP is a bit better at 3.55.

Once Edwin Diaz gets healthy, among others, Hurt will be on the chopping block, but his start on Friday can help him make his case to stay on the team for the stretch run.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have pulled Shohei Ohtani from his pitching start on Friday, July 10th, the team announced ahead of Friday’s game.

The Dodgers were set to start a three-game series on Friday vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium before the All-Star break.

However, to keep him upright for the rest of the season amid his left knee soreness, they decided not to have him pitch before the break.

Additionally, the Dodgers said he will not play in the All-Star Game in Philadelphia, which will allow him to get essentially a week of rest and more than a week between his next pitching start and the All-Star Game.

Ohtani had knee inflammation return during a road trip against the Pittsburgh Pirates, which led to a one-game absence against the Chicago White Sox.

He quickly returned to action, but manager Dave Roberts has been clear that he will be managed based on how he feels about his knee.

Here is what the Dodgers shared regarding Ohtani’s status:

Los Angeles Dodger Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled start on the mound this evening against the Arizona Diamondbacks due to continued irritation in his left knee. He will serve as the designated hitter the rest of the weekend, but following the series against the Diamondbacks he will have some interventions on his knee to put him in the best position for the second half of the season. Unfortunately, due to these events, he will not be able to travel to Philadelphia and participate in the 2026 All-Star Game.

Who will pitch for the Dodgers on Friday vs. the D-Backs?

Rather than deploy Ohtani, the Dodgers will do an unplanned bullpen game. Luckily, the team is coming off a rest day, meaning there would be plenty of arms able to give some length.

Additionally, before the game, there could be a move to add some fresh arms if needed.

The Dodgers’ odds of winning the game definitely take a hit without one of the best pitchers in baseball taking the mound, but at least they get his bat.

Considering their National League West lead, the Dodgers have plenty of room to stretch their legs and get Ohtani off his feet.