Shohei Ohtani out of Dodgers' lineup for series finale vs. Mariners amid ongoing injuries

Amid a series of injuries, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is taking a break. The two-way player was left out of the Dodgers’ lineup ahead of Thursday’s series finale against the Seattle Mariners.

With Ohtani resting, Teoscar Hernández is stepping in as the designated hitter. Utility player Kiké Hernádez, who was activated off the injured list earlier this week, will slot in at left field.

Ohtani has been dealing with several injuries in recent weeks, missing the All-Star game due to irritation in his left knee. The injuries had kept the normally two-way player off the mound for almost a month, with Ohtani’s last start coming on July 3.

Though he returned to the Dodgers’ lineup after receiving a lubricant injection in that knee, a “regression” led the team to delay Ohtani’s return to the mound this past weekend. On Tuesday, Ohtani revealed that he was also dealing with a bicep issue.

Ohtani, who had hoped to chase his first Cy Young award this season, is seems unlikely to pitch much the rest of this year. However, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman downplayed the severity of Ohtani’s bicep injury on Wednesday, saying that the four-time MVP would be pitching if his knee was at 100 percent, and that the Dodgers plan to get him back on the mound this season, via The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.

The injury appears to be severe enough to give Ohtani a break from taking the plate as well, at least for now.

This story will be updated.