Shohei Ohtani revealed new details on the cause of his recent left knee inflammation after returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup Saturday. The two-way star, who had left a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday due to swelling in his knee and sat out Friday, provided his first comments since the injury.

Ohtani, speaking through a translator, suggested his knee issue was linked to his pitching performance the previous day rather than a specific incident while running the bases, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had initially speculated. “There wasn’t one incident in which it suddenly happened,” Ohtani said, adding that flaws in his throwing mechanics during his last start likely contributed to the inflammation. In that Wednesday outing against the Pirates, Ohtani pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on a season-high 102 pitches.

Despite the rough pitching night, Ohtani remained in the Dodgers lineup as the designated hitter Thursday, foregoing the usual rest he had taken after pitching starts earlier in the season. Roberts confirmed that medical imaging performed on the knee Friday showed no structural damage. Ohtani reported waking up feeling good Saturday, with the swelling having subsided.

At the plate, Ohtani showed no signs of limitation. He led off Saturday’s game with his 14th home run of the season and drew three walks later in the contest. The star indicated he was optimistic about his condition heading into his next planned pitching start Wednesday. “It wasn’t 100 percent today,” he said, “but with the next three, four days, I feel pretty confident, with enough recovery, that I should be able to make the next start.”

The Dodgers remain cautious about the possibility of the knee inflammation recurring due to Ohtani’s demanding two-way role. His last significant knee issue occurred in 2019 when he was diagnosed with bipartite patella, a congenital condition in which the kneecap bones fail to fuse. That episode flared during his pitching rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery and required surgery later that year.

Roberts and the Dodgers do not believe the current inflammation is related to that prior condition and have no plans to alter Ohtani’s workload as a hitter and pitcher at this time. However, ongoing monitoring of the knee will be crucial as Ohtani prepares to return to the mound midweek.