What happened: Shohei Ohtani has been treating a sore left knee for the past month, per Alden Gonzalez. The issue cost him his scheduled pitching start today and will keep him out of next week's All-Star Game.

Why it matters: Ohtani's absence removes the reigning face of the sport from the Midsummer Classic just days after he reached 300 career home runs. The knee has lingered for weeks without sidelining him outright until now, raising questions about his workload as a two-way player over the second half.

What to watch: Ohtani is expected to undergo interventions on the left knee, and his next start date is unconfirmed.