For the last week, the Dodgers have tried to avoid the possibility.

But on Wednesday, the team finally reached a tipping point with Shohei Ohtani’s ongoing left knee and right arm injuries, with manager Dave Roberts announcing he will go on the injured list after he missed six of the club’s last seven games.

The move –– which also prompted the Dodgers to call up top prospect Josue De Paula –– comes as the latest troubling sign about the state of Ohtani’s health, which has faced mounting questions over the last several days.

Ohtani initially developed his knee problem in early June, but continued in his full-time two-way role for several weeks afterward.

Then, during a two-way start on July 3, he was removed from the game early as a hitter because of not only knee pain but also right biceps discomfort.

Ohtani has not pitched in a game since then, enduring repeated setbacks in a throwing progression that have dashed his chances of returning to the mound this year.

He had, however, continued to serve as the Dodgers’ everyday designated hitter, initially looking unaffected by his physical ailments as he made a push for his fifth career MVP Award.

Alas, circumstances started to change over the last several weeks. 

In 12 games from Aug. 17 to Sept. 2, Ohtani went 6-for-46 with no home runs, 19 strikeouts and a .494 OPS (the worst mark in a continuous dozen-game stretch in his MLB career). Last Wednesday, he went 0-for-4 with four punchouts for the first time this season.

More alarming that night was how, in his final at-bat, the 32-year-old was grimacing after each swing and shaking out his right arm.

That prompted the team to hold Ohtani out of the lineup for four-straight games over the rest of the week, before he returned for an 0-for-3 performance with a walk on Monday.

Initially, the team had hoped Ohtani could remain a regular presence in the lineup moving forward –– albeit with more off days mixed in down the stretch.

That’s why they didn’t place the slugger on the IL initially, not wanting to lose him for the minimum 15-day spell.

Alas, Ohtani missed Tuesday’s game with what Roberts said was “load management,” then was out again Wednesday following another setback physically.

During Monday night’s game, Ohtani felt renewed discomfort in his right arm, according to Roberts.

Nevertheless, Roberts said Ohtani had not alerted the team’s training staff until Tuesday, prompting him to sit out Wednesday despite Roberts saying Tuesday night he expected him to play.

The Dodgers will be able to backdate the IL stint to Tuesday. But, that still means Ohtani won’t be eligible to return until Sept. 23, when there will be just five games remaining in the regular season.

That could leave the superstar with little time to rediscover his swing. But right now, his ailing health is the most pressing issue.

Thus, for his first time with the Dodgers, Ohtani is going on the IL.