Baseball fans from Tokyo to Tinseltown woke up to the terrible news Thursday: Shohei Ohtani has torn his pitching elbow cruciate ligament and may need a second operation from Tommy John.
Not only does this prevent him from re-pitching for the Los Angeles Angels in 2023, it also dramatically impacts the market value of baseball’s two-way sensation, who landed a record-breaking free agency contract this winter. MLB contemporaries like Kansas City’s Salvador Perez and Toronto’s Jordan Romano previously estimated Ohtani’s net worth at $600 million, putting him in the exclusive neighborhood of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Of course, even at half strength, Ohtani remains baseball’s most explosive offensive power. His 44 home runs lead the majors while his OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) is a career-best and MLB leader of 1,069. And as the Angels’ season falters in Anaheim, Ohtani remains the favorite for the American League MVP title.
But the reality for Japan’s biggest export is undeniably grim: Ohtani may now be forced to accept a smaller, short-term contract as a free agent and serve solely as designated hitter while he continues to rehabilitate an ailing elbow disease in 2024.
Unfortunately, the possibility of another operation could completely jeopardize his pitching career. And if that’s the case, Ohtani, like Babe Ruth before him, could give up the mound altogether and focus full-time on hitting.
Ohtani remains baseball’s most feared hitter, but his future on the mound is in jeopardy
Shohei Ohtani’s upcoming free agency is a concern for many Angels fans
At the moment, Ohtani is not rushing into a second operation on Tommy John – a procedure to replace an elbow ligament with a tendon from elsewhere in the patient’s body.
Named for the former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher who successfully recovered from the revolutionary procedure in the mid-1970s, Tommy John’s surgery was a boon to hurlers, including Ohtani.
Just four years ago, Ohtani underwent the surgery that prevented him from pitching in 2019 and all but two games in 2020.
Still, Ohtani returned to the mound in 2021 and had his best season as a pitcher in 2022, posting a career-low 2.33 ERA and averaging five strikeouts per walk.
And in 2023 he was almost as brilliant, ranking top of the league in most pitching categories while also being baseball’s most feared hitter.
Named after the former Dodgers pitcher (pictured) who successfully recovered from the revolutionary procedure in the mid-1970s, Tommy John’s surgery was a boon for Hurler
There was some optimism on Wednesday thanks to Angels general manager Perry Minasian.
“If I were to bet someone would come back, they would be the one,” he said. “I think he’ll come back and be able to do both at a very high level again.”
There are other reasons for Ohtani to believe he can return to the Hill.
Texas Rangers hurler Nathan Eovaldi, Chicago White Sox substitute Mike Clevinger, Dodgers’ Daniel Hudson and Cubs’ Jameson Taillon have all returned from a second operation on Tommy John. Meanwhile, Walker Buehler is poised to do the same for the Dodgers in LA.
Others, however, were not so lucky. Texas’ Jacob deGrom is currently facing this predicament as he recovers from a cruciate ligament rupture. Prior to this, Cincinnati Reds starlet and 1990 World Series MVP Jose Rijo had his career all but ended by multiple operations by Tommy John.
‘[After a single Tommy John procedure] “There’s a good chance you’ll come back,” surgeon Robert Keller told The Washington Post in 2015. “You’re probably not doing as well as you used to, but you’re close to where you should be.”
“If you have a second, you might not come back, and if you do, you won’t pitch as much and you won’t pitch as long.”
Mike Clevinger, the White Sox’s reserve, made a successful return from a second operation on Tommy John
Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is another pitcher to return from two torn UCLs
And for the Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Mets, and every other potential Ohtani contender, it’s an important consideration before they make an offer this winter.
Fox Sports MLB insider Ben Verlander, a former minor league pitcher and brother of reigning American League player Cy Young, Justin, reckons Ohtani will still be getting nine-figure offers this winter.
“His free agency is getting really interesting now,” Verlander told Fox Sports. “This off-season was going to be an unprecedented negotiation.” Nobody really knew what kind of contract he was going to get.
“Now we have even less idea.” I still think we’ll see him get $500 million if it’s a long-term deal. But we could now see a one-year or two-year deal as a placeholder until it’s clear how he recovers from that.”