The Los Angeles Angels will have to settle for star Shohei Ohtani’s batting power for the remainder of the season as a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow will prevent him from pitching for a long time.
In addition, this is the second accident of this kind for the Japanese, who suffered this injury in 2018; It all led to Tommy John-like surgery and a total absence from the Hill the following year. This time around, the California organization wants to get a second medical opinion before deciding if surgery is needed, according to MLB.com.
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Ohtani made his way to the dressing room after just an inning and a half of work in Wednesday’s game, the first of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds. Despite his troubles, he returned to action as the designated batsman in the second half of the day.
“I don’t know what to expect,” said Angels general manager Perry Minasian. We’ll look at the day-to-day situation and see how it’s going, how he’s feeling. We’re going to get more information, if it’s about recovery time and all that kind of information.”
The term “recovery” is certainly inappropriate in the case of the number 17 given his ability to kick balls. We can therefore assume that he will continue his performances in the batting box, even if his team is far from a place in the playoffs.
“I will never put limits on players in general, especially him. He proved that it is possible to make it and be successful. I expect him to get back on his feet and do whatever he needs to do to get back to the previous point,” commented the DG.
It hurts
For Ohtani, the appearance of this obstacle is rather frustrating, since he had a good chance of winning the title of American League of Baseball’s Most Valuable Player. In 2023, he was a 10-5 pitcher with a 3.14 ERA and a total of 167 strikeouts in 132 innings. At batting, he missed his shots while having 44 homers, 91 RBIs, and a .304 plate average.
The 29-year-old’s contract has expired and looks set to be a prime target in the free-agent market post the Major League playoffs. Many thought he would land the most lucrative contract in the history of his sport, but this unforeseen event could skew the situation.