Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani underwent surgery on his right (throwing) elbow on Tuesday, a little less than a month after he was diagnosed with a torn ACL. Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo said in a statement. According to Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who underwent the procedure in Los Angeles, Ohtani is expected to be free of restrictions as a hitter in 2024 and start pitching again in 2025.
“The ultimate plan after consulting with Shohei was to correct the issue at hand and strengthen the healthy ligament in place while adding viable tissue for the longevity of the elbow,” ElAttrache also said in Balelo’s statement. It’s unclear exactly what the surgery involved, including whether it was a full Tommy John procedure.
Ohtani himself released the following statement on social media:
I had surgery on my elbow this morning and everything went very well. Thank you for all the prayers and kind words.
It was very unfortunate that I couldn’t finish the year on the field, but I’ll be rooting for the boys until the end.
I will work as hard as I can and do my best to come back to the diamond stronger than ever.
Come on, halos!!
Ohtani hasn’t played since September 3rd. He injured his oblique during batting practice the next day, and although the Angels continued to list him as an everyday player, Ohtani did not appear in a game for 11 days before being placed on the 10-day injured list. Ohtani had to train in the last few days before the game, although he was not well enough to return to the game.
The 29-year-old Ohtani finished his season with a .304/.412/.654 batting line and an AL-leading 44 home runs as a hitter. As a pitcher, he threw 132 innings with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts. Ohtani leads all players with a WAR of 10.0 – he’s still the AL MVP front-runner – and his 2021-23 seasons can be expected to be the best three-year streak in baseball history.
Despite Ohtani working with Mike Trout for the past six years, the Angels never once made it to the postseason or even posted a winning record during the former’s time with the team. The Halos haven’t been to the postseason since 2014, when they were defeated in the ALDS by the Kansas City Royals. They haven’t won a postseason game since the 2009 ALCS.
Here’s what you need to know about Ohtani and his elbow surgery now that his season is over.
This is Ohtani’s second notable elbow surgery
Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery on October 1, 2018, after his first season with the Angels. This second surgery may carry a higher risk than the first, although several pitchers in recent years have returned and been effective after a second procedure of a similar nature, including Nathan Eovaldi and Jameson Taillon.
Ohtani aims to arrive in 2024
Earlier this month, Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo said: “Shohei will be in someone’s lineup next year, doing DH when the bell rings.” Ohtani continued to hit during his first rehab from Tommy John surgery – Bryce Harper is doing the same in that season – but did not return to the lineup until about a month into the 2019 season following his surgery in October 2018. Expect to see Ohtani in the lineup as a hitter sometime next year. That is the plan. Balelo reiterated these plans in his statement on Tuesday.
Our Matt Snyder recently spoke with a doctor and explained why Ohtani can continue to hit while he rehabs his elbow as a pitcher.
He intends to continue pitching
In case there was any doubt, Balelo confirmed that Ohtani intends to continue pitching. There was speculation that he would retire from being a two-way player, but there is no such plan. “Shohei loves to pitch. There is no doubt in his mind that he will come back and continue to do both,” Balelo said last month. This much we know: Ohtani will not pitch in 2024. The operation confirms it. However, we should see Ohtani back on the mound in 2025. As ElAttrache’s comments above show, Ohtani isn’t done pitching yet.
Ohtani will be a free agent this offseason
For Ohtani, who is just weeks away from becoming one of the most sought-after free agents in baseball history, the surgery couldn’t come at a worse time. Of course, Ohtani will still make money and maybe even secure a record deal, even if the elbow surgery makes his market harder. He won’t be pitching next season, but when exactly will he return as a hitter? How much are teams willing to bet on Ohtani returning to form as a pitcher? We’ll find out in the coming weeks and months.