ANAHEIM, Calif. – It has been 12 days since the Los Angeles Angels announced that Shohei Ohtani suffered a torn UCL in his pitching elbow that would end his season on the mound. The two-way star has so far declined to comment on his injury or his future.
There were so many questions surrounding the injury and his impending free agency. It’s almost as if he’s taken the baseball world hostage, searching for information about the game’s best and most interesting player.
The silence was finally broken on Monday afternoon. Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo spoke to local reporters and Japanese media about Ohtani’s injury and his future. He spoke for about 25 minutes, filling in some gaps while asking new questions.
Balelo spoke before Ohtani was removed from the lineup because the Angels announced it was a right oblique injury.
Here is a full transcript, lightly edited for clarity and length.
Opening comment
First of all, I know we probably have all the recordings. I wanted to be a little more confidential. But it’s okay, just ignore what I’m about to say as a matter of record.
The reason I wanted to do this was just to clear some air. There was sort of a negative narrative when the Angels made the announcement. I understood why they had to do it. That Shohei was on a tear and that he would be out as a pitcher for the rest of the season. The club has been on the move ever since. And that was kind of our first opportunity.
I spoke to him and told him I would contact the media. But I wanted it to be more local, and I wanted there to be a lot of people here following it on a daily basis. I wanted to show all of you respect instead of having a one-on-one conversation with perhaps a national player. Or do something that would somehow diminish the respect I have for all of you.
We have all been part of his growth over the last six years. And I saw Shohei on so many different levels. It keeps people busy. People have benefited from it. Things were written. A lot of good things have come from this. And so I hope I can answer as many questions as possible today. I’ve never shied away from all of you, you know that. I have always shown you respect, especially towards the Japanese media. That’s why I’m asking for it again now.
This is not an easy time. It wasn’t easy to hear information. But a lot has happened in the last 10 days. Let us know what that means. There are always different opinions. What I have personally learned from doctors and specialists suggests that a certain positive mood will emerge from this. And we feel good about it. I wanted to say that right at the beginning. And now I would like to start by saying that it is very important, very important that I ask you to report this. Shohei is fine. His spirits are high. He plays, everything is fine. I don’t want anyone to think he isn’t.
And especially back in Japan, I want you to report this. He is in good spirits. It comes from me. He’s in a good place. The other thing I think is important is for people to understand that he will be fine in the situation we are in. Based on the information we are receiving, we are all extremely confident that he will be fine. So make sure you share that. Make sure you get this out.
And lastly, the outpouring of love and good wishes, it was all just overwhelming. We appreciate it. Shohei really appreciates it. Get that out there. OK? Because of that, I’m here. Because I wanted these messages to get out to the public. Of course I’m here to answer what I can. But there are probably some things I can’t pursue further because we’re still gathering more information. Be patient with me and we will get through this. Fire away.
Where is he in the process of getting second opinions and finding out if he needs surgery?
Yes, I can answer that. Hopefully I will fill in a lot of the gaps here too. I think it’s inevitable that there will be some sort of process. OK? What and when this procedure looks like and what type of procedure is what we are currently collecting. Obviously there were several opinions. And we don’t just rely on one or two. We are really trying to educate ourselves about this situation.
I’ll just pull it out and tell you. Perry (Minasian) spoke up and said we were in tears. And that’s what we do. But it’s completely different than last time. Last time I was at the top, the furthest you can reach. And this is as low as possible. So it’s completely different. If you grab the lowest limb you can reach by a ligament that’s close to the bone, that’s where the problem lies.
And also the tape itself, because there were some hoaxes out there. The ligament itself that Shohei had, the graft that was inserted into him in 2018 along with the natural ligament, is completely intact. No problem, everything looks good. That’s really something positive to take away from this. Again, I try to create as much of a positive narrative as possible. Because I want you to understand: When one doctor looked at this, several doctors looked at this and said this is the best scenario for the situation we’re in. You take that and move on with it.
With this in mind, we are very optimistic and confident that things will be good in the future. Again, I want you to carry the message that you are giving to the community, the industry and the world that we are going to be okay. Shohei will be fine. Will he pitch the rest of the year? No. We already know that. Will he join next year? We do not know that. So please bear with me.
But one thing I know: No matter what schedule we do it on and when we finish it, Shohei will be in someone’s lineup next year when the bell rings. We know that. We won’t force it. He’ll be ready to go. There it is.
Will there be research into treatment after the season?
It’s currently underway. I think it’s been 10 days. We collect as much information as possible. As you can imagine, everyone has been incredibly supportive. I don’t think there is anyone here who doesn’t love this child. We all want the best for him. You all know he means a lot to me. We’re just gathering as much information as possible to get this right. And he understands that too. Gathering information and making the right decisions takes some time. You don’t want to reflexively engage in these things. You want to take your time, collect as much as you can and make the right decision.
Because Shohei loves to pitch and you all know it. There are probably some situations out there that we haven’t even explored yet that could probably get him back in the lineup quicker due to surgery. In a situation like that, we don’t want to create a situation where it’s harmful to him. And we just want to make sure that longevity is important because he loves to pitch.
I’m just telling you now that Shohei – there’s no doubt in his mind that he’ll be back and that he’ll continue to do both, just like we’ve been doing for the last few years, which you all really enjoyed.
Angels GM Perry Minasian said you declined an opportunity to take pictures earlier in August. Is that your point of view and if so, why did you decline?
I can address that. It was the trip to Seattle (August 3) and he came out with a cramp in his finger. And it was just a suggestion. As soon as he came out he suggested maybe we needed to take a photo. It was like, ‘Hold your ground, let’s find out what this is about.’ I consulted with Shohei after that. We talked about it. If you notice the cramp is gone by the sixth or seventh inning. He hit a home run to tie the game. Then he stole a base. He was fine. There were no problems with the elbow, no problems with the shoulder. No problems. He was ready to go.
And if you remember, he was normal in his next start, throwing 97 pitches. He beat the Giants. So he was fine, everything was fine, so there were no problems with it. It was just a quick suggestion, thought about it, talked to him, everything was fine. That wasn’t justified at all.
Did he feel anything before his start against the Reds?
Shohei was completely fine. He had no problems. I didn’t complain about anything. Everything was good. On this trip with Seattle it was just a cramp in my finger. It didn’t justify anything.
With Shohei moving to DH next year, can he last the rest of the season?
We’re still weighing that up. But for now, he’s in the lineup tonight. You need to understand this too and I will share it with you. With all the consultation we’ve done with doctors, Shohei, there’s nothing he can’t do when it comes to DHing. He can lift. He can run. He can slide. He can hit. He can handle violent rashes. He can do anything he wants now. It has no bearing on the issue in question. So we’re fine. Whatever we want to do, we have to consider it next year. From the looks of the timeline, he’ll be fine when the bell rings in 2024.
In 2018, he underwent surgery on October 1st and was unable to play again the following season until May. Why is it different?
This time it’s a different scenario. I won’t go into that in more detail. But the doctors are basically telling me it’s a completely different scenario based on certain things we can do. I’m not going into it at this point. But it’s a different situation. So he’ll be fine.
How do you understand why this happened so soon after his last Tommy John surgery?
I just mentioned it. His transplant and native ligament combined with the transplant in 2018 are fine. There’s not a tear in it. It’s done where the bone meets the UCL, so it’s different than last time. The band itself is fine and in good condition.
You’re saying he could have surgery that isn’t Tommy John surgery?
We weigh everything up.
Will Shohei speak to the media?
Because of that, I’m here. I was hoping to answer many of your questions. As you know, he is very picky about things. And he keeps playing as long as he can. And until we make decisions. But there’s really no need for him to address the media. I speak this for him and on behalf of all of us. So answer each of your questions. We just let him continue to play and do what he loves to do and respect that. I ask you all to do the same with him. When you come out of a game you don’t think about what we’re told until we’re diagnosed. He is a little surprised. So we just let him breathe, play and enjoy what he loves to do.
Do you think you’ll be looking for a long-term contract this offseason? Or would you consider something short-term?
I won’t go into that. I appreciate the question, but I won’t elaborate on it now. That’s the furthest thing from my mind. Now let’s just deal with the immediate.
Are the Angels heavily involved in this process since he is an impending free agent?
This is interesting because he is an employee of the Angels. He plays for the Angels. So when decisions are made for this season, I will of course consult with the Angels front office. When it comes to further decisions and such, they will know out of respect for them. But they don’t necessarily have the pulse to make the decisions for us.
Were the Angels involved in the part of the process involving next season?
You know my politics. I never comment on extensions. I never comment on arbitration matters. And I never comment on free agent discussions or anything like that. I really appreciate the question.
Were you surprised that he wanted to continue playing?
This guy loves the game. And when he found out there was nothing he could do to do any more damage than had already been done, he said, “I want to play it out until we get more information.” That’s where where we stand today.
So he wasn’t surprised by the news?
If you find out that you have a problem with your elbow, of course. But he takes it so well, which is what’s interesting about him. And he takes it like a professional and a gentleman. Yes, he is upset. But then it wasn’t long before he said, “Okay, we have a game to play.” He played the second game after he got the information. That tells you what kind of character this guy has.
Would he end the season early to undergo surgery?
That’s a legitimate question, and it’s something we’re currently evaluating. We don’t have that answer. Today, September 4th, we know he is playing. And we continue to gather more information that we believe is relevant to our future. Big picture: being in the lineup in 2024, all of that. If there’s anything that impacts that, we’ll probably make a decision. But right now, that’s not a decision we’re making today. So we keep playing.
Did you have a problem with the Angels announcing Ohtani refused the MRI scan?
No. Look, the Angels got pretty screwed. People said they kept hearing the word “fatigue.” He collapses. And there were a few other people out there that people were listening to and they were just saying, “This guy’s been tired for weeks.” Look, the word “fatigue” has been misused, in my opinion.
He was zapped that 18-inning day in Detroit. He threw one (full game), then he went out and played. He then became dehydrated and then received an electric shock. But as far as fatigue goes, this guy turns singles into doubles and doubles into triples every night. In my opinion, the fatigue was really disproportionate. He is feeling well. He continues to do well. He takes care of himself.
Nobody can do what this guy does. He was on pace for over 180 innings. And what, 650 record appearances. Who can do that? People just assumed that he was breaking down and that there must be signs for people to notice. That is not the case at all. Shohei, he’s advancing his career. He does what he has to do. And he knows he has the cards to say, “I need a day. I need to take a break.” He doesn’t do it often enough because he feels like he doesn’t have to. That’s why we respect that. So that he continues to go out and do what’s good for him, then we listen to him and support him.
Ohtani’s relationship with the angels wasn’t affected by this?
Not at all. They were great. No problems with the angels.
Do you think Ohtani will have a say in how often he plays and if/when he needs days off in the future?
I can not answer that. Every organization is different.
Everyone says this will impact his free agency. Do you feel different?
I really have no comment on this. People are out there voicing their opinions, that’s how society is these days. People express their opinions all day long. I don’t put much emphasis on that. When it comes down to it, we’ll look at free agency. I’m not worried about free agency.
Do you think he could pitch next year?
I don’t have that answer, I don’t know. It will all depend on the nature of the procedure and the situation we will find ourselves in, and soon.
Is there a Couple options or many treatment options?
I can’t get too involved in it. But there are many options. And we weigh them up. We do this carefully. We have to think big picture. We have to assume that he won’t just strike. He’ll be back on the mound. He’ll do his thing. We have to think about that. And make sure that the procedure carried out is carried out correctly. And that will be heavily taken into account when we think about the bigger picture of the future. This guy would love to do both for a long, long time. Not a short time.
Does Shohei care about breaking the Angels’ home run records this year?
He is so competitive. So I’m sure it crossed his mind. It’s not like we talk about it every night. But knowing him and being as competitive as he is, I’m sure it crossed his mind. He’s proud of that, he’s proud of his game. It’s not like he’s chasing records all day. I think he’s already set some things up. He seems to do it every night.
They said he would undergo a procedure. That would rule out a PRP injection or stem cell treatment?
Again, I won’t go into the nature of the procedures, but I think it’s inevitable that he will undergo some type of procedure. We just don’t know exactly what that is. And I won’t answer exactly what kind of procedure it is.
(Photo: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)