Los Angeles Angels announced on Tuesday that their star pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani will undergo Tommy John surgery next week. This comes after it Ohtani’s MRI results showed new damage to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his pitching elbow.
“I think it was the proper decision Shohei made to have surgery, and the sooner the better,” – said Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia.
Since the rehabilitation period after a Tommy John surgery is 12 to 14 months, Shohei Ohtani won’t be able to pitch again until 2020 season. But he might return as a designated hitter for 2019. Ohtani currently has a batting average of .280 and managed 21 home runs and 56 RBIs.
“It obviously puts him out of pitching in 2019, but he’ll be able to hit, and I think he’s at peace with that,” – Scioscia added. “He wants to excel at both phases of the game. The fact he can’t pitch (next season), there is a little bit of a void. But he’ll be able to hit and focus on that.“
Shohei Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Angels from Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in December 2017, after establishing himself as the most prominent baseball star outside the United States. Shortly after arriving in the U.S., it was discovered that the 24-year-old has a first-degree UCL sprain in his right elbow. He was treated with platelet-rich plasma injection, which enabled him to make his pitching debut in April.
Ohtani made his pitching debut in April but was put on the disabled list in June due to second-degree UCL sprain in his pitching elbow. After receiving platelet-rich plasma and stem-cell injections once again, he returned in early September, starting the game against Houston Astros. He played only 2⅓ innings, with the MRI after the game showing that his UCL sprain got worse. After this, doctors recommended a Tommy John surgery.
Shohei Ohtani made 10 starts as a pitcher during his time in MLB, going 4-2 with 3.31 ERA and 63 strikeouts.
